CofC Graduate Program in Environmental Studies

CofC Graduate Program in Environmental Studies An interdisciplinary graduate program addressing environmental and sustainability issues from natura

As the field of environmental studies has expanded, so has our understanding of the complexity of environmental issues. Many different concerns, including those of the public, private industry, and the scientific community must be balanced to approach the environmental concerns facing our society today. In training students to handle the challenges posed by a career in the environmental field, exp

erts have found that an interdisciplinary course of study offers the most comprehensive preparation. An interdisciplinary program provides students with a basic understanding of all the factors affecting their work by giving them a scholastic background in the primary disciplines involved in the environmental field. This understanding compliments students' areas of specialty, supporting their focus in one discipline with knowledge about other aspects of the field. Our Master of Science in Environmental Studies (MES) program prepares students to deal with the complex nature of environmental issues through an interdisciplinary approach that capitalizes on the unique faculty and research strengths of the College of Charleston. The faculty at the College of Charleston contributes through the policy sciences and the natural science areas of biology, geology, mathematics, and physics.

🦀 Highlight 🦀Melanie Thorn is a second year EVSS student. She is working with Dr. Michael Kendrick on her thesis, Unders...
05/26/2026

🦀 Highlight 🦀

Melanie Thorn is a second year EVSS student. She is working with Dr. Michael Kendrick on her thesis, Understanding the seasonal reproductive cycle of Callinectes sapidus, in Charleston, South Carolina, USA
 
She currently is employed through the Crustacean Research and Monitoring Section at SCDNR. And previously served as a graduate assistant for the EVsS office!

Mel’s most recent accomplishment was her group project from Intro to Geospatial Science class won first place at CofC’s EXPO poster session in the Sustainability Category 🎉

⭐️ Highlight ⭐️Chandler Dickert is a second year concurrent student. He is working with Dr. Norm Levine to complete his ...
05/21/2026

⭐️ Highlight ⭐️

Chandler Dickert is a second year concurrent student. He is working with Dr. Norm Levine to complete his thesis, Development of Topographically Derived Ground Water Models for Building Community Infrastructure in Edisto, SC. Chandler is also Research Assistant for the Lowcountry Hazards Center and Santee Cooper GIS Laboratory.

He also recently attended the first in person all hands meeting for the RISCC grant. “We as a research team came together to align our different objectives, clarify community partner needs, and identify key gaps and barriers for scientific convergence within the grant. A big part of this meeting was identifying and prioritizing flagship tools and community-facing outputs for our local partners that are depending on the grant. I was fortunate enough to moderate a session on Strengths and Opportunities. I asked the group to reflect on the resources, capabilities, and institutional knowledge we as a group exhibit so that we can prioritize these strengths in upcoming opportunities within the grant.”

Today was the bees knees! 🐝 6th graders from Ashley Hall learned about native bees in Charleston and their importance. T...
05/13/2026

Today was the bees knees! 🐝 6th graders from Ashley Hall learned about native bees in Charleston and their importance. They also got to “bee” creative and paint bee houses to protect local populations!

Bee houses are safe nesting sites, can protect bees from predators and harsh weather (which is important as we start hurricane season) , and overall helps boost pollination for gardens and crops 💐🦋

⭐️ Highlight ⭐️ Ellery Newcomer is an EVSS Spring 2026 graduate. During her time in the program she worked with Dr. John...
05/11/2026

⭐️ Highlight ⭐️

Ellery Newcomer is an EVSS Spring 2026 graduate. During her time in the program she worked with Dr. John Peters to complete her internship, Exploring the Effects of Motivation and Self-Efficacy of Volunteers at ARCHELON on Volunteer Retention and Engagement in Sea Turtle Conservation Work 🌊🐢

Ellery is going to be the Camp and Volunteer Officer for ARCHELON at their project site in Kyparissia, Greece for the 2026 season. ARCHELON is a nonprofit organization that focuses on the protection and conservation of sea turtles in Greece. At Kyparissia we will be conducting nest monitoring, habitat protection, and public awareness.

“One of my favorite parts of this experience has been getting to work with people from all over the world who share a passion for conservation. Completing research that combines conservation with nonprofit management, while also helping improve understanding of volunteer engagement in conservation work, has been very rewarding.”

Congratulations to all of our Environmental and Sustainability Studies graduates who crossed the stage this commencement...
05/08/2026

Congratulations to all of our Environmental and Sustainability Studies graduates who crossed the stage this commencement season and to those celebrating this milestone in quieter ways. We are so proud of each and every one of you!!

Today we celebrate a group of thoughtful, passionate, and driven sustainability leaders who are ready to make meaningful change in the world. From research and resilience to conservation, policy, education, agriculture, GIS, community engagement, and beyond, your work matters, and we are excited to see the impact you will continue to make in your communities and professions.

Thank you for the energy, ideas, leadership, and care you brought to our program. It has been an honor to support your journeys, and we cannot wait to see where your paths lead next.

Congratulations EVSS graduates!! your future is bright, and the world needs your work now more than ever. 🌎💚

The EVSS program had a great time at the end of the year party yesterday! We would like to give a HUGE thank you to our ...
05/05/2026

The EVSS program had a great time at the end of the year party yesterday!

We would like to give a HUGE thank you to our wonderful faculty and staff for all of their support throughout the year 💚

We can’t wait to see what next semester brings 🌈

Can’t wait to see you all there 🌮
04/30/2026

Can’t wait to see you all there 🌮

🌎 Happy Earth Day 🌎 Today the EVSS program celebrates the power of informed action, community collaboration, and innovat...
04/22/2026

🌎 Happy Earth Day 🌎

Today the EVSS program celebrates the power of informed action, community collaboration, and innovative thinking to shape a more sustainable future. From local ecosystems to global challenges, our students are turning knowledge into impact every day.

Huge congratulations to all of our students who successfully defended their thesis this spring! 🎉 We are so proud of all...
04/22/2026

Huge congratulations to all of our students who successfully defended their thesis this spring! 🎉 We are so proud of all the hard work, resilience, and dedication it took to get here. It’s been incredible to watch your ideas come to life, and we’re so excited to support you on your next steps. Great work, all!! this is a big moment! 👏📚✨

The Environmental and Sustainability Studies Education class (EVSS 595/ENVT 490) took a field trip through the Charlesto...
04/21/2026

The Environmental and Sustainability Studies Education class (EVSS 595/ENVT 490) took a field trip through the Charleston Harbor Estuary with South Carolina DNR 🐠

On this trip, they learned about the biological and physical factors in the harbor through observation and sampling of the ecosystem. They took physical parameters of the water and organisms to learn more about the estuary and its complex interactions. Through becoming familiar with data collection, they learned the importance of triangulation, water properties, and plankton sampling, as well as a group activity of pulling organisms from the trawl net and identifying them according to their family.

The Environmental and Sustainability Studies Education class took a field trip through the Charleston Harbor Estuary wit...
04/21/2026

The Environmental and Sustainability Studies Education class took a field trip through the Charleston Harbor Estuary with South Carolina DNR 🐠

On this trip, they learned about the biological and physical factors in the harbor through observation and sampling of the ecosystem. They took physical parameters of the water and organisms to learn more about the estuary and its complex interactions. Through becoming familiar with data collection, they learned the importance of triangulation, water properties, and plankton sampling, as well as a group activity of pulling organisms from the trawl net and identifying them according to their family.

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