Through experiential learning and project work with organizations in the Rocky Mountains and worldwide, students earning a Master’s in Environmental Management at Western Colorado University enhance their skills to tackle environmental problems and craft careers with government agencies, non-profits, and for-profit organizations.
Program Overview
Cultivate the knowledge you need to change the world.
Western’s Master in Environmental Management (MEM) is different from your typical graduate program. We offer a project and portfolio tailored to your environmental career vision and a commitment to immersive education through our unique block schedule. In the program, you have the opportunity to apply course theory and material to meet the needs of community and affiliated partners. We offer an abundance of opportunities to engage with professionals in the field, attend panels, workshops and events, and participate in immersive multi-day field experiences to establish your network.
Our curriculum is continuously updated to stay aligned with evolving market demands, ensuring relevance in environmental sustainability, conservation, and policy. We foster a dynamic and engaged community of students who can choose between residential and distance learning options, as our hybrid environmental management courses are accessible from anywhere in the world.
Students can specialize in one of three different concentrations: Global Sustainability, Integrated and Public Lands, and Sustainable and Resilient Communities. Through our comprehensive curriculum and the robust ENVS Network, you’ll build a diverse portfolio of skills that will give you a competitive edge in your career.
Additionally, over 80% of MEM students receive financial support through fellowships, internships, and grants, while more than 85% of MEM alumni are actively engaged in environmental management careers. Learn more about the MEM program in our MEM Welcome video.
Research in our backyard
Western’s MEM program, on a campus surrounded by a living laboratory in the heart of the Rockies, offers interdisciplinary training for building environmental and community resilience.
Program Requirements
At Western, course rotations are crafted to encompass a variety of subject fields for a comprehensive education and versatile degree. For required courses and degree plans, visit the official University Catalog. Below is a general overview of courses at Western Colorado University related to this area of study.
The Master in Environmental Management (MEM) is a professional terminal degree, specifically focused on the content understanding and methods necessary to manage environmental organizations, public lands agencies, and communities towards sustainable solutions. The program emphasizes entrepreneurial and systems-thinking approaches to environmental issues associated with increasing climate disturbances, natural resource demands, and socio-economic insecurity. The MEM offers a “hybrid” learning environment for full-residency students rooted in the learning laboratories of the Gunnison Country, combined with a low-residency option for select environmental professionals from all over the world.
Program Goals
- Improving student understanding of environmental systems and services, of the human impact on those systems, and of the array of sustainable and resilient solutions to those impacts.
- Developing students’ capacities for interdisciplinary critical thinking, entrepreneurial innovation, and collaborative environmental problem-solving with diverse stakeholders.
- Enhancing career opportunities in environmentally related disciplines.
Student Outcomes
Students will be able to:
- Understand the complex interactions among human, climate, and ecological systems.
- Access and evaluate information about environmental issues.
- Critically assess the fundamental elements of environmental problems.
- Develop and apply diverse management and adaptation strategies to solve environmental problems.
- Effectively communicate the complexity of environmental problems as well as appropriate solutions to diverse audiences.
- Collaborate with and build partnerships among diverse stakeholders in order to complete major environmental projects.
Program Prerequisites
(For admissions requirements for “3+2” programs, please refer to the guidelines outlined in the undergraduate academic catalog under ENVS, POLS, SOC, ROE, and BIOL)
- BA degree, BS degree, or Provisional Admittance to the graduate program is required.
- Minimum Prerequisites must be completed by end of first MEM Fall term:
- college-level statistics course.
- two college-level natural or environmental science courses (BIOL, GEOL, ENVS, PHYS, CHEM, SCI), at least one course with lab or field component.
- two college-level social science courses.
- Integrative and Public Land Management Recommended Prerequisites
- one upper-level Ecology course
- one GIS course
- Sustainable and Resilient Communities Recommended Prerequisites
- one course in Economics (Micro or Macro preferred)
- Financial Accounting
- Faculty Mentor may recommend further coursework or certifications for students to complete before Master’s Portfolio is due in Spring II, depending upon student career ambitions and professional career standards.
- Admissions Criteria: a holistic package balancing academic excellence with environmental leadership experience encouraged. Admissions packages will include: academic transcripts showing a recommended 3.0 undergraduate GPA or above in relevant courses; a portfolio outlining environmental employment, leadership and volunteer experience; a statement of purpose describing the student’s intellectual and professional interests in environmental management; and three letters of recommendation from professors or supervisors in related fields.
- Provisional Admission to the Master in Environmental Management Program: An applicant who does not meet the requirements for full admission to the Master in Environmental Management Program may be provisionally admitted or may be required to submit additional materials in order to be considered for provisional admission upon the recommendation of the program director and approval by the Dean of Graduate Studies. A provisionally admitted student will have a maximum of one calendar year to complete any pre-requisite academic coursework. The program director or Dean of Graduate Studies may set additional timeline requirements.
- International Students: see Graduate Academic Catalog section, Criteria for International Admission.
Program Requirements
A minimum of 46 credits is required for the MEM degree.
All MEM students must complete the 20-credit Core.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| ENVS 601 | Introduction to Environmental Management | 5 |
| ENVS 605 | Science for Environmental Management 2 | 3 |
| ENVS 608 | ENVIRONMENTL POLITICS & POLICY | 3 |
| ENVS 611 | Integrative Skills for Environmental Management | 3 |
| ENVS 612 | Introduction to Analysis and Assessment for Environmental Management 2 | 3 |
| ENVS 615 | From Climate Science to Action | 3 |
| Total Credits | 20 | |
- 2
Students may take BIOL 606 Ecological Research Methods in lieu of ENVS 605 Science for Environmental Management and/or BIOL 613 Advanced Ecological Analysis in lieu of ENVS 612 Introduction to Analysis and Assessment for Environmental Management.
Integrative and Public Land Management Emphasis (beyond required Core courses)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENVS 618 | PUBLIC LANDS MANAGEMENT | 3 |
| Select nine credits of the following (choose any combination within these areas): | 9 | |
ENVS 623 | Studies in Environmental Management | |
ENVS 625 | Studies in Integrative and Public Land Management | |
| Masters Project Requirement: | ||
| ENVS 690 | MEM Project Development | 5 |
| ENVS 694 | Master's Project and Portfolio 1 | 9 |
| Total Credits | 26 | |
- 1
Students must take 3 cr of ENVS 694 Master's Project and Portfolio Fall II and 6 cr of ENVS 694 Master's Project and Portfolio Spring II
Sustainable & Resilient Communities Emphasis (beyond required Core courses)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENVS 616 | Environmental Organization Development and Management | 3 |
| Select nine credits of the following: | 9 | |
ENVS 620 | Studies in Sustainable and Resilient Communities | |
ENVS 623 | Studies in Environmental Management | |
| Masters Project Requirement: | ||
| ENVS 690 | MEM Project Development | 5 |
| ENVS 694 | Master's Project and Portfolio 1 | 9 |
| Total Credits | 26 | |
- 1
Students must take 3 cr of ENVS 694 Master's Project and Portfolio Fall II and 6 cr of ENVS 694 Master's Project and Portfolio Spring II
Global Sustainability Emphasis (beyond required Core courses)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENVS 617 | Global Sustainability | 3 |
| Select nine credits of the following (choose any combination of global themes within these areas): | 9 | |
ENVS 620 | Studies in Sustainable and Resilient Communities | |
ENVS 623 | Studies in Environmental Management | |
ENVS 625 | Studies in Integrative and Public Land Management | |
| Masters Project Requirement: | ||
| ENVS 690 | MEM Project Development | 5 |
| ENVS 694 | Master's Project and Portfolio 1 | 9 |
| Total Credits | 26 | |
- 1
Students must take 3 cr of ENVS 694 Master's Project and Portfolio Fall II and 6 cr of ENVS 694 Master's Project and Portfolio Spring II
Spotlight
Gabby Zaldumbide
Student
“Opportunities abound in the West, and the best escape from the ‘real world’ can be just minutes from my doorstep."
Etinosa Igunbor
Student
Etinosa Igunbor came 7,132 miles from equatorial coastal Africa to the sagebrush steppe of Western Colorado, but that was just one leg of his journey. As someone who loves the natural world, he’s still going to great lengths to make sure he has the education to be a part of the solutions that will save it. Only time will tell where his journey will take him next.
Rachel Weakland
Alumni
"Rachel Weakland has dedicated her professional efforts towards environmental education and creating global leaders here in Colorado and abroad."
Melanie Armstrong, Ph.D.
Faculty
"Melanie Armstrong brings scholarly and applied political approaches to her work with Western’s School of Environment & Sustainability, where she also serves as Public Lands Coordinator."
Lindsey Lunsford
Alumni
"Lindsey Lunsford's work towards a healthier community contributes to the rural south's reclamation of the "Carver Way of Life," impacting the health of many communities."
Careers
Take the first steps toward your academic and personal growth.
Fostering your intellectual development is the primary focus of every academic program at Western. Our professors and Office of Career Services will help you identify your strengths, hone your skills, define your goals, and prepare for a fulfilling and enriched life after graduation.
Shaping the future of our planet
Why is environmental management important?
Environmental management is essential for tackling today’s most pressing ecological challenges while ensuring the long-term sustainability of our natural resources, communities, and economies. Our MEM degree equips future leaders with the skills to drive innovative solutions that balance environmental, social, and economic needs.
- Addressing Climate Change and Sustainability: Environmental management and sustainability play a critical role in developing strategies to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Sustainable land use, renewable energy integration, and conservation initiatives are just a few ways environmental professionals make a lasting impact.
- Protecting Natural Resources and Biodiversity: Healthy ecosystems provide essential services like clean air, water, and food security. Pursuing an environmental management degree teaches professionals to ensure responsible resource use, habitat conservation, and restoration efforts that preserve biodiversity and ecosystem resilience.
- Shaping Policy and Community Action: Environmental challenges require interdisciplinary solutions. Effective management informs policies at local, national, and global levels while fostering collaboration among governments, businesses, and communities. At Western, MEM students engage with real-world stakeholders, applying their expertise to drive meaningful change.
- Advancing Careers in Environmental Leadership: Professionals in environmental management are in high demand across industries, including conservation, renewable energy, corporate sustainability, and public policy. Our graduate MEM degree prepares graduates with hands-on experience, research opportunities, and a strong professional network to lead in these fields.
By earning a Master’s in Environmental Management, you’re not just preparing for a career—you’re becoming part of the solution. Western’s MEM program empowers students to develop innovative strategies for global sustainability, conservation, and climate resilience.
Collaborate with community
Students, faculty, and community members pass two solar panels to the roof of the Gunnison Food Pantry.
Fellowships
Master’s in Environmental Management (MEM) Fellowships
Western’s MEM degree offers a suite of graduate fellowships to reduce tuition, enhance organizational partnerships, elevate the quality of projects, and improve career competitiveness for select students. If you have applied to the MEM Program, please indicate your interest in specific fellowships in an email to the corresponding faculty fellowship supervisor listed on the page below. The number of program fellows will be determined each year by the quality and quantity of the candidate pool.
Making an impact
The Clark Family School of Environment and Sustainability focuses on resilience, adaptation and applying knowledge to enable our students to be change agents.
News & Research
Additional Resources
Department Information
Clark Family School of Environment and Sustainability
Dean
Micah Russell, M.S.Assistant Professor of Environment and Sustainability, Integrative and Public Land Management Director; MEM Director
Program Facilitator
Lindsay DolezalProgram Facilitator and Grants Administrator
Campus Location
1 Western Way
Gunnison, CO 81230
