Admitted MESM Students: Why MESM?
Why MESM?
What you gain from the Bren MESM program goes beyond the knowledge and skills to be an environmental leader. You’ll gain the training and confidence to impress employers and make real change in sustainability, conservation, environmental policy, and much more.
Bren's MESM curriculum is designed to prepare you with the analytical, quantitative, and technical skills necessary to excel in the professional realm. While learning from top experts, students become familiar with the language, knowledge, techniques, and methodologies of various disciplines while developing problem-solving abilities and the adaptability that is indispensable to professional success.
The Master's Project
One of the highlights of the MESM program is the Master's Project. Students have the option to choose between a Group Project or an Eco-Entrepreneurship Project. You will work in teams to plan, develop, and deliver a solution for a client, or develop a business model for a new product or service that addresses an environmental problem. When asked, Bren faculty continue to say each year that one of their favorite things about working at the Bren School is their experience working with students and clients on these exciting projects. In lieu of a traditional individual master's thesis, the MESM student gains real-world experience, boosting their resumes and professional networks, and better preparing them for success after graduation.
The Bren School Difference
Founded in 1994, the Bren School is distinguished by its mission to develop interdisciplinary solutions to environmental problems, train environmental leaders, and work for a sustainable future. Students receive an immersive education experience with courses taught by leading experts in environmental research, enhanced by unsurpassed career development services, real-world client interactions, and a powerful alumni community network.
World-Class Faculty
The MESM curriculum is designed to give students comprehensive training from some of the top faculty in the world. Bren faculty are leading experts in their fields across natural sciences, social sciences, and data science, and bring their leading-edge knowledge to their teaching and research.
Career Development Services
The Bren School is known for its stellar Career Development Team! They help students develop lifelong career skills that will help them secure desirable jobs and advance successfully throughout their entire career. Bren has five full-time career team members (with 50+ years of combined experience) specifically dedicated to working with MESM, MEDS, and PhD students. Each member's unique professional background brings advanced expertise to students in the areas of environmental science, human resources, marketing and branding, career advising, innovative job search tactics, salary negotiations, and professional writing. The Career Development Team provides workshops and resources on how to market application documents, network, interview, negotiate, and much more. In addition, BrenConnect (a career development social networking platform) is available to all Bren alumni and current students and gives access to 100+ career resource articles. With over 75% of alumni participation, BrenConnect helps provide current students with internships, jobs, and networking opportunities through the Alumni Finder and Job Posting Boards.
MESM graduates will have a broad array of career options following completion of their degrees. See a list of organizations where MESM graduates have been placed after graduation on the Career Services page.
