Details
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 infomation, 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
Year 1
|
Semester |
Summer |
Fall |
Spring |
Web+ Courses (Online with Zoo time) |
Foundations of Inquiry
(3 cr.)
*Required Course |
Human Dimensions in Conservation
(3 cr.)
*Required Course
|
Master Plan in Action (3 cr.)
*Required Course |
Required Core Courses |
|
Conservation Science & Community (3 cr.) |
Biology in the Age of Technology (3 cr.) |
Year 2
|
Semester |
Summer |
Fall |
Spring |
Web+ Courses (Online with Zoo time) |
Primate Behavior and Conservation
(3 cr.) |
Project Design and Assessment (3 cr.) |
Environmental
Stewardship
(3 cr.) |
Required Core Courses |
|
Issues in Evolution
(3 cr.) |
Science Leadership & Media Workshop
(3 cr.) |
Year 3
|
Semester |
Summer |
Fall |
Spring |
Web+
Courses
(Online
with Zoo
time)
|
Biomimicry
(3 cr.) |
Regional Ecology
(3 cr.) |
|
Required
Core
Courses |
|
Master's Capstone (2 cr.) |
|