The entire AMP program can be completed in as little as 18 months. Nine credits are completed during students’ senior year, with 26 additional credits, including the internship, completed after official admission to the PSM. Effectively, AMP students can complete their entire graduate program in just one year after their undergraduate degree is complete.

Students must have a CSU GPA of 3.0 or higher at the time of application to the program. The student must maintain a 3.0 or higher GPA through the completion of the bachelor’s degree. For transfer students, the student should have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher for all transfer work.

For admission, students must provide an unofficial transcript from CSU (can be found on RamWeb), 2 recommendations from. professional recommenders, and a 500-word essay. You can find the application here.

AMP students should apply to the program after completing 45 credit hours in their qualifying undergraduate major. They are encouraged to apply before reaching 90-100 credit hours in their qualifying undergraduate major.

To apply to the Accelerated Master’s Program, undergraduate students complete this ESS-specific application.

• Completed and signed AMP PSM-ESS Application
• 500 Word Applicant Essay
• Unofficial Copy of Current CSU Transcript
• Two (2) Faculty Recommenders

There is no application fee for the ESS internal Acclerated Master’s Program application.

There is an application processing fee of $60 for the Professional Science Master’s degree, which AMP students would pay when applying to the PSM.  Please visit this site to find out whether you qualify for a fee waiver request.  Application Fee Waiver Request (colostate.edu)

You are admitted to the AMP through approval of your AMP in ESS application which must meet application requirements, including a minimum 3.0 GPA.

Typically, AMP students take 9 credits spread over two semesters. However, this may vary depending on the student’s undergraduate major and track selected. The student will have an assigned faculty advisor that will provide guidance that best meets the student’s unique situation and goals.

After official graduate admission to the PSM-ESS, AMP students must meet additional requirements to complete their PSM-ESS graduate program. Those requirements include:

• Complete their CSU bachelor’s degree in their qualifying major.
  • Complete the Graduate School’s GS4 AMP Double Count Courses form after the department has notified you of admission into the PSM program, during their final semester of their undergraduate degree. Find the form on RAMweb under the Graduate School section.

ESS Accelerated Master’s Program students continue to pay undergraduate tuition rates until they are officially admitted into the PSM program.

AMP students can take up to 9 credits of 500-level courses while still an undergraduate. These 9 credits are billed at the undergraduate tuition rate and count towards both the undergraduate degree in the student’s chosen major and the Professional Science Master’s in Ecosystem Science and Sustainability.

The PSM program tuition and fee structure are based on the financial aid cost of attendance: https://financialaid.colostate.edu/cost-of-attendance/

Graduate Differential Tuition fee is $1,250/semester, which funds the department in providing PSM student support. Learn more about Graduate Differential Tuition here: https://financialaid.colostate.edu/media/sites/38/2023/04/Graduate_Differential_Tuition.pdf

AMP students only pay the differential tuition fee once they are fully admitted to the PSM graduate program.

Yes. AMP students will continue to qualify for their undergraduate scholarships, grants, and financial aid. Pursuing the AMP pathway does not affect financial aid eligibility.

AMP students are encouraged to apply for official graduate admission into the PSM by the ESS Department’s priority deadline of February 1 (or earlier) so that you may also complete the CSUSA (CSU Scholarship Application) application by March 1. Domestic students, please check federal aid deadlines to ensure you submit the FAFSA to be eligible to receive CSU scholarships.

AMP students applying for the PSM program are eligible through CSUSA for the PSM-specific Chevron Scholarship.

You may also find additional funding resources via external scholarship sources. Check out our resources on the ESS Scholarships and Fellowships website.

To learn more about scholarship opportunities, schedule a meeting with our Academic Success Coordinator Nikki Foxley by emailing [email protected] with the subject line AMP – Prospective Student.

A scholarship for 50% of on-campus, resident instruction (RI) tuition credits are available to eligible family members of eligible employees who are admitted, degree-seeking students. Test-Out, Advanced Placement, CSU Online and Study Abroad are not considered regular on-campus credits and are not eligible for the Tuition Scholarship Program. Please reach out directly to the Office of Financial Aid to discuss your individual situation.

 See details and eligibility criteria here:

https://hr.colostate.edu/current-employees/benefits/other-benefit-programs/academic-privileges/

Student Veterans can contact this site for specific information on using the GI Bill:

https://registrar.colostate.edu/benefit-information/

You can also email [email protected] or call 970-491-6340.

