Conserve wetlands by becoming well-versed in their ecology, function, and policy in just two semesters of online coursework.
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Quick Facts: 

Credential Type: Graduate Certificate 

Credential Cost: $9,060 (Rate for 2024)

Delivery Format: 100% Online

Eligibility: Learners with a bachelor’s degree

Program Length: 12 credit hours (Complete in as little as two semesters)

 Enrollment: Anytime

A smiling person wearing a plaid shirt holds up a large net filled with aquatic plants by a lakeside surrounded by tall grasses and greenery.
A person wearing waders stands in a wetland area, observing a distant herd of bison grazing under high-voltage power lines.

Certificate Description

This online graduate certificate is for current and aspiring conservation professionals who want to study and practice wetland conservation. The 2023 Sackett v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Supreme Court decision changed wetland policy authority from the federal to state and local levels. With this change, wetland scientists are critical for protecting these valuable ecosystems. 

The program offers comprehensive courses to explore wetland ecosystems, including biological, chemical, and physical properties. Students will also explore U.S. regulations, human impacts and needs, and wetland delineation and restoration techniques. 

As a result of completing this certificate, you'll learn to navigate the diverse stakeholder landscape of policy, economic, community, and cultural factors that influence the protection and conservation of wetlands. 

Skills You Will Learn

Upon completing this certificate, you will:

  • Assess the biological, chemical, and physical components of wetlands. 
  • Explain how current U.S. laws and regulations govern human impacts on wetlands. 
  • Evaluate the impact that human activity has on wetland ecosystem services and functions. 
  • Identify wetlands and delineate wetland boundaries based on vegetation, soil, and hydrological indicators. 
  • Create a wetland restoration plan capable of restoring/replacing ecosystem services and functions. 
  • Apply ecosystem stewardship concepts and technological tools to wetland restoration and conservation. 
  • Evaluate the role of national regulations, international agreements, and non-governmental organizations in global wetland conservation. 
  • Assess the impact that different stakeholder groups can have on successful wetland management. 

Course Details

The Wetland Science and Conservation Certificate is a 12-credit hour program consisting of three credit-bearing graduate courses and six Coursera components.

To earn this certificate, you'll complete the following: 

  • Graduate course: NRES 417 – Principles of Wetland Science and Conservation
    • Students taking this course will gain a foundational understanding of all aspects of wetlands. In the first four weeks, students will be introduced to the major components of wetlands (hydrology, soils, and biota) and discuss their importance to ecosystem functioning and services. The second half of the course will focus on anthropogenic impacts on wetlands and the resulting conservation and restoration efforts needed for wetland ecosystems.
  • Graduate course: NRES 517 – Advanced Wetland Theory and Techniques
    • Students will investigate the science behind the conservation, restoration, and monitoring of wetlands. The first part of the course will focus on the theory and techniques used during wetland delineation of hydrology, hydric soils, and vegetation. The second part of the course will focus on wetland management with a focus on best practices regarding the conservation, restoration and monitoring of wetlands.
      • Coursera Components: 
        • Wetland Delineation Fundamentals (Coming soon!) 
        • Managing Wetlands: Conservation & Restoration (Coming soon!) 
  • Graduate course: NRES 527 – Wetland Science and Conservation in Context
    • Deepens students’ understanding of policy, economic, community, and cultural factors that empower and constrain wetland protection, conservation, and restoration. The first half explores wetland regulation and management in the U.S., in other countries, and internationally with attention to adapting to environmental change within those policy contexts. The second half focuses on competing management and conservation priorities, social aspects of wetland conservation, restoration, and management, and developing skills in effective and culturally sensitive stakeholder engagement.
      • Coursera Components: 
        • Wetland Regulation: Local to Global Perspective (Coming soon!) 
        • Wetland Conservation Through a Human Lens (Coming soon!) 

Read course descriptions in the NRES Academic Catalog. 

How to Enroll

Applying for this certificate

To apply for a graduate certificate program, you'll need to start an online application through the University of Illinois Graduate College. 

The following items are required for your application:

  • Bachelor’s degree: Unofficial transcripts are acceptable. A grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (A=4.0), or comparable GPA for an international applicant, for the last two years of undergraduate study is a minimum requirement for admission
  • Professional resume: This should include personal information (name, address, telephone number, and email address), academic background, work experience (start and end dates for each position and a brief description of responsibilities), educational training, professional associations, and leadership experiences. Please limit your resume to two pages. 
  • English proficiency scores (international students only): If you are a non-native English speaker, you must upload your TOEFL or IELTS scores directly to your application. Review the Graduate College’s English proficiency requirements for more details on possible exemptions.

Accelerate Your Career

Invest in yourself with an adaptable, cost-effective education to help you succeed. 

At ACES, we design our online programs to meet you where you are and take you to where you want to be.

World-Class Faculty

Meet your instructor
Caitlin Bloomer

Caitlin Bloomer, Ph.D.
Teaching Assistant Professor

Caitlin Bloomer, Ph.D., is a Teaching Assistant Professor in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences. Prior to this role, she was a postdoctoral research associate with the Illinois Natural History Survey. She worked closely with state agencies to research the faunal biodiversity of wetlands and the impacts of land management practices. She was also a curriculum design fellow with the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, where she developed online courses for non-STEM majors. Dr. Bloomer earned her Ph.D. in Natural Resources and Environmental Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and her bachelor of science in Marine Biology from the University of St. Andrews, Scotland.

Meet the certificate development team
Piper Hodson

Piper Hodson 
Director of Online Graduate Program

Piper Hodson is the Director of the Online Graduate Program for Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences. She has extensive experience as a Student Services Coordinator in higher education and has worked with undergraduate, graduate, and online programs. Her expertise spans educational program development and assessment, career and academic advising, web content development, and marketing.

