Environmental Science and Management (Pollution Prevention and Remediation)

The Master of Environmental Science and Management (MESM)program is a two-year* professional degree program designed for individuals who plan to enter or re-enter the workforce upon graduation. The program focuses on application and problem-solving and has three parts: the first-year core curriculum, the second-year work in one of seven Specializations, and the Group Project or Eco-Entrepreneurship Project.

This specialization prepares students to recognize pollutants, characterize the extent and consequences of pollution in the environment, identify and evaluate alternatives for remediation and prevention, and evaluate the economic and political viability of alternatives. The main goal of the Pollution Prevention and Remediation (PPR) specialization is to prepare students for challenging, rewarding, and long-term careers in pollution management in consulting, industry, government or nonprofit organizations. For example, in a consulting capacity, PPR specialists could occupy scientific or engineering managerial or technical positions where they might develop feasibility plans for hazardous waste sites, collect and analyze field data, work with engineering staff to design new treatments, and administer regulatory decisions. PPR students should have a strong background in the science, management and skills needed to address pollution issues. The PPR specialization advisor will work with you, one-on-one, to determine which courses best fit your training and career trajectory.

Core Courses

The Bren School MESM degree requires students to complete a core curriculum that provides solid foundation in coupled human and environmental systems. Students become conversant in the language, knowledge, techniques, and methodologies of various disciplines while developing general analytical skills, problem-solving abilities, and the adaptability that is indispensable to professional success. Our objective is to provide a foundation of multidisciplinary knowledge plus quantitative and analytical skills that will enable students to interpret, design, communicate, and implement policy and management solutions. Students normally complete the core courses during the first year of study; the courses are designed to accommodate varying levels of knowledge.

COURSE WORK

MESM students are required to take a minimum of 36 units of electives in their primary specialization. Students who pursue two specializations must meet the 36-unit requirement for each specialization. Some electives may count toward more than one specialization. Most courses associated with this specialization are offered every year. If the course is marked with an asterisk (*), it will be offered every other year.

Requirements

• In order to be considered for admission into any graduate program at UCSB, applicants must have received a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) from an accredited four-year institution prior to the quarter for which the applicant seeks admission. S/he must have earned an undergraduate cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale for undergraduate or post-graduate studies. Applicants are also required to take the Graduate Records Examination (GRE; general exam only) to be eligible to apply to UCSB’s graduate programs.
• Statement of Purpose essay - REQUIRED
  The Statement of Purpose (SOP) should also include your goals and how the Bren School will help you to achieve them, and what led you to seek a career in the environmental field. The SOP should outline past experiences (not necessarily only in academics) and how they have prepared you to succeed in a rigorous graduate program. 
  The SOP should be at least one page but no more than two. Formatting style (e.g., line spacing, typeface, or font size) is up to the discretion of the applicant. This document should be uploaded directly to the UCSB e-application.

• Personal Achievements/Contributions essay - REQUIRED
  UC Santa Barbara is interested in a diverse and inclusive graduate student population. In your Personal Achievements/Contributions (PAC), please describe any aspects of your personal background, accomplishments, or achievements that you feel are important in evaluating your application for graduate study. For example, please describe if you have experienced economic challenges in achieving higher education, such as being financially responsible for family members or dependents, having to work significant hours during undergraduate schooling, or coming from a family background of limited income. 
  Please describe any unusual or varied life experiences that might contribute to the diversity of the graduate group, such as fluency in other languages, experience living in bicultural communities, academic research interests focusing on cultural, societal, or educational problems as they affect under-served segments of society, or evidence of an intention to use the graduate degree toward serving disadvantaged individuals or populations. You may upload this document directly to your online application. 
  Alternatively, if you wish to address some discrepency in your application (e.g., low grades), you can also discuss this in your PAC to help the Admissions Committee better understand what external events or circumstances might have affected your grades at that time, and how you're better prepared now to excel in an academically rigorous program. 
  As with the SOP, formatting style (e.g., line spacing, typeface, and font size) of the PAC essay is up to the discretion of the applicant. The UC Berkeley Graduate Division provides an online resource called Writing the Personal Statement which is especially helpful in guiding applicants on this document.
• Resume or Curriculum Vitae - REQUIRED
  Applicants should include all relevant academic, work, volunteer, or leadership experience. Formatting style (e.g., line spacing, typeface, and font size) is up to the discretion of the applicant.
• Graduate Records Examination (GRE) scores - REQUIRED
  UCSB requires all applicants to its graduate programs to submit GRE scores, with the exception of Art Studio majors. Neither UCSB nor the Bren School enforce a minimum GRE score, and the Bren School does not require a subject test for its applicants. UCSB’s Graduate Institution (GI) code: 4835; please use this number on your GRE score sheets and confirm you select the graduate institution option and not the Undergraduate Institution (UI) option. A department code is not necessary to have scores sent to UCSB. GRE test scores are valid for five years after the testing year in which the test was taken (July 1–June 30). Please allow 4-6 weeks for ETS to transfer your scores to the UCSB Graduate Division, which keeps all scores in its database until they expire. More information about the GRE can be found online at http://www.ets.org/gre/.
  As part of your application you must also self-report your scores. The self-reported scores are used in matching your official scores on file. Once you initiate your application, please complete the "Exam" tab with the required demographic and exam information. 

