Environmental Studies in Israel – Graduate Programs in English

 

 

The world is constantly changing and requires us to come up with new and better ideas to grow food, supply drinking water and provide a healthy and non-polluted environment for communities around the world. In addition, there is a growing concern regarding the long-term effects of industrialized societies on our planet. It's time to make a difference, and it's up to you!

 

Academic institutions in Israel provide students with fresh knowledge about agricultural and industrial innovations, designed to help nature preservation, keep it clean and solve problems of scarcity. Programs for Master degree are offered in Israel to international students.

 

 

Students of environmental sciences learn about sustainability, developing alternative energy resources, pollution treatment, waste recycling and agriculture. Since the studies take place in Israel, several of them focus especially on the ecological conditions relevant to Israel such as the desert, the Mediterranean and of course, the lack of sufficient drinking water resources.

 

 

Most non-thesis tracks are designed to be completed in two years. However, several institutions offer a three-semester track that could be completed in a year. Programs that include thesis are usually completed in three years.

 

 

Environmental Studies programs may include courses in:

 

* Environmental Chemistry

* Molecular Biology

* Oceanography

* Irrigation Systems

* Biology and Ecology of Global Change

* Environmental Law

* Environmental Economics

* Stable Isotopes in the Marine Environment

 

 

Admittance is based on the candidates undergraduate GPA (has to be higher than 3.0 or 80), recommendation letters and personal essay. In case candidates did not complete their undergraduate studies in an English speaking country they will have to take an English proficiency test.

 

 

Tuition fees vary and are between $9,500 and $ 17,000 per year. Students may apply for scholarships based on their academic achievement.

 

 

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem – offers a one year track (three consecutive semesters) of M.Sc. in Agriculture, specializing in Environmental Studies. The track does not include a thesis but students must complete a personal project as part of their studies.

 

Tel Aviv University – offers an M.A. program in Environmental Studies that is designed to be completed in a year. TAU's program is not limited to exact science issues, but open to economic and social aspects as well.

 

University of Haifa – offers three master's programs regarding the environment: Marine Geosciences, Maritime Civilizations and Green MBA. In Marine Geosciences' track students acquire knowledge for research of natural energy resources at the bottom of the sea, or focus on climate change and tectonic forces. Maritime Civilizations is a track combining archeology and marine biology. A Green MBA is a business administration graduate program that focuses on sustainability.

 

Ben Gurion University (Be'er-Sheva) – The southern university offers more Environmental Studies tracks than any other university in Israel. Its Desert Studies School offers M.A. and M.Sc. Programs in: Agriculture and Biotechnology for Sustainable Development, Ecology of Dry Lands, Solar Energy and Environmental Physics, Irrigation and Plant Environment, Environmental and Aquatic Microbiology and Environmental Studies. BGU also offers tracks in Hydrology and Water Quality. Lastly, it offers a full scholarship to students who participate in its M.Sc. Geological and Environmental program.

 

Weizmann Institute (Rehovot) – one of the leading academic institutions in Israel offers a track focusing on environmental studies as part of its chemical sciences studies (M.Sc.). Students attending Weizmann Institute must complete a thesis. All students receive a scholarship, however, they are not allowed to work during their studies.

 

Arava Institute for Environmental Studies (Kibbutz Ketura) – holds environmental graduate as well as undergraduate programs in English, focusing on scientific, managerial, political and industrial questions. Arabs and Jews, Europeans and Americans, religious and non-religious people come together and study ways of building a better future for all. Some of the academic programs are accredited by Ben-Gurion University.