Environment, Natural Resources & Society (ENRS) Graduate Major

Minimum Application Requirements

GRE/GMAT scores are not required for admission. 

1. Bachelor's degree in any field.
2. A minimum undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.0.
3. Complete and submit the UW Admissions Application and pay the $50.00 application fee. The following supporting documents are required:

 

UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS
Upload all unofficial transcripts (undergraduate and post-graduate). If you are recommended for admission into the program, the UW Admissions Office will require official transcripts and test scores (optional) submitted directly from the institution or testing agency.

 

CURRICULUM VITAE OR RESUME
Upload a curriculum vitae (CV) or resume identifying your academic background, prior professional work and volunteer experience, description of skills, abilities, and other qualities, accomplishments (including honors, awards, certifications, trainings, etc.), and professional development activities (conferences, workshops, etc.).

 

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
Upload a Statement of Purpose (1500 words or less). Address the following:

• Outline your career aspirations.
• Describe your interest in the ENRS degree. How will this degree help achieve your goals and career aspirations?
• Describe how your professional and life experience has prepared you to pursue this degree, and the strengths and assets you will bring to the program.
• Outline potential topics or areas of interest for your Plan A or Plan B degree. If you are applying for a team project or specific project with an advisor, please state.
• Identify the faculty or faculty members that you are most interested in working with and why.
• If applicable, describe interest in funded position.

 

WORK SAMPLE
Upload a sample of your professional, scholarly, and/or creative work. GRE scores may be submitted in place of work sample.  

 

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION
Provide 3 recommendations from individuals knowledgeable about your preparation and qualifications for graduate education (the email addresses of your recommenders will be requested during your online application process).

 

SHORT ESSAY RESPONSES
Upload responses to the following questions (70 words or less per question):

• If funding were not an issue, what would your ideal research project be? What questions and methods would you pursue?
• How do you see pursuit of this degree helping in your overall professional, scholarly, and/or creative trajectory?
• Describe the characteristics, qualities, skills, and capacities you envision bringing to an interdisciplinary team or collaborative project.

 

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Optional Application Requirements

Find current funding opportunities. Assistantships cover tuition, fees, and student medical insurance, as well as a monthly stipend for students who work within teaching and research areas within the Haub School. 

 

Deadlines

March 1 is the priority deadline for admissions to the MS in Environment, Natural Resources & Society program. Prospective students may apply to the program year-round, but students without a graduate assistantship are unlikely to be admitted for a spring start. A fall start date is strongly encouraged to align with required coursework progression and the cohort experience.

• June 15 is the deadline for a Fall semester start.
• Application deadlines for consideration for research or teaching assistantships are available. Please visit our directory page and contact faculty members whose interests align with yours to enquire about potential research projects and mentoring opportunities. We are always happy to discuss potential funding opportunities and other ways to augment your graduate studies, so please contact us if you have questions.

 

Additional International Student Requirements

International graduate student applicants must also complete the additional admissions requirements listed below. Review all UW Graduate Admissions Requirements for International Students.

1. Proof of financial support.
2. Official transcripts from any previously attended institutions.
3. Official English proficiency test results. TOEFL minimum = 76, IELTS = 6.5.

 

Application Decisions

Once all materials have been received, your application is complete. A follow-up interview may be required. After an evaluation of all credentials by the ENRS Graduate Program Committee, the Committee Chair will send a recommendation to the Graduate School to admit or deny.

 

ENRS Program or Requirements Questions?

Contact Haub School Graduate Program Coordinator, Nicole Gautier: ngautier@uwyo.edu.

 

Online Applications Questions?

Call or email UW Admissions:

Phone: (307) 766-5160, option 1             

Email: admissions@uwyo.edu

 

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Plan A or Plan B?

Students earning the MS in Environment, Natural Resources & Society must complete a Plan A research thesis or a Plan B project. Both Plan A thesis and Plan B project lead to original thought, synthesis, or integration of relevant elements of scholarship on issues pertinent to environmental and natural resources management or policy. The Plan A thesis will incorporate original research and data analysis on an applied environmental or natural resource management problem. The Plan B project is somewhat more flexible and may take a variety of forms. The content and form of the Plan A thesis and Plan B project must be negotiated with the student’s major advisor and graduate committee.  

 

Plan A Degree Requirements

A Plan A degree is a traditional research-based Master's program that requires the student to develop and complete a research project, and to successfully defend a written thesis. 

Plan A  (32+ credit hours)

• ENR 5001 Orientation to ENR&S  
• ENR 5100 Foundations of ENR&S 
• ENR 5900 ENR Policy in Practice
• ENR 5921 Collaborative Practicum (3 credits)
• ENR 5960 Thesis Plan A (4 credits)
• Elective courses that inform your thesis (17+ credits)

In addition to the above course work, the student must pass a final oral examination in defense of his or her thesis work. The presentation portion is advertised and is open to the public. The student is highly encouraged to submit at least one paper to a peer-reviewed conference or journal describing the student's thesis work and to participate in the UW Graduate Student Symposium describing the student's thesis work.

Plan B Degree Requirements

The Plan B option replaces the requirement of a formal thesis with a more flexible project. Consult with your advisor about this option.

Plan B  (30+ credit hours)

• ENR 5001 Orientation to ENR&S  
• ENR 5100 Foundations of ENR&S 
• ENR 5900 ENR Policy in Practice
• ENR 5921 Collaborative Practicum (3 credits 
• ENR 5960 Thesis Plan B (2 credits)
• Elective courses that inform your Plan B project (17+ credits)