Professional Science Master’s in Ecosystem Science and Sustainability
The PSM-ESS was created with in-demand jobs in mind. To that end, our curriculum is designed to equip you with a sustainability toolkit you can use to fill a range of positions in the sustainability and climate change sectors. With the PSM, you may choose from four degree focuses (and, yes, you can combine!) to align with your career or post-grad goals:
- Carbon Management
- Water Resources
- Sustainable Food Systems
- Climate Adaptation and Risk Management
Carbon Management: fight the climate crisis
The Carbon Management specialty is designed to equip you as a professional in carbon and greenhouse gas management.
The curriculum gives you a strong understanding of carbon management, along with the skills to measure greenhouse gas emissions and create strategies to reduce them. Expect to learn about important policies and regulations, gaining the tools to help organizations, residents, and other stakeholders lower their emissions.
FAQs
What does the curriculum look like?
Students gain applied skills in carbon and greenhouse gas management for local to national governments, corporations, agricultural and forestry operations, energy companies, and more. The curriculum provides a foundation in carbon management concepts and approaches, as well as technical capacity to quantify greenhouse gas emissions and develop mitigation strategies.
The course selection can be designed to obtain both the PSM and the Carbon Management Certificate.
Some of the classes you take as part of the carbon management track include:
- Foundations of Greenhouse Gas Management and Accounting
- Current Topics in Climate Change
- Applications in Greenhouse Gas Inventories
- Life Cycle Analysis
- Integrated Ecosystem/Sustainability Analysis
What does the internship look like?
As part of the PSM-ESS you’ll complete a 400-hr, 4-credit internship to gain on-the-job experience and expand your professional networks. You apply to an internship with the guidance of your faculty advisor and internship coordinator. These internships are typically paid.
Our students have interned at a variety of places, including:
What can I do with a Carbon Management degree?
The Carbon Management track prepares you for a variety of jobs in the public, private, and NGO sectors. Carbon management alumni have gone on to work as a:
- Carbon Accounting and Measurement Consultant
- Carbon Management Specialist
- Greenhouse Gas Inventory Manager
- Impacts Data Specialist
- Sustainability GHG Accounting Manager
- Carbon Footprint and Climate Strategy Consultant
- Carbon Analyst
Carbon is a quickly growing area of demand as governments, companies, and organizations work to reduce their carbon footprint, bring down greenhouse gas emissions, and reach net zero.
Who can I reach out to for more information?
Stephen Ogle: Professor and Research Scientist
Contact: [email protected] | Office: NESB B252
Professor Ogle is an esteemed ecosystem ecologist interested in carbon and nitrogen dynamics in terrestrial plant-soil systems and improving the quantification of greenhouse gas fluxes into and from these systems. His research involves the development and implementation of frameworks using remote sensing and geospatial products to estimate soil organic C stock changes and soil nitrous oxide emissions from crop and grazing lands.
Carbon Management, PSM-ESS testimonials
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Sophie Strausser, 2025 Graduate
The PSM-ESS was valuable because it allowed me to refine my skills more effectively than I could during my undergraduate studies. Focusing my energy on skills specific to carbon opened up career prospects and gave me an advantage in the job market.
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Ashlee Patacsil-Hardin, 2024 Graduate
With the PSM-ESS, I had the opportunity to learn from faculty who weren't just teaching about climate change and carbon management, they were actively working on those challenges in the real-world. Their experience brought the coursework to life and made every lesson feel meaningful and relevant. Additionally, the support and mentorship I received gave me the confidence to apply what I learned to my career.
Water Resources: protect our watershed
The Water Resources specialty equips you with data science specific to water resource management, helping you understand the social, physical, chemical, and ecological aspects of water systems, as well as basic water resource policy.
Within this focus, you’ll gain the skills to address critical issues in water resources management and sustainability. You’ll learn to manage water systems, assess sustainability challenges, and develop solutions for responsible water use in agriculture, urban areas, and conservation efforts.
FAQs
What does the curriculum look like?
Students gain an understanding of the social, physical, chemical, and ecological aspects of water systems, and basic water resource policy proficiency. With this pathway, you will gain skills to tackle pressing issues pertaining to water resources management.
By the end of this program, you’ll be able to describe and interpret major processes affecting the water cycle and apply this understanding to environmental management aimed at water conservation, water quality maintenance, restoration, or other management decisions that affect water resources. You will also develop expertise in quantitative analysis, spatial analysis, and statistical analyses commonly used in the hydrological sciences.
