AIP Master's Advanced Inquiry Program

Ignite ecological & social change while earning your master's degree

Find your passion with Cleveland Metroparks Zoo while you earn your master's online from Miami University through the Advanced Inquiry Program (AIP). Created for working professionals, the AIP is a one-of-a-kind master's program that immerses students in collaborative inquiry and action as they champion change. Through web-based coursework from Miami and face-to-face experiential learning and field study at the Zoo, you will connect with classmates, Miami University faculty, zoo experts and community leaders locally, nationally and globally.  

The AIP is designed for students from a range of backgrounds and career stages. With professional and academic mentoring and self-designed Master Plans, students adapt their degree path to fit their interests in fields such as community-engaged conservation, inquiry-driven education, environmental justice, learning across K-12 and informal settings, animal care and welfare, green business innovation, climate change, urban ecology, human-nature relationships, environmental restoration, and public engagement in service. 

An unprecedented network of premier public institutions across the United States and conservation organizations worldwide have joined together to support the AIP. This extraordinary learning collaborative, the largests of its kind, fosters groundbreaking ideas, collaborations, professional connections, and study opportunities. AIP students have the option of integrating an Earth Expeditions field course at a global field site into their degree path. The AIP is overseen by Project Dragonfly, an education reform initiative located within the department of biology at Miami University.

Eligibility

Enrollment is open to applicants who hold a bachelor's degree regardless of academic major or profession. Students should have internet access and be able to attend in-person experiential learning days at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. For more information, visit Miami University's AIP overview page.

Details

Students can enroll in either a Master of Arts in Teaching in Biological Sciences (MAT), in the biological sciences for formal K-12 teachers or a Master of Arts (MA) in biology for all other professionals. the MAT does not confer a teaching license. All courses are delivered online by a Miami University instructor. Two-thirds of AIP courses also include experiential learning on grounds at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and in and around the Greater Cleveland region. Miami University is fully accreditied by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo looks forward to supporting you through the AIP. 

To Learn More

Apply

Miami University Accreditation

Program Contacts

Miami University

Connie Malone, [email protected], 513-529-5103

Project Dragonfly, Department of Biology, Miami University

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

Education Registration, [email protected], 216-635-3391

Example Course of Study

Foundations of Inquiry

Online Dates: May 19- August 8, 2025 

In-Person Dates: June 2-6, 2025

Discover the world around you by making observations, asking questions and putting your predictions to the test. This class explores the use of inquiry and inquiry-based learning. Participants will not only learn the art of creating comparative questions and designing simple tests to find answers, but will also learn how to apply these skills for use in their classrooms or communities to create change and become local leaders. 

AIP Year 1 Required Course

3 credit hours

Summer: Online Miami course with five days of experiential learning at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

Cost: $1,740 total (Includes all tuition and fees for both the University and the Zoo)

Course Themes

• Conduct a simple inquiry in small groups to review the importance of observation
• Assess audiences before beginning an inquiry as step one in the inquiry cycle
• Conduct an inquiry that focuses on critical thinking skills and how an instructor's language promotes critical thinking
• Understand the importance of interdisciplinary teaching and learning in science, math, literacy, and the arts
• Facilitate the steps of the inquiry process in their classroom or community, leading to the final step: forming new questions for investigation

Ecophysiology:  Biomimicry

Online Dates: May 19 - August 8, 2025 

In-Person Dates: June 24-27, 2025

How could a butterfly inspire your next design? Humans and wildlife both face the same environmental challenges, but nature adapts to its situations in sustainable ways. Participants in this course will explore the ways in which humans can (and do) emulate systems and designs found in nature. Students will fine tune their observation skills and complete a design challenge using nature as their guide.

3 credit hours

Summer: Online Miami course with four days of experiential learning on-site at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo 

Cost: $1,740 total (Includes all tuition and fees for both the University and the Zoo)

Course Themes

• Inquiry-based learning
• Conduct an inquiry-driven design challenge based on the use of biomimetics
• Further develop observation skills
• Think critically and scientifically about the ways in which nature can offer sustainable solutions to environmental problems

Master Plan in Action

Online Dates: January 27- May 9, 2025

In-Person Dates: February 8, March 8 & April 12, 2025

*This course is available only to full AIP Master's students.

In this course, participants will perform a large body of work towards their Master Plan. Although the course is self-directed, students will meet four times for morning peer review sessions to discuss their progress and offer advice and assistance with each other’s design and data analysis.

