Academics

Eligibility and Student Status

Admission requirements:
Environmental studies students must have successfully completed an internationally recognized undergraduate university program with a minimal grade of 85/100 or GPA 3.4. The program is not limited to individuals with degrees relating to ecology or environment.

English Proficiency: In order to qualify for acceptance, students must demonstrate proficiency in English. The TOEFL examination will be required of students who completed their undergraduate studies in non-English speaking institutions.

Trial Period: Acceptance to the program is on a 6-month provisional basis. At the end of that period, the academic committee will evaluate student performance. Upon approval, student status is permanent for the remainder of their studies.

Training Period: In rare cases, the academic committee reserves the right to accept students who don't fully meet the academic entry requirements. These students will be accepted for a training period. During this period, students will not be enrolled in Ben-Gurion University and will need to:

• Demonstrate strong academic capabilities, (with an academic average no lower than 85/100).
  
• Attain the agreement of a Ben-Gurion University faculty member to serve as their advisor.
  
• Demonstrate the availability of financial support necessary to complete the degree.

After meeting these conditions, applicants may submit their candidacy for acceptance to the Environmental Studies specialization. Once accepted, courses completed during the training period will be credited towards their Master's Degree in Desert Studies.

Rolling Admission: The program has a 'rolling' admissions policy. While students are encouraged to attend the program beginning in the fall semester, it is possible for new students to matriculate during the spring semester as well.

Funding: Students attending the program will need to demonstrate a clear source of funding to cover their tuition and living expenses during the duration of their studies. Transcripts and degrees will be withheld from students who have not met their financial obligations to Ben-Gurion University and the Arava Institute.

Committee and Advisors

Academic Committee: A joint academic committee is comprised of faculty members from the Arava Institute and the Albert Katz School. The committee oversees the following:

• Approval of academic advisors and graduate committees for attending students;
  
• Approval of the specific course loads for attending students;
  
• Exemption from program requirements due to comparable past work or due to the recommendation of an academic advisor, based on the research needs or professional aspirations of students;
  
• All academic aspects of thesis proposal submission, thesis preparation, review and grades.

Faculty Advisors: Prior to attending the program, students are expected to find a faculty advisor among the Arava Institute lecturers, as well as an advisor among the regular faculty members from Ben-Gurion University.

Graduate Committee: A graduate committee, which reviews the research proposal and the completed thesis, is comprised of two faculty members selected by the advisor and the academic committee.

Program Requirements

Students are expected to complete the program within a two-year period. Students who do not complete the Master's program within a two-year period will be expected to leave the program, unless they have received special permission from the academic committee.
Students are required to complete a total of 50 academic points (this includes the Master's thesis worth 12 points).
In order to enable students to attain expertise in a particular subject area and to develop research skills and experience, a Master's thesis is required.

First Year Requirements

Coursework: During the first year, students take required and elective courses at the Arava Institute, based on the advisor's recommendation. A table with the first-year requirements appears below. A program flow chart appears in Appendix 2.

Seminar Requirements: All students are required to participate in the Seminar in Environmental Studies at the Arava Institute.

Research proposal: Students are required to select an advisor and choose a general topic before starting their studies. By the end of the first semester, students are expected to have a graduate committee. By the end of the ninth month of studies students must submit their research proposal.
Their advisor and graduate committee will review the proposal. After receiving comments from the committee, the students will revise their research proposal and resubmit it for approval by the graduate and academic committees.

Second Year Requirements

Coursework: The third and fourth semesters are typically spent in residence at Sede Boqer. Students take courses on desert studies and ecology. A table with the second-year requirements appears below. A program flow chart appears in Appendix 1.

Seminar Requirements: All students will participate in the Student Seminar (0.5 credit) at the main campus of Ben-Gurion University and present their work in this seminar at least once. Students in the Social Sciences Track will attend the "The Human Dimension: Living in Drylands" Seminar and students in the Desert Ecology Track will participate in the Ecology Department Seminar.

Master's Thesis: Students are expected to complete their research and submit their thesis by the end of the second year of their studies.