Master of Science in Sustainable Food Systems

at Montana State University - Bozeman USA

Students within the Geology program at Montana State learn to apply the principles of chemistry, physics and mathematics to the study of the Earth’s surface and interior. Coursework spans core topics in earth sciences and include subjects such as mineralogy, sedimentation and stratigraphy, structural geology, global tectonics and sedimentary petrology. In addition to this, Geology students also gain important skills in field methodology and take a capstone field geology course prior to graduation.

In order to provide students with the skills needed in a globalized world that increasingly pivots on Asia, Montana State University offers an interdisciplinary Asian studies major. In the Asian Studies program at Montana State, students are given the option to study either Arabic, Chinese or Japanese as a core language, as well as explore cultural electives and literature courses that span the continent.

Students in the Chemistry (Professional) program at Montana State delve into a core of chemistry courses and technical electives to prepare for careers within the field, as well as medicine, patent law, science writing and more. Depending on their interests, students are also encouraged to engage with additional mathematics and/or physics courses as well. Additionally, all students in the Chemistry (Professional) program are assigned to an on-campus lab to conduct laboratory research as part of their degree, preparing them for either on-the-job laboratory work or higher education.

Electrical engineering graduates are key contributors at the frontier of science and engineering, using physics, electronics and electromagnetism to work with everything from nanotechnology to smart grids, inside human bodies to deep outer space. The Montana State electrical engineering program emphasizes hands-on laboratory work from EELE 101 through graduation. Electrical engineering students have access to state-of-the-art equipment and software, including electrical systems, advanced digital design, communications, control systems and even a fully functional microfabrication clean room facility. Needless to say, Montana State electrical engineering graduates have a great reputation for confidence and effectiveness in engineering design, analysis and troubleshooting.

In the Organismal Biology program at Montana State, students enter a rigorous program of study will the goal of understanding plant or animal biology from the inner-most workings of internal biological systems to those organisms’ interaction with their immediate ecosystem on a communal level. With the option to tailor their plan of study to their personal interests, Organismal Biology students are able to specialize their degrees based on career interests in either the job market or advanced education.

Integrated Lens-Based Media students at Montana State are immersed in an intensive, interdisciplinary course of study in both cinematic and photographic media. The Integrated Lens-Based Media program combines aspects of the Film and Photography programs, allowing students to explore aspects of filmmaking and photography in their art practice. Under the mentorship of two advisors – one filmmaker and one photographer – students in the program design a customized curriculum that culminates in a comprehensive, interdisciplinary capstone project that will prepare them to pursue a career as a professional artist or further study in graduate school.

The Latin American and Latino Studies program at Montana State provides students interested in Latin American and Latino history, culture, and language with valuable interdisciplinary skills. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the program, Latin American and Latino Studies students are given the option to not only study courses focusing on Latin American and Latino socio-cultural subjects but other relevant content from other departments such as sociology, political science or gender studies, as well. Although the equivalent of four semesters of Spanish language is required, students with prior experience in Spanish language or heritage students may have some of those language requirements waived.

Candidates within the Earth Sciences graduate program at Montana State are encouraged to dive into independent thesis research across a variety of specializations within the fields of geography and geology. Faculty and advisor expertise spans many subfields of the discipline, including settlement geography, bioclimatology, GIS, planning, snow science, volcanology, paleobiology, dinosaur taphonomy, stratigraphy and geomorphology. Recent M.S. students have produced groundbreaking research and have expanded our knowledge of issues from GIS-based assessment of landslide hazards to exotic species assessment in Grand Teton National Park.

In the graduate program for Immunology and Infectious Disease at Montana State, candidates pursue research projects within state-of-the-art laboratories on subjects such as vaccines and disease evolution, as well as genetics, disease transmission and immune responses. Candidates conduct these projects in labs such as the Core Flow Cytometry Facility and the state-of-the-art Cooley Laboratory. They train under award-winning and world-leading researchers in the fields of genetics and immunology.

Candidates in the Physics graduate program at Montana State conduct a wide variety of research projects from solar physics to superconductivity with MSU’s state-of-the-art laboratories and equipment. The program prides itself on collaborative research, whether it’s interdisciplinary teams on the MSU campus or working with national and international experts. In addition to the groundbreaking research conducted in the department, Physics candidates have the opportunity to conduct public outreach and educational research through the MSU Physics Education Research (PER) group.