Master of Environmental Studies

MES is an interdisciplinary degree that will prepare you for the complex nature of professional environmental work. When you graduate, you’ll be ready to be an environmental leader.
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MES Students on a field trip to the beach

Academic and Professional Development

  1. Explore interdisciplinary environmental knowledge and skills building in core classes focused on communication, collaboration, natural and social sciences, Traditional Ecological Knowledge, policy, and statistics.
  2. Choose your academic focuses when you pursue elective credits in a variety of fields.
  3. Gain subject area expertise in an independent thesis research topic of your choosing!

The Best Environment for Studying the Environment

We’re located at the south end of the Salish Sea (Puget Sound) in Olympia, Washington, so you’ll be close to mountains, rivers, wetlands, forests, and shorelines. Center your core projects and thesis research in topics that fuel your passion.

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Elwha Dam 2013 Field Trip

Influence Environmental Policy and Practice

As the state capital, Olympia is home to legislators and state agencies, with opportunities to learn about environmental issues and work with community partners. You’ll also appreciate the vibrant local food scene, including the Farmer’s Market, and Evergreen's own organic farm. Find out more about what makes Olympia special.

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Image of Capitol Building and Heritage Park

MES Certificate in GIS

Learn how you can earn a GIS Certificate in MES as a part of your elective credits to earn your degree.

MES Blogs

MES News: Find out what MES students are doing in the program.

MES Weekly Jobs Blog: Come to MES weekly for jobs, internships, and events for students and alumni.

Host an MES Intern

Get help with projects while providing critical learning opportunities to graduate students. Start planning or post your opportunities.

MES Info Sessions

March 21, 5 pm, PT: Register

March 28, 5 pm, PT: Register

April 4, 5:00 pm, PT: Register

April 18, 5:00 pm, PT: Register

May 2, 5:00 pm, PT: Register

May 9, 5:00 pm, PT: Register

May 23, 5:00 pm, PT: Register

May 30, 5:00 pm, PT: Register

June 6, 5:00 pm, PT: Register

June 13, 5:00 pm, PT: Register

June 20, 5:00 pm, PT: Register

July 11, 5:00 pm, PT: Register

July 18, 5:00 pm, PT: Register

July 25, 5:00 pm, PT: Register

Reach out to averi.a.azar@evergreen.edu and request a meeting invitation for the date and time you are interested in attending!

Visit Discover MES for more details!

Resources

Systemic Racism & Environmental Justice Webpage: We want to acknowledge stolen lives – lives ended too soon by what Ruth Wilson Gilmore calls an unequal distribution of premature death. In particular we want to pay homage to George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless others who have lost their lives to the bigotry that leads to ongoing personal, mob, and state violence and we want to pay homage to the many others who have died prematurely as a consequence of these structures. We started to hear it said about 5 years ago as part of the Movement for Black Lives, and we may need to remind ourselves for a little while yet: “when black lives matter, everybody lives better.”

Indigenous Scholarships I 2023-2024 Academic year: Find funding opportunities and scholarships for American Indian and Alaska Native college students currently pursuing, or intending to pursue, graduate education in the next academic year. If you know of any funding opportunities not listed, please send them our way!

Undocumented Student Resources: Evergreen welcomes applications from all students, regardless of residency status. You don’t have to be covered by the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program. If you are ineligible for federal financial because of your immigration status, you may still qualify for state and college financial aid. To see if you qualify, fill out the Washington Application for State Financial Aid (WAFSA).