5-Year Program (BA or BS) for Yale Undergraduates

The School of the Environment (YSE) offers joint degree, five-year options that culminate in a Baccalaureate and Master’s degree intended for students who want to pursue careers in an environmental field. The joint degree option is available to all Yale College undergraduates. The program provides well-prepared students with accelerated graduate training in environmental science, management, and policy. Eligible students may apply for a Master of Environmental Management (MEM) degree, Master of Environmental Science (MESc) degree, or Master of Forest Science (MFS) degree. The program is built on careful integration of a student’s undergraduate curriculum with graduate requirements. Graduates have become highly successful leaders within governments, corporations, non-profit organizations, and academia.

Yale students interested in the five-year joint degree program should apply to the YSE program at the end of the fall semester of their senior year, or in the two years immediately following graduation. Applicants interested in applying to the MESc/MFS should make an appointment to talk to the YSE Office of Admissions at admissions.yse@yale.edu prior to applying.

Preparation for the Five-Year Program

YSE welcomes individuals from a variety of undergraduate backgrounds including the biological and physical sciences, engineering, social sciences, mathematics, humanities, or interdisciplinary programs. During four years of Yale College (YC) enrollment, students may complete any standard major. Generally, students are expected to complete eight courses as undergraduates that are substantially equivalent to YSE courses. Such courses must be relevant to the YSE degree being sought and might include upper-level YC courses, courses that are cross-listed between YSE and YC, or graduate or professional school courses. It is highly recommended that applicants complete undergraduate coursework in the following areas before applying: ecology or ecosystems, physical sciences, social sciences, microeconomics, and statistics. 

Program and Course Requirements

Master of Environmental Management (MEM)

1 - 2 year gap year with confirmation of conducting an internship experience.

Many of the requirements for students seeking a MEM-5 graduate degree are the same as those for all MEM students. These include

• Attendance at the two-week Summer Training Modules (MODS)
• Enrollment in the Fall-1 Perspectives course for all first-year MEM students; and either the Fall-2 Perspectives II course or Foundations of Applied Math for the Environment
• Satisfying the requirements of all Foundational Knowledge and Statistics courses to ensure interdisciplinary conversancy
• An approved capstone course or project in either semester, preferably in the spring

The two curricular differences are

• The specialization requirement can be met by taking only the two core requirements of an established specialization or an approved self-designed specialization. While the two core courses meet the specialization requirement, receiving recognition of a specialization on a transcript requires satisfying all of its 18 credit requirements.
• Completion of two professional skills modules rather than four.

Master of Environmental Science (MESc) or Master of Forest Science (MFS)

1 - 2 year gap year with confirmation of conducting a research experience.

The MESc/MFS degrees are designed for students interested in conducting scientific research that contributes to basic and applied knowledge. These degrees are intended to provide students with a deeper disciplinary focus than the MEM. Training is provided through key courses in combination with extended research. All students pursuing an MESc or MFS degree must have an advisor in place before applying to the five-year joint degree program. The YSE faculty advisor must provide a letter as part of the student’s application stating their agreement to become the prospective student’s YSE advisor. The specific plan to meet the requirements of the MESc or MFS are to be worked out with a student’s advisor.

Gap Year Recommendation

Students in the five-year program are encouraged to take a gap year or two — time away from academia — between completing their undergraduate degree and beginning study at YSE. Students use this year in a diversity of ways; some find a single job or fellowship in an environmental field for the year, while others combine multiple internships or research opportunities to occupy their year. Gap year plans must be communicated to the YSE Admissions Office.