The course selection can be designed to obtain both the PSM and the Water Resources Certificate.
Some of the classes you take as part of the water resources track include:
- Water Resource Development
- GIS and Data Analysis in Water Resources
- Land Use and Water Quality
- Water Law for Non-Lawyers
- Land Use Hydrology
- Applied Advanced Water Resource Economics
- Environmental Data Science: Water Applications
What does the internship look like?
As part of the PSM-ESS, you’ll complete a 400-hr, 4-credit internship to gain on-the-job experience and expand your professional networks. You apply to an internship with the guidance of your faculty advisor and internship coordinator. These internships are typically paid.
As a Water Resource student in Colorado, you have a unique opportunity to work on one of the greatest challenges facing our nation: water in the West.
Some of our students specialize in data management, some opt for a hydrology approach, and some are more interested in policy application. No matter your interest, you’ll gain the foundational sustainability toolkit to make a difference and build on your knowledge at a professional internship.
Man of our students have been hired by our internship partners, and they have interned at places like:
What can I do with a Water Resources degree?
This degree prepares you for a variety of careers in the sustainability, water resources management, and data science sectors. Our students have gone on to become Environmental Data Managers, Staff Hydrologists, environmental consultants, and more. Find water sustainability jobs here:
Who can I reach out to for more information?
Matthew Ross: Associate Professor, Water Resources
Contact: [email protected] | Office: NESB B258
Professor Ross serves as both faculty director of CSU’s Geospatial Centroid and director of his own lab, the Radical Open Science Syndicate within the department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability. He uses data science techniques to understand how human-accelerated climate change and activities impact water. Through remote sensing, intensive fieldwork, and advanced data analytics, Ross’ work focuses on post-fire water quality, algae blooms, and the impact of land use on aquatic ecosystems.
Tamee Albrecht: Assistant Professor, Water Resources
Contact: [email protected] | Office: NESB B256
Tamee Albrecht is an Assistant Professor of Watershed Sustainability in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability. Her research focuses on understanding decision-making and cooperation in water governance at multiple scales, from urban water supply systems to international river basins. Her work has been published in scientific journals such as Environmental Research Letters, Global Environmental Change, and Environmental Science & Policy.
Water Resources, PSM-ESS testimonials
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Meggi Varnai, 2023 Graduate
I really wanted to focus on applied science and data in water, so finding a program that emphasized practical skills like coding and scripting was exactly what I needed. There's a real demand for this kind of expertise, for people who can bring data-driven solutions to sustainability challenges. The PSM is one of the only ones that truly does that, and it's been truly transformative for my career path.
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Billy McLean, 2024 Graduate
The PSM helped me change my career path and pursue my passions years after earning my undergraduate degree. Studying Water Resources opened up a wealth of career opportunities, as completing the internship gave me relevant knowledge and job experience. I also have a renewed fascination with the world around me thanks to the program!
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Billy Johnson, 2025 Graduate
The PSM was valuable because it helped me develop professional skills in water resources that built on what I learned as an undergraduate. I chose the PSM over a traditional research-focused master's because of the internship component, knowing that the hands-on experience would better prepare me for a wide range of jobs.
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Chloe Rogozinski, 2026 Graduate
The PSM made it possible for me to move straight from my bachelor's into a professional master's with a clear career direction. The program is practical, supportive, and focused on building skills you can immediately use through coursework and internship experience.
Sustainable Food Systems: transform agriculture
The Sustainable Food Systems specialty equips you to understand the scope and interdisciplinarity of food systems, to evaluate key sustainability issues in sustainable food systems and the relationships between food systems and climate, water, and energy.
You’ll learn to analyze data from food systems to develop strategies that enhance sustainability. This includes evaluating resource use, environmental impacts, and supply chain efficiency to improve practices in agriculture, food production, and distribution to support long-term ecological and social well-being.
FAQs
What does the curriculum look like?
Students understand the scope and interdisciplinarity of food systems, evaluate key sustainability issues in sustainable food systems and the relationships between food systems and climate, water, and energy, and to analyze food system data to design strategies that improve sustainability outcomes.
The Sustainable Food Systems core curriculum focuses on data science, carbon accounting for agricultural systems, and ecosystem sustainability. You’ll supplement with a wide array of elective courses to hone your specialization.
Some of the classes you take as part of the Sustainable Food Systems track:
- Principles of Ecosystem Sustainability
- Environmental Data Science Applications: Food and Ag
- Global Agriculture and Environmental Change
- Tools for Food-Energy-Water Systems Analysis
- Food Systems, Nutrition, and Food Security
What does the internship look like?
