The Accelerated Master’s Program in Ecosystem Science and Sustainability

The Accelerated Master’s Program (AMP) in Ecosystem Science and Sustainability (ESS) is a unique, fast-track degree pathway for ambitious undergraduates. The Accelerated Master’s Program in ESS allows students in eligible CSU degree programs to pursue their bachelor’s and Professional Science Master’s (PSM).

The PSM is a non-thesis, course-based degree that provides students with a foundational knowledge of the science, policies, technologies, and environmental intervention associated with climate change and sustainability. Instead of a research thesis, students complete a professional 400-hour internship.

Designed to optimize time and financial resources, AMP students can complete the PSM in 18 months of graduate study after completing their bachelor’s degree. Generally, AMP students typically spend less time in school, pay less tuition, and get to work more quickly. If you want to save money, save time, and make a difference sooner, the AMP might be for you!

Four Accelerated Master's Program Students listen to an outdoor lecture amongst tall pine trees.
Colorado State University Ecosystem Science and Sustainability Accelerated Master's Program Student Measures trees for carbon accounting.
Up close photo of leaves changing from green to yellow
CSU ESS Accelerated Master's Student takes notes outside in Colorado.

How does the Accelerated Master’s Program in ESS work?

Students submit their internal ESS Accelerated Master’s Program application prior to obtaining 90 undergraduate-level credits. Overall, students usually apply in their junior year. However, we encourage freshmen and sophomores to get involved early to determine if this program is the right fit.

During the last year of undergraduate study, AMP students may take up to nine credits of graduate level courses. These courses count toward both their undergraduate degree and the Professional Science Master’s in Ecosystem Science and Sustainability.

Then, students submit their graduate application to the PSM in the final semester of their bachelor’s degree.  They receive the bachelor’s degree in their chosen department upon completion of all undergraduate requirements. With 18 months of additional graduate coursework, they receive the PSM degree upon completion of all graduate requirements, which includes a 400-hr (4 credit) internship.

Undergraduates in the following Colorado State University degree programs are eligible to apply:

  • Agricultural Biology
  • Animal Science
  • Biological Science
  • Ecosystem Science & Sustainability
  • Environmental & Natural Resource Economics
  • Equine Science
  • Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology
  • Forest and Rangeland Stewardship
  • Geology
  • Natural Resources Management
  • Restoration Ecology
  • Soil & Crop Science
  • Watershed Science & Sustainability
  • Zoology
Colorado Nature Textures 2
A sustainability master's student looks through a rangefinder in a park, surrounded by trees.
Colorado Nature Textures 3

The Professional Science Master’s

The Professional Science Master’s (PSM) empowers students with the in-demand skills, scientific knowledge, and professional networks to make a meaningful impact on the world’s most pressing sustainability challenges.

Students can specialize in Carbon Management, Water Resources, or Sustainable Food Systems, or combine to create a tailored curriculum.

The PSM is an applied skills degree, focusing on credentials that employers need now like data science, life cycle analysis, and policy review.

Instead of a thesis, students complete a 400-hour professional internship, gaining hands-on skills to steer the course of our planet toward a sustainable and hopeful future.

Once officially admitted to the PSM program, students are eligible to optionally pursue three concurrent graduate certificates: Carbon Management, Water Resources, and Climate Adaptation and Risk Management. Graduate students must apply for the graduate certificate program and pay the application fee for the certificate to be conferred.

The Curriculum

In this professional graduate degree program, students will:

  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; and
  3. Practice the interdisciplinary collaboration, communication, and teamwork necessary to make a meaningful sustainability impact.

The PSM is flexible, so students can also combine specializations and tailor their curriculum to fit their unique needs.

Required Courses:

ESS 500 Integrated Ecosystem/Sustainability Analysis
ESS 523a Intro to Environmental Data Science
ESS 587  Internship
ESS 692 Seminar

Select one course from the following:

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

Elective courses based on specialization:

Foundational Elective Courses (9-10 credits total)

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

Students work closely with their PSM faculty advisor and their Academic Success Coordinator to choose electives that complement their chosen specialization and their career path.

The Internship

Internship Structure

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

Through the internship, students:

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

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

Internship Placement Support

The 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, and
  • Develop a professional LinkedIn profile.

Certificate Programs

Build specialized knowledge to tackle the pressing challenges of climate change. As a student in CSU’s online Climate Adaptation and Risk Management (CARMA) graduate gertificate program, you will benefit from a comprehensive curriculum focused on current science-based climate adaptation strategies. This certificate is offered 100% online.

Developed by CSU’s Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability, this graduate certificate program provides you with the specialized knowledge to effectively analyze carbon production and manage and/or offset emission levels for government entities and large corporations. This certificate is offered on-campus and online.

Advance your career in water resources planning, management, and policy with this graduate certificate program addressing an array of water issues in the western United States and around the world. Expand your knowledge with case studies, geospatial applications, and exercises. The program emphasizes an understanding of the hydrologic cycle and the physical processes that drive it, how humans adapt water resources to their needs, techniques for sustainable management, the evolution of laws and policies governing water use, and basic spatial and temporal analysis of water data. This certificate is offered 100% online.

Student in the Accelerated Master's Program in ESS at Colorado State University measures tree height
Two students measure a large tree by wrapping a measuring tape around the trunk.
Professional Sustainability Master's students measure carbon in Fort Collins, CO

FAQs – Accelerated Master’s Program in ESS

What are the GPA and admissions requirements?

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.

When should I apply?

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.

How do I apply?

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

What documents are required for the AMP application?

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

Is there an application fee?

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)

How am I admitted to the AMP?

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.

What is the program's tuition and fee structure?

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.

 

Are scholarships, grants, or financial aid available for AMP students?

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 nikki.foxley@colostate.edu with the subject line AMP – Prospective Student.

What is the curriculum like, and are there specific specialization options?

The PSM has three specializations – carbon management, water resources, and sustainable food systems. The specialization you select for your PSM program will 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 nikki.foxley@colostate.edu with the subject line AMP – Prospective Student.

How long does it typically take to complete the program?

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.

Is there a thesis or comprehensive exam requirement for graduation?

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 kaye.holman@colostate.edu with the subject line AMP – Internship Inquiry.

What does the internship entail?

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

What are the graduation requirements for the AMP/PSM?

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.
Headshot of Nikki Foxley - Academic Success Coordinator for the Accelerated Master's Program in Ecosystem Science and Sustainability

Nikki Foxley

Advising for Accelerated Master’s Program in ESS

Office: A126A Natural and Environmental Science Building

Phone: (970) 491-4331