AIP Year 1 Required Course

3 credit hours

Spring: Online Miami course with three Saturdays of experiential learning on-site at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

Cost: $1,740 total (Includes all tuition and fees for both the University and the Zoo)

Course Themes

• Develop a timeline for completion of the Master Plan, including inquiry projects, Leadership Challenges and e-Portfolio.
• Begin developing a cohesive body of work for inclusion in e-Portfolio, potentially design and implement side projects to enhance the overall quality of their Master Plan project(s).
• Apply an understanding of experimental design and data analysis
• Critical peer review
• Critical examination of research methodologies from published studies

Human Dimensions of Conservation

Online Dates: August 25 - December 5, 2025

In-Person Dates: September 20, October 18, November 15, 2025

Conserving wildlife is a complex endeavor that requires the integration of sound science from both the social and natural sciences. This course will explore how the social sciences can inform conservation. A growing field of study that draws from several of the social sciences is human dimensions of wildlife. This course will examine how human dimensions emerged as a field of scientific inquiry and why it is important. It will provide an overview of the social science concepts and methods that are the foundation of human dimensions. Students will consider how current conservation issues can be addressed through an understanding of human thought and action. Students will use the human dimensions approach to address a current conservation issue and by the conclusion of the course, they will be able to identify tools, frameworks, and concepts that can be used to influence human behavior to effectively conserve wildlife.

AIP Year 1 Required Course

3 credit hours

Fall: Online Miami course with three days of experiential learning on-site at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo 

Cost: $1,740 total (Includes all tuition and fees for both the University and the Zoo)

Course Themes

• Support the role and importance of human dimensions research and application in wildlife conservation.
• Interpret the foundational social science concepts and theories of human dimensions of wildlife conservation.
• Assess natural resource issues from varying stakeholder perspectives.
• Develop a framework for stakeholder engagement process to help drive conservation planning
• Interpret diverse conservation issues and justify human dimensions science applications.
• Engage in reflective and evaluative peer review in face-to-face environments and on the web to provide colleagues with personal insight, new perspectives or analyses, ideas for useful applications, and connections to other research and projects.

Environmental Stewardship in My Community

Online Dates: January 27- May 9, 2025

In-Person Dates: February 15, March 22,  April 26, 2025

Participants investigate environmental stewardship, research science and conservation opportunities and solutions in their local communities, practice inquiry-based learning, develop a conservation project with their community or classroom, and reflect on ecological footprints. At the end of this course, participants will have a solid understanding of community-based conservation, with a particular emphasis on current issues facing local habitats in the communities where they live. Students will also explore and begin to design stewardship strategies for empowering their own community members to generate solutions and take action.

3 credit hours

Spring: Online Miami course with three days of experiential learning on-site at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo  

Cost: $1,740 total (Includes all tuition and fees for both the University and the Zoo)

 Course Themes

• Interpret the life sciences through conservation issues and current research being conducted in local communities to understand the causes and impacts; critically analyze solutions to these issues.
• Explore and apply the principles of sustainability and community-based conservation.
• Design strategies for engaging community members or students in local conservation action.
• Assess human demand on the planet’s ecosystems by exploring ecological impacts and formulate ideas for increasing and supporting sustainability within communities.

Regional Ecology

Online Dates: August 25 - December 5, 2025

In-Person Dates: September 13, October 4, November 8, 2025

Through online course readings and in-person experiences throughout Northeast Ohio, this course explores regional wildlife conservation issues, as well as field investigation techniques that scientists and the public can use to study and conserve local ecoregions and wildlife.  Student-conducted investigations will be used to contribute to local ecological knowledge by describing natural systems, noting differences in habitats, and identifying environmental trends and issues. This course focuses on a variety of local ecoregions and the conservation issues impacting them.

3 credit hours

Fall: Online Miami course with three days of experiential learning on-site at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo or other designated location.

Cost: $1,740 total (Includes all tuition and fees for both the University and the Zoo)

Course Themes

• Understand the relationship between species and their habitats and the importance of biological diversity.
• Investigate climate patterns and plant/animal adaptations characteristic of different regions and ecosystems.
• Explore current research and conservation issues relevant to different landscapes.
• Develop an action plan designed to engage your audience in taking conservation action that will minimize negative human impacts on a select ecological region.

For additional information, see the Frequently Asked Questions.