Environmental Science, M.S.

The Environmental Science program offers unparalleled preparation and will equip you with highly marketable and competitive skills that will set you apart – from geospatial technologies and advanced quantitative analysis, to collaborative and communication skills enabling you to communicate scientific information to specialized and non-science audiences.

Educational Objectives

Our hands-on experiential learning focus will position you for valuable work out in the field, as well as in our cutting-edge labs using R statistical software and other technologies used every day by environmental professionals.

Our emphasis on geospatial technologies and advanced quantitative analysis means you’ll take courses in GIS, remote sensing, and environmental modeling and use these technologies in course-based projects, preparing you to hit the ground running upon graduation.

Our Professional Science M.S. Internship Track is perfect for students looking to develop the specialized skills for a high-impact career within technology and applied-science based companies, resource management and planning agencies, scientific and environmental consulting firms, government agencies, and non-profits. 

Our M.S. Thesis Track is ideal for students who want to focus on independent research for professional publication, and then use the experience to advance their studies in a top doctoral program or enter a successful career in scientific research, resource management, education, and policy making. 

Our individualized and collaborative approach will allow you to customize your curriculum through electives at CSUMB, the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, and UC Santa Cruz.

Complete all of the following courses:

• ENVS 500 - Environmental Policy and Management Units: 3
• ENVS 502 - Scientific Writing Units: 3
• ENVS 550 - Research Methods Units: 4
• ENVS 560 - Watershed Systems Units: 4
• ENVS 660 - Professional Environmental Science Units: 4

Complete one of the following courses:

• ENVS 532 - Advanced GIS&Spatial Analysis Units: 4
• ENVS 536 - Remote Sensing Units: 4

Your graduate learning experience will unfold at the nexus of world-class research institutes, state and regional preserves, the Fort Ord National Monument, and the Monterrey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Our location will fuel an unparalleled experience where you’ll study the interconnection between watershed, terrestrial, and marine ecosystems.

You’ll also take advantage of the many parks and environmental reserves around CSUMB – including Fort Ord National Monument, Fort Ord Dunes State Park, Elkhorn Slough Reserve, Santa Lucia Conservancy, Andrew Molera State Park, and Garrapata State Park – which will serve as living laboratories for you to develop specialized, highly-sought after scientific skill sets.

Most of the course-based collaborative projects you’ll engage in throughout the program integrate meaningful community service with learning, synthesis, and reflection. You may help with surveying and mapping vegetation for agencies like California State Parks or the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, which will expand and hone your knowledge and skills while also providing crucial data and service to our local community and region.