As human activities transform our land, atmosphere, and oceans, there is an increasing need to utilize large and disparate data sets to predict how ecosystems will respond to and influence future environmental change. Enormous amounts of data are accumulating about the Earth’s natural and managed ecosystems that can be leveraged to improve system understanding, forecast future changes, and inform conservation and management decisions. The EEI Certificate will provide students enrolled in graduate programs across NAU’s campus (e.g., biology, ecology, natural science, forestry, environmental science, and potentially computer science, statistics, and business) with important and useful informatics skills, while enhancing their research and career paths.
EEI certificate students take 13 - 15 credits distributed among 4 skill-based “cores”: statistics (3 credits), computing (3 credits), modeling skills (3 - 4 credits), ecological/environmental applications (3 - 4 credits), and synthesis (1 credit). The statistics, computing, modeling skills, and ecological/environmental application cores consist of courses aimed at building students’ skills in these respective areas. Through the synthesis core, students will be exposed to a broad range of disciplines that apply informatics tools to ecological and environmental questions (e.g., research seminars given by speakers from within and outside NAU), in addition to learning key 21st century “soft” skills (related to communication, collaboration, and professional development) that complement the hard skills learned in the other core areas.
The Graduate Certificate in Ecological and Environmental Informatics provides students enrolled in STEM graduate programs with additional training in informatics tools and skills (i.e., computing, data analytics and big data, modern statistics, mathematical and simulation modeling) with a specific focus on ecological/environmental applications. This additional training prepares graduates for careers in growing fields such as Natural Science Management, Environmental Science, and Data Analytics.
Please be aware that federal financial aid is not available for some certificates if the certificate is pursued and completed as a stand-alone certificate (i.e., not completed concurrently with a degree program). See the “Details” tab for additional information.
In addition to University Requirements:
Students may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.
| Minimum Units for Completion | 14 |
| Additional Admission Requirements | Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required. |
Purpose Statement
The Graduate Certificate in Ecological and Environmental Informatics (EEI Certificate) will provide students with training in informatics tools and skills (i.e., computing, data analytics and big data, modern statistics, mathematical and simulation modeling), focused on ecological/environmental applications. The EEI Certificate will help students build core skills that are widely applicable to many areas of science, engineering, industry, business, and research.
Through the EEI Certificate, NAU students enrolled in a range of STEM-related graduate programs (e.g., biology, ecology, natural science, forestry, environmental science, computer science, statistics, and business) will enhance their informatics and data science abilities. Students will engage in activities (seminars and courses) that illustrate how informatics tools can be applied to a range of ecological and environmental problems. They will gain skills working with big data, computing and simulation platforms, and statistical, mathematical, or simulation models for understanding or prediction.
The EEI Certificate will provide students with training and expertise in “hard skills” required to address complex 21st century problems, thus preparing them for future careers in growing fields (e.g., Natural Science Management, Environmental Science, Data Analytics). The Certificate follows recommendations of the National Academies (“Graduate STEM Education for the 21st Century”) by providing a flexible, student centered program where students select among multiple course options to fulfill specific skills areas and acquire broad technical literacy in informatics and data science that complements deep specialization in their primary area.
Student Learning Outcomes
The NAU graduate online application is required for all programs. Admission to many graduate programs is on a competitive basis, and programs may have higher standards than those established by the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies.
Admission requirements include the following:
Visit the NAU Graduate Admissions website for additional information about graduate school application deadlines, eligibility for study, and admissions policies.
Ready to apply? Begin your application now.
International applicants have additional admission requirements. Please see the International Graduate Admissions Policy.
Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.
Take the following 13 - 14 units:
This certificate may only be pursued and completed concurrently with a degree program. This certificate is not available as a stand-alone certificate.
Students enrolled in this certificate may not enroll in or pursue the following due to the number of overlapping units:
Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.