What to Expect

The Professional Master's Internship Track of the TCBES program prepares graduates to actively contribute as scientific professionals within environmental and conservation agencies, NGOs, and related organizations. Candidates engage in a broad array of courses combined with an intensive internship to gain professional training in tropical conservation and resource management.

This track provides an immersive experience within an organization involved in resource management, often focused on developing policies and practices to enhance sustainability and environmental stewardship. Internships are intensive training opportunities where students become integral members of the host organization, though they are not contractors or employees.

Prior to beginning the internship, graduate students are required to write a detailed proposal outlining their objectives and responsibilities. Agency personnel will serve in a mentoring capacity throughout the internship. This experience is a mutually beneficial partnership between the TCBES graduate student and the host organization.

Requirements

The Professional Internship Track requirements are outlined in the UH Hilo Catalog. The degree includes:

• Core courses required for all M.S. TCBES students. CBES 600 , CBES 601 , CBES 602 , CBES 603 , CBES 645 , and CBES 677
• Professional Internship courses: CBES 690 , CBES 691 , CBES 692 , CBES 695 , and CBES 696
• Elective credits: 12-credits of 600-level courses (up to 6 credits of 400-level courses may be taken with approved substitution). TCBES Courses.

More Information

For detailed information about the Professional Internship Track and the TCBES program, please review the TCBES Student Handbook. If you have any questions, please email us at uhhtcbes@hawaii.edu uhhtcbes@hawaii.edu

Timeline & Suggested Course Plan

The Professional Master's Internship Track of the TCBES program can be completed within two years. In the first year, students complete the required core courses including two internship courses. During the summer, students focus on completing their 600-hour graduate-level internship.

In the second year, students finish their required internship courses and electives and continue any ongoing internship responsibilities. Additionally, students must complete the internship report and deliver a public presentation to fulfill graduation requirements.

The suggested timeline below provides guidance, though students have flexibility to adjust their schedules as needed:

Internship Projects

Developing a Professional Internship Project

The specifics of each graduate-level internship are developed collaboratively between the student and the host agency through a formal project proposal. The proposal’s rigor is reviewed and approved by the Program Coordinator of the TCBES Professional Master's Internship Track.

While it is the student’s responsibility to identify a partnership agency, the Program Coordinator provides guidance and support throughout the process. The TCBES program maintains a wide network of relationships with state, federal, and private agencies across Hawaiʻi and continues to expand these connections.

After acceptance into the program, students will work with the Program Coordinator to determine a placement that best fits both their professional goals and the agency’s needs.

Past Affiliates of Our Program

Many of our affiliate faculty are employed by organizations engaged in resource management. While this list continues to evolve, below is a sampling of agencies with which our program has established connections: