Our Curriculum

Our Curriculum

Description of the Master in Environmental Management Program

Your academic journey begins in an online ENVS 601 summer class through dialog with your faculty mentor considering important ideas and readings. The class culminates with a two week, immersive intensive experience at Western attended by all students and faculty. Subsequent courses are delivered in a block schedule in which you will take either one course in a five week block format or two during the ten week block. The block format promotes intensity, focus, and immersion. Students engage with clients and program partners applying course theory and material to community and organizations’ needs. We are producers that apply best practices and contemporary knowledge to the needs of the land and our communities. Our expectations of ourselves are significant and the work you will do during your first year and your second year project and classes will be challenging and subsequently fulfilling. You will collaborate with other compulsively curious and engaged learners in our program, further growing your potential.

We value opportunities to engage with guest professionals, attend panels, workshops, and program wide events and participate in immersive multi-day field experiences to afford unparalleled opportunities in networking and learning. Course meeting times are often changed to engage all students in these events. The majority of those changes in course meeting times will be noted prior to the start of the course to aid students in planning around their professional and personal obligations.

A minimum of 46 credits is required for the MEM degree.

All MEM students must complete the 20-credit Core

Core Courses

ENVS 601 Introduction to Environmental Management: 5 credits
ENVS 605 Science of Environmental Management: 3 credits
ENVS 608 Environmental Politics and Policy: 3 credits
ENVS 611 Integrative Skills for Environmental Management: 3 credits
ENVS 612 Quantitative Skills for Environmental Management: 3 credits
ENVS 615 Science of Climate Mitigation and Adaptation: 3 credits

Sustainable and Resilient Communities Emphasis (beyond required core courses)

ENVS 616 Environmental Organization Development and Management: 3 credits

Nine credits of:
ENVS 620 Studies in Sustainable and Resilient Communities (topics vary, repeatable): 3 credits
ENVS 623 Special topics (topics vary, repeatable): 3 credits​

Master’s Project Requirement:
ENVS 690 Master’s Project Development 5 credits
ENVS 694 Master’s Project and Portfolio 9 credits

Students must complete 3 credits of ENVS 694 Fall II and 6 credits of ENVS 694 Spring II

Integrative and Public Land Management Emphasis (beyond required core courses)

ENVS 618 Public Lands Management: 3 credits

Nine credits of:
ENVS 625 Studies in Integrative Land Management (topics vary, repeatable) 3 credits
ENVS 623 Special topics (topics vary, repeatable) 3 credits​

Master Project Requirement:
ENVS 690 Master’s Project Development 5 credits
ENVS 694 Master’s Project and Portfolio 9 credits

Students must take 3 credits of ENVS 694 Fall II and 6 credits of ENVS694 Spring II

Global Sustainability Emphasis (beyond required core courses)

Nine credits of:
ENVS 617 Global Sustainability: 3 credits
ENVS 623 Special topics (topics vary, repeatable): 3 credits

Master Project Requirement:
ENVS 690 Master’s Project Development: 5 credits
ENVS 694 Master’s Project and Portfolio: 9 credits

Students must take 3 credits of ENVS 694 Fall II and 6 credits of ENVS694 Spring II