• English language competency exam scores - REQUIRED of international students only
  If an applicant’s native language is not English, then s/he is required to complete either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam. Exceptions may be granted to applicants who have completed an undergraduate or graduate degree at an institution whose primary language of instruction is English. Scores for either examination may be no more than two years old at the time of application and can be submitted to UCSB by using the UCSB institution code 4835. 
  The University requires a minimum score of 550 (paper test) or 80 (computer test) for the TOEFL exam. The University requires a minimum Overall Band Score of 7.0 or higher for the IELTS exam. The TOEFL ITP (Institutional Testing Program) is not acceptable for the purposes of fulfilling the UCSB English language exam requirement.
  The Bren School generally does not admit students to the MESM program unless they have TOEFL or IELTS scores significantly higher than the minimum required by the University. The MESM program is rigorous, and there is not time for students to develop their English skills simultaneously. In addition, the considerable amount of group work requires students to be highly proficient in English at the time they commence the program. 
  All non-native English speakers who are admitted to UCSB—even those having an acceptable TOEFL or IELTS score—must take the university's English Language Placement Exam (ELPE). The Bren School expects students to have completed all English as Second Language (ESL) courses recommended by the test results prior to starting coursework at Bren. 
• Letters of Recommendation - REQUIRED
  Students are required to provide a minimum of three letters of recommendation (maximum of four) as part of their application package. 
  
  Letters of recommendation should be uploaded electronically to an applicant's online application directly by the recommenders. For this process to happen, you will be asked to supply the name, email address, job title, and and current institution or organization name of each recommender. Once this information is supplied, the online application will generate an automated email to the recommenders, prompting them each to upload a letter on your behalf.
  If you are using a Letter Service (such as Interfolio or a university career center) to submit one or more letters, you will be able to indicate this information within the recommender profile. UCSB needs a rating on our rating scale from each recommender you indicate. If the letter will come from a letter service, we will only request the necessary rating from your recommender. 
  It is beneficial if an applicant can provide at least one letter (and more, if possible) from a faculty member who is familiar with his or her academic abilities. We realize that this may be difficult for applicants who have been out of school for a number of years. If this is not possible, students are requested to provide letters from professionals in supervisory or managerial roles who can attest to their scholarly ability and potential, creativity, dedication, and work performance, among other attributes.
• Prerequisite Verification Form - RECOMMENDED
  In an effort to ensure applicants are meeting the required MESM program prerequisites, Bren School applicants are asked to submit a Prerequisite Verification Form, citing where they met program preparation requirements. This is especially helpful for faculty Admissions Committee reviewers if applicants completed courses with atypical titles that might apply toward our prerequisites. Please upload this document under the Supplemental Materials section of the UCSB e-application.
• Supplemental Memo Addressing Prerequisites - OPTIONAL
  Students who lack essential preparation are requested to send the school a memo outlining how they plan to rectify the deficiency before enrolling in the Fall, should they be admitted. Presenting a good plan will strengthen one’s application. This is only required of those applicants who have not met the required prerequisites prior to application.
• Transcripts from all institutions attended - REQUIRED
  All applicants will be required to upload transcripts to their application from all institutions they attended. These uploaded transcripts are required to be official documents created by the university but can include "unofficial" transcripts that are generated by an online student portal, assuming the transcripts include the name of the student, the institution, the grades, and a grading scale. 
  Applicants who are admitted and submit a positive Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) with UCSB will be required to send official transcripts directly from the institution(s) attended to the UCSB Graduate Division, unless they attended UCSB as an undergraduate, in which case official transcripts are not required since UCSB can verify academic records using their student data-tracking systems. 
• Non-refundable application fee - REQUIRED
  Applications are not processed until this is received. All applications require a non-refundable application fee of $105 for domestic applicants and $125 for international applicants. This fee can be paid by credit card or with a check/money order using the Check/Money Order Submission Form found on the last page of the application. Students who think they are eligible can submit an application fee waiver.
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