Environmental Science and Management (ESM) Degree Program

Admission is competitive. It is based on grades, letters of recommendation, and an application essay. A GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale is expected. The program admissions committee will evaluate each applicant for admission and may interview applicants over phone, video conferencing, or in person. A four-year U.S. bachelor’s degree (or its equivalent) in any academic field from an accredited college or university is required.

Admitted students will be required to select a track within the ESM degree. The three tracks are climate science, earth resources, and marine science.

Students who apply will be expected to answer the following questions:

• Why are you seeking a graduate degree in Environmental Science and Management at the University of Delaware?
  
• The Environmental Science and Management degree is interdisciplinary, asking you to engage with both natural and social sciences. How do you see the degree, including the knowledge and skills that will be gained and your selected track (climate, earth resources or marine) supporting your interests and goals?
• The graduate student experience and life generally involve a range of challenges. Describe an example of how you have shown resilience and/or perseverance in pursuing your academic goals or in your personal life and how you have grown as a result.
• [Optional] Please add anything you would like to say in support of your application or anything that puts your application in a broader context that is not addressed by these questions (e.g., other relevant certifications or standardized examinations, uneven academic success).

Applicants will also have the opportunity to provide information on meaningful community service; formal or informal leadership roles; and any significant barriers they may have surmounted.  

The deadline for early consideration is December 15; all other applications, May 15. Given visa delays, we strongly recommend early application by international applicants. Admission decisions will be made on a rolling basis beginning in January. 

International student applications must include TOEFL, TOEFL Essentials, or IELTS scores or a waiver of proof of English Proficiency and certified English translation of all materials when applicable. International students must have a TOEFL score of 90 or higher, and TOEFL Essentials score of 9 or higher or an IELTS score of 7 or higher. Alternatively, international student applicants can show proof of having graduated from an undergraduate or graduate program in a country where English is the primary language. TOEFL or IELTS scores must be within the last two years.

A waiver of proof of English Proficiency is allowed when:

• A bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree has been or will be earned from a university recognized by the ministry of education in a country where English is the primary language. Our list of approved countries includes Anguilla, Antigua, Australia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Cameroon, Canada (except the province of Quebec), Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Ghana, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Liberia, Montserrat, New Zealand, Nigeria, Puerto Rico, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Singapore, South Africa, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks and Caicos, The United Kingdom, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
• A bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree has been or will be earned from a college or university located in the United States and accredited by a regional accrediting association.

The ESM Master of Science degree, being a professional, as opposed to a research degree, is structured around students funding their education through personal or external funds. The cost per credit hour is $1,028. Additional information on costs and fees can be found here.

A limited number of partial or full tuition scholarships for the first year may be available from the ESM program to qualified ESM applicants.

Additional information on financial support can be found at the following links:

• Student Financial Services
• Funding Opportunities via the UD Graduate College
• Graduate Student Job Board
• UD Part-Time Jobs

You do not need to be in communication with a faculty member to apply. Should you be offered admission, a faculty member will be appointed as your advisor no later than shortly after you accept admission.