Environmental Sustainabliity and Natural Resources Management, P.S.M.

About the Environmental Sustainability and Natural Resources Management Master’s Program

Those interested in pursuing a master’s or doctoral degree in the Department of Natural Resources Management should consult with the chairperson prior to enrolling for any course.

The Professional Science Master’s (P.S.M.) degree is a two-year graduate degree designed to allow students who are already employed in a related profession to pursue advanced training while simultaneously developing valued business skills. The PSM degree qualifies students for employment in the public or private sector and offers two tracks: (1) Natural Resource Management offered in the Department of Natural Resources Management and (2) Ecology and Environmental Sustainability taught through the Department of Biological Sciences within the College of Arts and Sciences.

The degree consists of 15 to 19 hours of required courses (including either a 6-hour internship or a 3-hour capstone course) plus 15 hours of elective courses. In addition, students will be required to complete a series of online workplace skills modules (e.g., economics, ethics, interviewing skills, human resource management, conflict management, team building). Students accepted into the program but found to be deficient in preparation for taking graduate courses will be required to take leveling courses. This primarily online P.S.M. degree differs from a conventional M.S. degree in requiring an internship or capstone experience in lieu of a research-based thesis. The degree is intended for those already employed in the environmental fields.