Jeffrey Matthews

Jeffrey Matthews, Ph.D.
Associate Professor

Jeffrey Matthews, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences with wetland ecology and restoration expertise. Dr. Matthews conducts research on plant communities in natural and restored ecosystems to understand drivers of change and apply that understanding to challenges in plant conservation and restoration. He teaches courses in plant ecology, plant identification, and wetland ecology and management. Before joining the NRES faculty, he served as Wetland Research Lead for the Illinois Natural History Survey.

Robert Hudson

Robert Hudson, Ph.D. 
Associate Professor

Robert Hudson, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences with expertise in simulating soil carbon dynamics and the reactivity of trace metals in natural waters. His research group developed a novel technique for measuring methylmercury that has been applied to quantify mercury pollution in muscle tissues of wildlife, waters of wetlands, rivers, denitrifying bioreactors, and sediments of wetlands and coastal oceans.

Jocelyn Curtis-Quick

Jocelyn Curtis-Quick, Ph.D.
Adjunct Lecture

Jocelyn Curtis-Quick, Ph.D., is an Adjunct Natural Resources and Environmental Science Lecturer with expertise in marine ecosystems and fauna. She has also conducted research with NRES faculty on freshwater invasive fauna in Midwestern waterways. Dr. Curtis-Quick teaches a study abroad marine field experience in The Bahamas for undergraduate and graduate programs. In addition, she teaches the graduate research methods class, runs the online seminar class, and serves on the capstone committee.

Clark Dennis

Clark Dennis, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor  

Clark Dennis, Ph.D., is a visiting Assistant Professor of Biology at Illinois Wesleyan University. He has expertise in the management and mitigation of invasive freshwater species. He was previously an Adjunct Instructor in Natural Resources and Environmental Science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he taught aquatic ecosystem conservation and a fisheries field experience course.

Online course development and delivery was also supported by Learning Innovation Specialists from the Academic Programs team in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences.

Ready to start the certificate?

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FAQ

Who should pursue this certificate?

The Wetland Science and Conservation Certificate is ideal for those working in:

  • Environmental services firms, such as:
    • AECOM
    • Jacobs
    • Davey Resource Group
    • Environmental Resources Management
    • Tetra Tech
    • V3 Companies
  • Federal, state, and local agencies, such as:
    • Natural Resources Conservation Service
    • Army Corps of Engineers
    • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
    • Environmental Protection Agency
    • State departments of natural resources or environmental protection
    • County and local forest preserves or stormwater management agencies
  • Non-Profit Organizations, such as:
    • Audubon Society
    • Ducks Unlimited
    • Pheasants Forever
    • The Nature Conservancy
    • The Wetlands Initiative

What is the ACES Online Learning Experience like?

ACES Online offers a clear path for graduate-level learners. Move from Coursera (open learning components) to For-Credit Graduate Courses (credit-bearing) to Certificate Completion.

Coursera (non-credit open learning components)

The College of ACES develops Coursera open learning components that are open to anyone and are available on Coursera. These courses serve as the foundational content for our graduate certificate programs.

While completion of the Coursera components is required to complete the for-credit graduate courses, please note that Coursera completion alone is not credit-bearing.

You can begin your learning journey at your own pace at any time by starting with one or more Coursera components. These low-cost entry points allow you to gain foundational knowledge necessary for the certificate courses. If you're not ready to commit to a full graduate certificate, these courses provide a flexible, accessible, and affordable entry point.

For-Credit Graduate Courses

You can complete Coursera components either before or concurrently with graduate course enrollment. The graduate courses build on the foundational content from the Coursera components and include high-engagement features such as:

  • Weekly Live Sessions: Participate in real-time interactions with instructors and peers. Recordings are available for those who cannot attend live.
  • Assessments: Regular assessments help reinforce learning and track your progress.
  • Group Projects: Collaborate with fellow students on practical projects.
  • Office Hours: Weekly office hours offer direct access to instructors for additional support and clarification.

The for-credit graduate courses are hosted on Canvas, providing an interactive and supportive learning environment.

Certificate Completion

You earn a graduate certificate by completing the graduate credit courses. This certificate signifies mastery of the subject matter and can be a significant step towards further academic or professional goals.

Each certificate page will list and link the relevant Coursera courses required for that certificate, ensuring you have direct access to the necessary Coursera components.

This structured approach allows you to start with non-credit Coursera components, build on that knowledge with for-credit courses on Canvas, and ultimately earn your graduate certificate.

What is a Coursera Component?

  • Open learning, affordable, flexible, and accessible online course
  • Self-directed and self-paced
  • Non-credit
  • On-demand, start anytime
  • Provides foundational knowledge for a corresponding for-credit graduate course

What is a for-credit Graduate Course?

  • For-credit graduate courses count towards your pursuit of a graduate certificate
  • Enroll as a non-degree student to explore a variety of degree programs
  • Start at various times in Spring, Summer, or Fall

What is a Graduate Certificate?

  • 12-credit hours, comprised of 3 to 4 graduate courses
  • Designed around specific skills and competencies
  • Earn a transferable certificate that can be stacked toward a master’s degree

What is an Online Master's Degree?

  • 32 to 36 credit hours
  • Flexible and adaptable to fit your schedule
  • 100% Online
  • Features the same rigor and faculty you would have in the on-campus program
  • Applications are accepted throughout the year
  • Begin in the Spring, Summer, or Fall

Is this certificate applicable to other University of Illinois programs?

Students who have completed this certificate may use the certificate courses to satisfy the following degree requirements, provided they apply and are admitted to the degree program:

  • 12 hours of elective coursework requirements of the Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences, MS (non-thesis) degree program

Have more questions?

Email us at acesonline@illinois.edu or call 217-265-4194

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