The Environmental Studies Program (EVST) seeks to provide students with the literacy, skills, and commitment needed to foster a healthy natural environment and to create a more sustainable, equitable, and peaceful world. To these ends, the EVST Program educates and challenges students to become knowledgeable, motivated and engaged in environmental affairs. We want our students to acquire the skills and awareness that will enable them to promote positive social change and to improve both the environment and communities of Montana, and thereby the lives of Montanans. The Master Degree Program in Environmental Studies is flexible; students, with their academic advisors, design their own study programs by choosing from courses throughout the University. Our program is organized upon the following principles:
Environmental studies require an interdisciplinary approach that integrates the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities.
Creating solutions to environmental problems requires enterprise and performance as well as reflection; therefore, an effective environmental education generates thinkers who can do as well as doers who can think.
It is important to provide both classroom and experiential learning opportunities in the arts and responsibilities of democratic citizenship including communication, collaboration, and committed civic participation.
Students should be co-creators of their educational experience.
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Program
Degree Offered
Environmental Studies
M.S.
Environmental Studies (Joint Law Program)
M.S.; J.D.
Degree Offered
M.S. Environmental Studies
Requirements
Professional paper or thesis: 33 credits; Portfolio: 36 credits.
Option
Joint degree program: M.S. Environmental Studies/J.D. School of Law
Requirements
Students who wish to participate in the Joint J.D./EVST Program must satisfy the normal admission requirements for the Graduate School, Environmental Studies Program and the School of Law. Students must apply independently to each program, indicating their interest in the Joint J.D./EVST Program.
Students enrolled in the Joint J.D./EVST Program can earn both degrees in as little as four years. Students will normally spend the first two years as full-time law students. The third and fourth years will normally consist of courses in both the School of Law and the EVST Program.
Admissions
1. Application Materials and Deadline
Fall - Priority will be given to complete application packets postmarked by February 1. Complete application packets received after this date will be considered on a space available basis.
Instructions for applying to the Graduate School are in the Applying for Admission section on this web site.
In addition to the application materials required by the Graduate School, the Environmental Studies Program also requires:
An EVST application form (available at the EVST web site) answers to the three essay questions on the form, & writing samples if applicable;
Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended;
A resume;
Three letters of recommendation. (We prefer electronic submission through the Admission Application. If the electronic method is used there is no need to send paper copies of the letters to the department.)
2. Program Requirements for Admission
Grade point average of at least 3.0 for all college work.
GRE - Verbal, quantitative and analytical test scores; minimum verbal score 500. Average GRE scores for students admitted fall, 2009 were: 579 Verbal, 623 Quantitative, 4.5 Analytical Writing.
The Environmental Studies Program does not accept GRE scores that are more than 5 years old.
The GMAT can substitute for the GRE.
The LSAT can substitute for the GRE if the applicant is applying for the joint EVST/Law program.
3. Assistantship Application and Deadline
The application postmark deadline for assistantships is February 1.
There is no separate application for assistantships. In completing the EVST application for admission, check the box asking if you wish to be considered for a teaching assistantship. Providing a writing sample with your application may be useful for certain teaching assistant qualification evaluations.
For additional information about financial assistance, see the Financial Information section on this web site.
Teaching Assistantships
EVST has a limited number of teaching assistantships available each year. The assistantships are used to attract outstanding students to the program. Application for a teaching assistantship is part of the application process for admission. Teaching assistants work approximately 15 hours per week assisting faculty in course design, discussion, labs and grading.
In addition to their salaries, teaching assistants receive a tuition fee waiver (in-state or out-of-state). Other fees charged by the University are not included in the TA fee waiver package. Teaching assistants are required to register for 9 credits each semester.
Scholarships
Wyss Scholarship for Conservation in the American West: Up to two scholars will be selected based upon their first year graduate performance and commitment to conservation work in the nonprofit or public sectors in the American West. The scholarships cover a portion of tuition/fees and a $5,000 summer internship stipend, and repays at least a portion of student loans dependent on continued employment doing conservation work following graduation. Bertha Morton: Awarded by the Graduate School upon nomination of the department; EVST can nominate three students. Awards are $2000 or $4000.
Tom Roy Family Scholarship: To incoming or continuing EVST graduate students of merit as determined by the director of the EVST program. Award amount up to $5,000.
Wiancko Scholarship: Awarded to an incoming graduate student based on past involvement in environmental work in the non-profit or government sectors and promise to continue such work while in graduate school. Award amount up to $5,000.
Other Scholarships: EVST has three endowed funds whose incomes must go to support students in their degree work. Applications are accepted each spring from EVST graduate students in their second semester for support during the following academic year; generally to meet the costs of research/thesis work. Amounts vary from $100 to $1500.
