Requirements

Students interested in joining BESS must fullfill the following requirements:

1. Courses: All students are required to take two courses in Panama in January and February (Foundations of Environmental Policy and Tropical Biology and Conservation) –these are the same requirements for NEO. 

   BIOL 640. Tropical Biology and Conservation.

   Credits: 3

   Offered by: Biology (Graduate Studies)

   Terms offered: Summer 2025, Winter 2026

   View offerings for Summer 2025 or Winter 2026 in Visual Schedule Builder.

   Description

   Long-term research at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute will be organized and synthesized to examine historical assembly and ecological maintenance of tropical communities. This synthesis will draw on phylogenetic concepts for historical insight and will examine the probable resilience of these communities to global change, pollution and biodiversity loss.

   • Fees: Graduate students requesting registration in the Neotropical Environment Option pay a fee of $892.78. This fee is used to support the costs associated with transportation and housing while in Panama.
   • Restriction: students enrolled in Neotropical Environment Option (NEO) or permission of the instructor
   • Fees: Graduate students requesting registration in the Neotropical Environment Option pay a fee of $919.56. This fee is used to support the costs associated with transportation and housing while in Panama.

   Most students use Visual Schedule Builder (VSB) to organize their schedules. VSB helps you plan class schedules, travel time, and more.

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   ENVR 610. Foundations of Environmental Policy.

   Credits: 3

   Offered by: Bieler School of Environment (Graduate Studies)

   Terms offered: Summer 2025

   View offerings for Summer 2025 in Visual Schedule Builder.

   Description

   Analysis of current environmental policies to reveal implicit and explicit assumptions regarding scientific methods, hypothesis testing, subject/object, causality, certainty, deities, health, development, North-South concerns for resources, commons, national sovereignty, equity. Discussion of implications of such assumptions for building future environmental policies.

   • Restriction: Enrolment in the Graduate Environment Option or enrolment in the Neotropical Environment Option (NEO) or permission of the instructor.
   • **Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the second lecture day and withdrawal is the fourth lecture day.

   Most students use Visual Schedule Builder (VSB) to organize their schedules. VSB helps you plan class schedules, travel time, and more.

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2. Internships: PhD students must take 3 six-week long internships at institutions in the neotropics (NGO, university or industry), MSc have to take 2 of such internships.
3. Skills Workshops: All students must take 3 specific skills workshops during their degree: Project Management, Multiculturalism and Communication.
4. Research has to be done in the neotropics.
5.  * McGill students have to also apply to the Neotropical Environment Option. You can see more info about Neo here: https://www.mcgill.ca/neo/.