Professor Mark Bradford teaching in the outdoor auditorium at Yale-Myers Forest
Academic Programs
The Yale School of the Environment offers a variety of degree programs to prepare students for careers in environmental science, management, and policy — many of which can be customized to meet each student’s professional goals.
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Master of Environmental Management
In the Master of Environmental Management (MEM) degree program, students learn to understand the relationships between environmental science, management, and policy and how they can be leveraged to help solve problems and achieve sustainability.
Master of Forestry
The Master of Forestry degree, which is accredited by the Society of American Foresters, prepares students for careers in sustainable natural resource management and policy — solving critical sustainability challenges and resource conflicts across a complex web of social, political, and ecological systems.
Research-Focused Master’s Degrees
Develop critical research skills and learn grant-seeking strategies in these highly individualized programs which offer a deeper disciplinary focus on forest-related topics (Master of Forest Science — MFS) or other environmental issues (Master of Environmental Science — MESc).
Joint Degree Programs
These programs are ideal for students interested in applying environmental management frameworks to particular research or professional contexts beyond the scope of YSE’s traditional offerings.
Doctoral Degree
The YSE Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program cultivates scholars who are prepared to pose novel inquiries and work toward innovative solutions to complex environmental challenges.
Certificate Programs
Earn a Yale non-degree certificate in topics vital to the addressing the climate emergency and achieving a sustainable future.
Degree Program Comparison
Master of Environmental Management — MEM
Focus
In the Master of Environmental Management degree program, students learn to understand the relationships between environmental science, management, and policy and how they can be leveraged to help solve problems and achieve sustainability.
Outcomes
The core curriculum plus additional coursework in areas of specialization prepares students for leadership roles in industry, government, academia, and NGOs. Internships and professional skills modules empower graduates to enter their chosen fields with a profound depth of knowledge, an understanding of diverse perspectives and approaches, and the interpersonal and leadership skills to make an immediate impact.
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Master of Forestry — MF
Focus
The MF curriculum focuses on two major themes:
- multidisciplinary exposure in the biological and social sciences
- a progressive growth of experience in resource measurement, analysis, management, and policy
Outcomes
The two-year Master of Forestry degree, which is accredited by the Society of American Foresters (SAF), prepares students for careers in sustainable natural resource management and policy — solving critical sustainability challenges and resource conflicts across a complex web of social, political, and ecological systems.
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Master of Environmental Science or Master of Forest Science — MESc or MFS
Focus
These science degrees are intended to provide students a deeper disciplinary focus than the School’s management degrees, while holding to the core value of the School that students should be allowed flexibility in course selection in order to meet their educational goals.
Outcomes
The Master of Environmental Science (MESc) and Master of Forest Science (MFS) programs are designed for students wishing to conduct scientific research that contributes toward basic and applied knowledge.
The MFS degree is intended for those students wishing to work on forest-related topics, and the MESc degree is intended for students wishing to work on non-forest related environmental issues.
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Doctor of Philosophy — PhD
Focus
Doctoral students work with the school’s world-renowned faculty to collaboratively design cutting-edge research projects that engage them in scientific discovery, policy, public discourse, and action.
Outcomes
Graduates complete the doctoral program having gained disciplinary depth and strong leadership skills that enable success in any career path — academic, government research, policy, nonprofits, and the private sector.