About UW's Joint JD/MA ENR Program
The Juris Doctor/Master of Arts in Environment and Natural Resources at the University of Wyoming is a joint degree designed for those who want to solve real-world environmental and natural resource challenges using interdisciplinary tools and legal expertise. Offered collaboratively through the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources and College of Law, this concurrent program allows students to earn both degrees in three to four years, providing an efficient pathway to expanded expertise and professional credentials.
In the program, students pair rigorous legal training with applied graduate study in environment and natural resources, emphasizing experiential learning, problem-solving and real-world application. Field and international courses, internships and applied research with Haub School faculty and the Ruckelshaus Institute provide valuable hands-on experience addressing issues such as public lands management, energy development, water and wildlife law and environmental policy. Graduates are prepared for careers in law firms, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, private industry and policy roles across the American West and beyond.
Admission to the Juris Doctor/Master of Arts in Environment and Natural Resources is a two-step process. Applicants must be admitted to both the College of Law and the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources.
Step 1: Apply to the College of Law
- Applicants must meet all standard admission requirements for the University of Wyoming College of Law.
- Students interested in the joint degree may apply to the JD/MA ENR concurrently with their law school application or add the joint degree after admission to the JD program.
- Applicants are strongly encouraged to connect with the JD/MA Program Coordinator early to discuss academic goals and program fit.
Step 2: Apply to the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources
- After admission to the College of Law, applicants submit additional materials to the
Haub School after meeting with an admissions professional withing the College of Law,
including:
- A statement of purpose (approximately 1,500 words) outlining academic interests, career goals, relevant experience and proposed areas of research related to the environment and natural resources.
- A current résumé or curriculum vitae (CV).
- A copy of the student's LSAC report.
- One additional letter of recommendation (beyond those in your LSAC report) that specifically addresses the applicant’s preparation for interdisciplinary natural resource graduate study.
Additional Application Information
- Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. There is no formal application deadline.
- Students may apply to add the JD/MA ENR at any point before or during their law program; however, applying earlier helps ensure timely degree completion.
- Graduation with the JD/MA ENR is simultaneous with the Juris Doctor. Students do not receive the JD until all joint degree requirements are completed.
For questions about the Environment and Natural Resources Helga Otto Haub School, please e-mail haub.school@uwyo.edu for more information, or reach out to Professor Temple Stoellinger at tstoelli@uwyo.edu.
What can you do with a Joint JD/MA ENR degree?
Graduates of the JD/MA in Environment and Natural Resources pursue careers in environmental and natural resources law, public lands and energy policy, government agencies, nonprofit conservation organizations, private industry and academia.
- Government Natural Resources Attorney (DOI Office of the Solicitor, USDA Office of General Counsel, U.S. Department of Justice)
- Water Law Attorney or Water Resources Counsel
- Energy and Natural Resources Attorney (oil, gas, mining, renewables)
- Environmental Compliance Officer
- Rangeland, Grazing and Agricultural Law Specialist
- Environment and Natural Resource Policy Advisor
- NEPA and Environmental Compliance Specialist
- Conservation Program Director or Legal Counsel for NGOs
- Natural Resource Governance or Collaborative Management Advisor
- Environment and Natural Resource Litigation Attorney
- Energy Transition or Climate Policy Advisor
- Public Lands or Natural Resources Program Manager
- Environmental or Natural Resources Consultant
- Environmental and Natural Resources Law
- Public Lands and Federal Lands Management
- Energy, Oil, Gas and Renewable Energy Law
- Wildlife, Endangered Species and Conservation Law
- Water Law and Water Resources Management
- Environmental Policy and Regulatory Compliance (including NEPA)
- Climate, Sustainability and Resilience Policy
- Natural Resource Governance and Collaborative Management
- Land Use, Planning and Zoning
- Environmental Litigation and Administrative Law
- Environmental Consulting and Risk Analysis
- Natural Resources and Energy Transactions
- Nonprofit and Public Interest Environmental Law
Here is just a small sampling of where our alumni are making a difference:
- Public Lands Council for the National Wildlife Federation
- President of Wyoming Rare
- Director of Conservation at the Property and Environment Research Center
- Senior Research Scientist at the School of Energy Resources
- Associates and partners at regional and national law firms
"One of the things that the Haub School does really well is focusing not only on substantively addressing problems but also spending time discussing and teaching their students how to approach problems and engage in problem‐solving… Especially in my line of work, I daily encounter challenging situations where folks have competing interests, and I am tasked with navigating those as best I can while advocating for my client.”
- Alumnus Casey Terrell | JD/MA ’18
The University of Wyoming has earned its Research Level 1 (R1) status from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, placing Wyoming's only four-year university with the top research universities in the United States.