Master’s in Environmental Sciences & Policy

The Master’s of Science (MS) in Environmental Sciences & Policy offers opportunities to build your research skills in interdisciplinary science and policy. In our Environmental Sciences and Policy emphasis, students engage in research related to a range of natural resources (such as air, water, and land) from integrated perspectives of natural sciences and environmental policy. In our Paleoenvironmental Sciences emphasis, students develop broad competence in earth and environmental sciences, while specializing in an analytical technique used to reconstruct long-term environmental variability.

Explore research in this area

Remember, a successful graduate experience depends on finding the right program for you, and also the right advisor – a faculty member who shares and can support your research interests. You should plan to identify one or more potential faculty advisors well in advance of the application deadline, and to have at least one conversation about the match between your interests and opportunities in their lab.

• Past & Present Climate Change
• Water Management, Policy & Science
• Ecology & Conservation
• Environment & Society

The Master’s of Science in Environmental Sciences & Policy (MS ES&P) degree program combines required interdisciplinary core courses with a breadth of specialized classes from across NAU. The degree program is characterized by strong advising by accomplished faculty for individualized student programs of multidisciplinary study, as well as research and applied projects that often reach across campus and into the greater community. The diverse student population including international and minority students forms a strong peer cohort that provides support for study and extracurricular adventures. The two-year program’s rigorous training in the natural and political sciences prepares graduates for successful environmental careers in industry, government, and the non-profit sector.

Once admitted to the MS ES&P program, students have the option to select between two distinct emphases: Environmental Sciences and Policy or Paleoenvironmental Sciences. Each emphasis area has a unique program of study as well as outstanding faculty support.

What do our graduates do?

Most alumni of the MS ES&P program have gone on to work for federal and state government agencies and in the non-profit sector. Other alumni have successfully transitioned into the private sector and have undertaken innovative, environmentally-progressive entrepreneurial projects. Others still have chosen to pursue Ph.D. degrees in related fields throughout the country and abroad.

One of the many reasons that our alumni succeed across professional sectors is that the research, program of study, and faculty advising are tailored to the interests and strengths of our students.

How to apply

First, get to know our faculty and review current opportunities for students. It is very important that you reach out to faculty members you would be interested in working with before you apply. Faculty expect to receive emails from prospective students. To get the best response, be as specific as possible about why you are interested in their research or their lab (reading one or more papers from the lab is a great place to start!), and what you are hoping to get out of grad school. They can then tell you more about their research and if they have space available in their labs.

Second, entry into any SES Graduate Program requires an online application through the Graduate College.

A completed application for admission will include:

• An online application for admission to the NAU Graduate College, with the required application fee;
• A statement of your interests and goals, and your reasons for pursuing an advanced degree;
• A sample of your academic or professional writing;
• Unofficial transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate course work;
• Names of the faculty advisor(s) you have been in contact with and would like to work with;
• Three letters of recommendation from academic or professional supervisors (you will only have to provide contact information, and then recommenders will submit letters directly to NAU. Give them time to submit before the deadline);
• Submission by the January 1st application deadline.

Funding your graduate education 

Graduate students in this program are supported via Research Assistantships (funded by grants obtained by individual faculty within the School), and/or Teaching Assistantships. Both RA and TA positions include a yearly stipend of at least $15,000 (higher if an advisor can supply summer support) plus funding for tuition and health insurance. Decisions about RA/TA support are made together with admission – there is no separate application process required. Talk to your potential faculty advisor about funding availability, including summer support.

The MS ES&P program is also a host school for the Western Regional Graduate Program, which provides tuition-reciprocity for students from western states.

Once students are in the program, there are also scholarships and fellowships available to cover some research costs, student fees, and/or stipend supplements.

Wyss Scholars program

The ES&P program at NAU is one of only four universities selected as a host school for the prestigious Wyss Scholars program, which provides financial support and internship opportunities both during and after the degree. Learn more about the Wyss Scholars Program at NAU and the broader mission of the Wyss Foundation. Congrats to our latest NAU Wyss Scholars!

2023 Wyss Scholars

2022 Wyss Scholars

Other recent Wyss Scholars Jessica Archibald, Javis Davis, Ella Samuel, and Lindsay Hansen