The Veteran Education Benefit Office (VEBO) hosts office hours during the week in the Adult Learner Veteran Services (ALVS) during the week. Find them at LSC 381L.

The PSM has a highly flexible curriculum and students can design their degree according to their career aspirations and interests. ESS faculty bring world-renowned expertise in the following degree focus areas – carbon management, water resources, sustainable food systems, and climate adaptation and risk assessment. Whether you choose a focus area or build your own, your advisor will help guide your course selection and individual pathway.

View PSM curriculum requirements.

Many electives are available and students choose these courses to supplement their individual specialization. Students work closely with their faculty advisor to select electives that align with their specialization and serve their career goals.

The PSM curriculum consists of 36 credits. During their studies, students:

1. Gain foundational knowledge of the science, policies, technologies, and environmental intervention associated with climate change, including international policies and evidence bases.
2. Learn to analyze, extract, and apply data to decision making in your respective field.
3. Practice the interdisciplinary collaboration, communication, and teamwork necessary to make a meaningful sustainability impact.

Required Courses

ESS 500 Integrated Ecosystem/Sustainability Analysis (2)
ESS 523a Intro to Environmental Data Science (5)
ESS 587  Internship (4)
ESS 692 Seminar (1)

Select one course from the following:

ESS 542 Greenhouse Gas Policies (3)
WR 512 Water Law for Non-Lawyers (3)

Elective courses based on specialization:

Foundational Elective Courses (9-10 credits total)

Data Tools and Qualitative Analysis Elective Courses (12 credits total)

When completing the AMP coursework, please meet with ESS department and major advisors for assistance in choosing your 9 credits of PSM coursework.

To explore specializations and options, schedule a meeting with our Academic Success Coordinator Nikki Foxley by emailing [email protected] with the subject line AMP – Prospective Student.

The ESS Department and Warner College of Natural Resources offers three graduate certificates that pair well with PSM:

Climate Adaptation and Risk Management (CARMA)

Carbon Management

Water Resources

There is no thesis required to complete this program – but there is a mandatory 400-hr (4 credit) internship that is often completed over the summer.  This is not a guaranteed paid internship, but many students do receive a paid internship.

For more information on the PSM internship program, contact ESS Academic Success Coordinator Kaye Holman by emailing [email protected] with the subject line AMP – Internship Inquiry.

The internship placement may be with an academic, governmental, business, or non-governmental agency. It can be completed during the academic year or during summer.

Through the internship, students:

• Apply their knowledge and skills
• Address real-world environmental and ecosystem challenges
• Develop additional professional expertise
• Grow their professional network

During the internship placement, students enroll in ESS 587 Internship for 4 credits. If a student completes their internship during summer, they often work 40 hours/week for 10 weeks.

The PSM-ESS faculty advisor and ESS internship coordinator mentors and coaches each student throughout the internship placement process. Students learn how to:

• Identify and apply for positions
• Network with prospective host organizations
• Develop a professional resume
• Develop a professional LinkedIn profile

PSM faculty and the internship coordinator help identify places to intern and assist you with making connections when applicable. However, each student is responsible for finding, applying to, and finalizing placement in their internship. The ESS 587 curriculum empowers PSM students with meaningful job-related skills in resume building, interviewing, and professional networking.

Our graduates have gone on to work in an array of private and public institutions such as:

• Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
• Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District
• Northern Water
• Brilliant Earth
• Dewberry
• American Carbon Registry
• Winrock
• The Nature Conservancy
• Ducks Unlimited
• Environmental Protection Agency
• Soil and Carbon Solutions Center

Students do not need to know how to code to enter the PSM-ESS.

The core curriculum includes a robust, 5-credit introduction to data science course (ESS 523a) exploring tools and best practices for working with large environmental datasets, primarily using the programming language R. This course is intended to provide all PSM students with basic data science skills and understanding.

In addition to this course, the department hosts a Coding Club and provides suggestions for data science professional development courses through LinkedIn Learning to help students gain skills and confidence.

This is dependent upon personal circumstances, but some students do choose to work part-time. Because the PSM is meant to be a full-time, intensive program, full-time work in conjunction with full-time graduate student attendance is not advised.

A 400-hr, 4-credit professional internship is a required component of the PSM. Some internships involve outdoor field work – such as taking field samples or measurements – to support various types of research. However, PSM internships usually involve skill-building and application geared more toward data analysis and assessment.