Environment and Sustainability Fellowships, Master in Environmental Management

Western Colorado University’s MEM program is excited to offer a suite of graduate fellowships and intern opportunities to reduce tuition, enhance organizational partnerships, elevate master’s project quality, and improve career competitiveness for select MEM students.

• Over 80% of our master’s students receive some financial assistance through fellowships, internships, and grants, regardless of residential or distance student status!
• Western Colorado University’s Clark Family School of Environment and Sustainability offers a two-year, project-based Master in Environmental Management (MEM) degree. 

Applications are being accepted now.

Students develop highly employable skillsets and do impactful projects across a variety of disciplines, including ecosystem restoration, sustainable agriculture, community and land use planning, climate change mitigation, green infrastructure, recreation planning, and so much more. Our student and alumni network is connected to organizations around the world. MEM students can earn their masters as a distance student from anywhere in the world or as a residential student serving organizations in the heart of the Colorado Rocky Mountains. 

We offer three tracks: Global Sustainability, Integrative and Public Land Management, and Sustainable and Resilient Communities.

Although applications are accepted through May 1st, all applications completed by February 1st are considered for one of our many fellowships. Application fees will be waived up until February 1st as well. Over 80% of our students receive some financial support during their program from fellowships, internships, environmental jobs, and/or grants. 

New fellowship offerings funded by the US Department of Agriculture are available through the “Food Systems, Public Lands & Hunting Program”.  This program is hiring three paid Graduate Assistants to work with one of three organizations (the Center for Public Lands, Hunters of Color, or the Coldharbour Institute) to establish and supervise a new array of internship positions for undergraduate students. In addition, new fellowships funded by the US Department of Energy (DOE) RENEW program are also available to students interested in working on a project entitled: “From forests to floodplains to functioning watersheds: catalyzing collaborative research and inclusive training partnerships”. Students selected for this opportunity will have the opportunity to perform cutting edge ecological research while mentored by both Western faculty and DOE National Laboratory partners. 

We are also recruiting for the “Ecological Management and Public Lands Opportunities for Young Scientists” (EMPLOYS Traineeship), a unique program funded by the National Science Foundation. EMPLOYS Trainees will earn two masters degrees in three years (MS Ecology and MEM degrees), complete a research thesis using big data to study an ecological question, apply research findings to a project helping managers take action, and prepare for science and management careers in the National Park Service, US Forest Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, non-profits, and more.

MEM Program highlights include:

• No GRE required, just compulsive curiosity, commitment, and a desire to do meaningful environmental projects.
• MEM students engage in 600+ hour projects instead of traditional thesis.
• Each cohort typically has individuals from over 20 different undergraduate majors and a variety of professional backgrounds and interests.
• Distance learning and residential options are available during both years of the program.
• Classes are taught on a block schedule and are typically offered in the evenings to allow students to pursue relevant training opportunities or to complete the program while working. 
• Applications are free until February 1st. 

To Apply

Please click "Apply" below to get in touch with questions. Please indicate which track or program you are interested in, or simply request a conversation with our talented faculty.  We look forward to getting to know you and reviewing your application.