As part of the PSM-ESS, students complete a 400-hr, 4-credit internship to gain on-the-job experience and expand their professional networks. Students apply to their internship with the guidance of their faculty advisor and internship coordinator. These internships are typically paid.
Students have interned at a variety of places, including:
What can I do with a Sustainable Food Systems degree?
Students will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to contribute positively to the global challenge of creating more sustainable and ethical food systems.
Some potential career paths include:
- Food Policy Analyst
- Food Supply Chain Manager
- Sustainability Consultant
- Agriculture Decarbonization and Emissions Reduction
- Food and Agriculture Data Analyst
The field of sustainable food systems is growing rapidly, and these roles can exist in government agencies, non-profits, private companies, educational institutions, and research organizations.
Who can I reach out to for more information?
Nathan Mueller: Associate Professor
Contact: [email protected] | Office: NESB B240
Nathan Mueller is a Professor in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability and the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences. His research analyzes the interactions between climate, water resources, and agricultural management to promote global food security and more sustainable agricultural landscapes.
Sustainable Food Systems, PSM testimonials
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Laney Gordon, 2022 Graduate
The PSM helped me further my research within three sectors: watershed conservation, carbon sequestration, and sustainable agriculture. I am extremely grateful for the program, as it provided me with the chance to gain hands-on experience and opened up job prospects. Postgrad, I took a job with the EPA as a life scientist and NEPA reviewer, ensuring organizations are compliant with environmental laws and regulations.
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Christine Rost, 2024 Graduate
With the PSM, I was surrounded by innovators who genuinely wanted to make a difference. I was proud to be part of a five-star sustainability university that reflected my passion for building a sustainable future. What was most rewarding was talking and collaborating with industry professionals and policymakers to tackle complex challenges. The PSM is an incredible path for anyone passionate about creating meaningful change.
Climate Risk and Adaptation Management: prepare for an equitable and just future
The Climate Adaptation and Risk Management specialty teaches you how to strategically manage natural resources for climate resilience, preparing you to navigate diverse ecosystems, landscapes, and economic sectors. Expect to gain a solid scientific foundation, with practical tools and contemporary methodologies to identify, evaluate, and implement climate-adaptive management and community-engagement strategies.
FAQs
What does the curriculum look like?
CARMA offers a cutting-edge curriculum that prepares you to navigate diverse ownerships, economic sectors, ecosystems, and spatiotemporal scales. The focus prioritizes environmental justice and risk management, enabling you to make informed, equitable decisions in a warming world based on science after graduating.
You will also learn to:
- Integrate ethics and social equity into policymaking
- Effectively communicate complex vulnerability assessments
- Engage in proactive risk-scenario planning
The course selection can be designed to obtain both the PSM and the Climate Adaptation and Risk Management Certificate.
Some of the classes you take as part of the CARMA:
- Global Climate Change
- Climate Policy and Justice
- Climate Change Communication and Engagement
- Climate Impacts and Risk Management
What does the internship look like?
As part of the PSM-ESS, you’ll complete a 400-hr, 4-credit internship to gain on-the-job experience and expand your professional networks. You apply to an internship with the guidance of your faculty advisor and internship coordinator. These internships are typically paid.
As a Climate Adaptation and Risk Management student, you’ll gain the skills and the foundational sustainability toolkit to make a difference in the private, non-profit, government, or consulting sectors.
Our students have interned at places like:
What can I do with a CARMA Degree?
CARMA provides a comprehensive approach that empowers you to contribute meaningfully to climate resilience efforts across multiple sectors.
Some potential career paths include:
- Climate Adaptation Specialist
- Risk Management Analyst
- Environmental Policy Advisor
- Climate Change Researcher
- Natural Resource Planner
- Environmental Consultant
- Climate Adaptation Officer
- Conservation Scientist
- Climate Impact Analyst
- Environmental Justice Advocate
Who can I reach out to for more information?
Andrea Baudoin Farah, Assistant Professor
Contact: [email protected] | Office: NESB B229
Professor Baudoin Farah originally trained as an agronomist within the agrarian systems and compared agriculture school of thought. Through research with different types of institutions and organizations, she has enriched her interests, lenses, and methods to approach questions of change and transformation of social-ecological systems, particularly in rural areas. The geographic focus of her work has mostly been the Andes-Amazon. Currently, she is working within a transdisciplinary team and approach to explore the impacts of land use change and climate change on livelihoods and ecosystem services in landscapes increasingly connected to global commodity chains.