“ The core classes set a great foundation for working within the environmental field… the invaluable part for me is that the program opened my eyes to the amount of environmental jobs that are available. The courses had real-life examples that pushed me to explore my options outside of my comfort zone. ” – Cristina Graciano, class of 2020 “

"My final project on PFAS in wastewater led me to full-time employment. I started reviewing my lecture notes since I use 95% of the course material at work. I really enjoyed the program.” – Prasad Galhena, class of 2022

Why Choose the Environmental Studies Program at CSUF? 

The Master of Science degree in Environmental Studies is an important qualification for environmental professionals and signifies the skills to conduct environmental research, education, planning, and advocacy. 

Our program offers an interdisciplinary perspective on Environmental Studies at an advanced level. Students have access to faculty expertise in the natural sciences, engineering, social and behavioral sciences, business and economics, the arts, and humanities. 

 

admission Requirements

Admission to the Environmental Studies program is competitive. We accept students as a cohort and we are limited in the number per cohort. The following are minimum requirements necessary to apply, but meeting these in no way guarantees admission to the program:

  • A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
  • A minimum grade-point average of 3.0 in the last 60 units of attempted coursework,and good standing at the last attended college.
  • Two letters of recommendation; at least one of which is from an academic instructor or advisor.
  • A personal statement explaining why our program fits your personal or professional goals.
  • The names of 1-3 CSUF ENST faculty with whom you are interested in working
  • For international students, a minimum score of 80 iBT TOEFL, 550 TOEFL, 6.5 IELTS, or 58 PTE, in accordance with the Office of Admissions' guidelines for international studentsOpens in new window .

We also recommend completion of undergraduate courses in ecology, engineering, mathematics, natural sciences, and/or quantitative methods. Students lacking foundational coursework may be admitted provisionally and can work with the Environmental Studies graduate advisor to take foundational courses on their own.

The GRE is not required. 

Admission Process

Our admissions deadline is April 1. 

All prospective students must apply through Cal State Apply, where you will upload your materials electronically. On that application, you will  supply contact information for the people writing your letters of recommendation, then they will be prompted to upload their letters electronically.

We cannot process your application until CSUF has received and verified an official transcript from the university where you earned your bachelor's degree as well as transcripts from any place you studied after the bachelor's degree, if applicable. This means you should send official transcripts as soon as possible, preferably well before April 1. 

CSUF's Grad Studies Office has more information about application procedures and CSUF's Office of Admissions has guidelines for international applicants.

After you begin your application, you can check the "Task List" in your Student Portal for any items left to complete. You can also contact the Titan Admissions Status office at (657) 278-7904 or on the web http://admissions.fullerton.edu/prospectivestudent/ 

We begin reviewing files after April 1 and contacting applicants around the end of April. 

Transferring Coursework from Other Schools

If approved by the Graduate Advisor, ENST graduate students may transfer up to fifteen (15) units worth of coursework from other universities to their Study Plans, although only nine (9) units worth of graduate level coursework that has been earned through CSUF's Extended Education program may be transferred to the ENST study plan. See the "Graduate Regulations" section of the CSUF catalog for more information regarding transfer requirements.

In order to transfer coursework to your ENST study plan, applicants are required to provide a copy of their transcripts, a course description from the University's Catalog and speak with the ENST Graduate Advisor.

Past coursework may NOT be transferred if it meets any of the following criteria:

  1. The course has been used to complete requirements for General Education, bachelor's degree requirements, or graduate degree requirements elsewhere
  2. It has been more than 5 years since the course was taken.
  3. The course is not graduate level or upper division
  4. A grade below "C" was earned for the course 

Fee Information

For information regarding university fees, see https://sfs.fullerton.edu/ 

For information specifically regarding International students, refer to: http://international.fullerton.edu/studentsOpens in new window

Graduate Funding Opportunities

At this time, the ENST office does not support graduate assistantships, but many of our students find part-time work in our partner programs across campus, as research fellows, teaching assistants, or administrative assistants. We frequently publicize on-campus job opportunities through our Canvas site.  We also offer small, merit-based scholarships for ENST students working on independent projects and opportunities for graduate-student conference travel. 

For financial aid offered through the university, please go to the following link: http://www.fullerton.edu/financialaidOpens in new window . All domestic applicants should fill out the FAFSA or CA Dream Act forms before March 2 to be considered for financial aid and on-campus work-study opportunities.

Letters of Recommendation

We require two letters of recommendation. At least one of the two letters must be from a past academic instructor or advisor. The other letter may also come from a professor or from an employer, mentor, or someone who has had a close working relationship with you in a supervisory capacity.

On the admissions website, you will input contact information for your recommenders, then they will be prompted to upload their letters securely. There is no single required form. Please ask your recommenders to write on official letterhead, clearly indicate their relationship with you, and explain why they think you would be a successful student in our program. 

Conditional Admission Policies

Rarely, upon acceptance to the ENST program, some students may receive a "Graduate Recommendation Sheet" from the Admissions and Records Office, listing any course deficiencies you should complete before attending our program. For instance, if you have not taken either an ecology course or quantitative methods course, you may be conditionally admitted to the Program. All deficiencies must be made up within one year of program admission. Prerequisites may be taken at another university or community college. Applicants should work with the Environmental Studies grad advisor, enst_advisor@fullerton.edu to determine suitable coursework for prerequisites.

Open Secrets of Successful Applications 

Many applicants reach out to ask what makes an application stand out. Here are 'Open Secrets' list for all to see.

* First, tell us how you think our specific program will help you attain your professional or academic goals. This is best located in your personal statement. Do your research on the program, contact potential faculty advisors via email, talk to alumni, and figure out how we can help you get to where you want to go. We routinely reject high quality applicants who haven't made the link between their interests, our capabilities, and how they fit our program. We don't want to waste your time and our resources if we can't help you achieve your goals. Any efforts in identifying a potential advisor pay significant dividends when we look at your application.

* Second, good letters of reference really make a difference. Wisely choose the people who will write these letters and follow up to make sure that they arrive on time. These people should be able to point to concrete examples of what you have done or how you have performed. Prior to them writing a letter for you, you should meet with them or otherwise discuss why you want to go to graduate school and what you want to achieve with this additional schooling. Give them a sufficient amount of lead time before April 1 to write a solid letter.

*Third, complete your application prior to April 1st. Check your application status online. We start reviewing applications during the first week of April. In the past we have made a 'first cut' list and started notifying students almost immediately. If we are waiting on documents, you are more likely to be cut.

*You have to submit all of the application materials we request, but feel free to add a resume, an additional letter of reference, or other documents that help us understand who you are. Just don't swamp us with loads of unimportant materials.

* Finally, if you are accepted into the program and you have competing offers, let us know. Space in the program is limited, so we may ask you to tell us if it is likely you will attend. Please don't lie. The best thing you could do for us is to give us a couple of minutes of your time over the phone to discuss your options. Sometimes we will be able to help you sort out your options, even when that suggestion is to take a better offer somewhere else.