Graduate Application Information

Interested in applying to one of WWU College of the Environment graduate degree programs? Be sure to contact the Graduate Program Advisor, Ed Weber, at (360) 650-3646, ed.weber@wwu.edu, or stop by his office in ES 545B.

NOTE:   Applicants are HIGHLY encouraged to contact prospective faculty advisors to discuss their interests before applying to the program.  

Graduate Application

How to Apply

Application for admission must be made to the Graduate School using the online application process. Questions regarding application procedures can be directed to:

WWU Graduate School

Old Main 530, MS 9037

Western Washington University

Bellingham, WA 98225

(360) 650-3170

gradschool@wwu.edu

Admission Requirements

Prerequisites

  • M.S. in Environmental Science: To be accepted into one of WWU's College of the Environment M.S. in Environmental Science programs, applicants should have a bachelor’s degree and college-level course work including

    •  One year of general chemistry, one year of general biology, and one course in statistics or data analysis, or;

    •  One year of general chemistry, one year of physics, two courses in calculus, one course in statistics and one additional physical science or engineering course (For Energy Focused Students), or;

    •  Commensurate coursework as approved by proposed faculty mentor.

  • M.A. in Environmental Studies: For the M.A. in Environmental Studies program prerequisites, bachelor's degree in Environmental Studies or related field.
  • M.Ed. in Environmental Education: Applicants to the M.Ed. in Environmental Education programs should have experience in the field of environmental education and a basic background in natural history. Each applicant’s background will be examined to determine if additional preparation is needed.  (Note:  The M.Ed, Env Education major is currently under revision and not accepting new Graduate Students at this time).

For more information on prerequisites, or to ask about departmental requirements, please contact the Graduate Program Advisor at (360) 650-3646.

Deadlines

Students are admitted into WWU's College of the Environment M.S. in Environmental Science and M.A. in Environmental Studies programs for the fall quarter.  On-campus M.Ed. in Environmental Education students are generally admitted in Fall Quarter only, with rare exceptions.

Because maximum student enrollment is limited, all applicants are strongly encouraged to submit application materials by February 1. Review of materials will begin after that date and will continue until the enrollment limit is reached or on June 1, whichever comes first. To be considered for a graduate teaching assistantship, applicants should submit their application materials by February 1.

Statement of Purpose

All applicants must indicate in the statement of purpose how the prerequisites have been or will be completed before starting the program. An applicant must include a statement of purpose indicating the specialization the applicant is most interested in, explaining why the applicant wishes to pursue graduate studies and what future expectations s/he has for the degree.

The statement may indicate a preferred faculty adviser. Students are highly encouraged to review faculty academic and research interests as described on the WWU's College of the Environment Website prior to contacting potential faculty advisers. Students are admitted into the programs only upon agreement of a faculty adviser.

WWU Graduate School Requirements for Full Admission to Master’s Degree Study

  • A four-year baccalaureate degree from a U.S. college or university that was regionally accredited at the time the degree was conferred, or an equivalent baccalaureate degree from a foreign university; the degree must be appropriate to the master’s study intended.
  • A 3.0 undergraduate grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) in the last 90 quarter or 60 semester hours of study. In order for post-baccalaureate credit to be included in the GPA computation, the coursework must be upper division.
  • Post-baccalaureate coursework at community colleges will not be included in the GPA used for admission. Applicants with advanced degrees from accredited institutions are generally, at the discretion of the Graduate School, considered to have met GPA requirements.
  • Three current letters of reference from professors in the applicant’s undergraduate major field, or from professors of post-baccalaureate courses, or from others able to make an appropriate assessment of the applicant’s academic or professional competence.
  • Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is no longer required for application to our programs.   If submitted, scores will be used as part of a whole-person review.   You are not penalized in any way for NOT submitting scores.  
  • All applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency. Applicants who have received the bachelor’s or advanced degree from an accredited institution where instruction is in English do not need to submit scores from the TOEFL (see the International Applications section of the WWU catalog).
  • Favorable review and recommendation of application by the graduate faculty in the program to which application is made.

For more information about admission to WWU's College of the Environment graduate programs, please contact the WWU College of the Environment College graduate program coordinator Ed.Weber@wwu.edu or (360) 650-3646.