Water Resources Degree Focus - PSM-ESS - Warner College of Natural Resources

Professional Science Master’s Water Resources Degree Focus

two people collecting a water sample from a river

The Water Resources focus in the Professional Science Master’s of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability equips you with data science specific to water resource management, 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.

At the end of this program students will 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. Students will also develop expertise in quantitative analysis, spatial analysis (GIS), and statistical analyses commonly used in the hydrological sciences.

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“All the water that will ever be is, right now.” – National Geographic

Water Resources Master’s: Ecology, Hydrology, Data, and Policy

The water resources focus teaches you applied skills in water resource management for work with municipalities, utilities, governments, NGOs, consultancies and more. The curriculum provides a foundation in water systems with emphases on water sustainability and policy, data science and analysis, hydrology, water chemistry, field experience and more.

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:

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

Internships: Putting your Water Resources Degree Into Practice

As part of the Professional Science Master’s 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 almost always 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.

Our students have interned at places like Northern Water, a water utility managing many of our areas reservoir, and Dewberry, a water resources manager focusing on resilience and changing the future of water management for the better. Both of our alumni who interned at these places were hired on full time!

Careers: What Can You Do With a Water Resources Degree?

The Water Resources focus in the Ecosystem Science and Sustainability Professional Science Master’s program 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. If you are curious about where to find water sustainability jobs, you can peruse the Colorado Water Wise job board.