Welcome
Donald Bren School of Environmental Science & Management
University of California, Santa Barbara
www.bren.ucsb.edu
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Prof. Charles D. Kolstad (me)
AY 2002-3: 3M Visiting Professor of
Environmental Economics, Dept. of
Economics, MIT (email ckolstad@mit.edu)
Normally: Donald Bren Professor of
Environmental Economics & Policy, Bren
School & Economics Dept., UCSB
(email:
kolstad@bren.ucsb.edu)
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Outline
Options for Graduate School
Background information on Bren School
Master’s Degree
Options for grad school
Bren School MESM – 2 year professional degree
Ph.D. Degree
Tailored to faculty research expertise and interest
Includes new fellowship program in EES – economics &
environmental science
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
The Environment:
Options for Graduate School
 Choose a Program:
 Disciplinary programs
 Professional Programs
 Environment Schools
 Public Policy Schools
 Engineering (Environmental Engineering)
 Schools of Management (Business Schools)
 Resource/Range Management Programs
 Law Schools (Environmental Law)
 Architecture (Environmental Design)
 Planning Programs (City and Regional Planning)
 Choose a Degree:
 Ph.D.: research oriented
 Master’s: professional, job-oriented
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Leading Environment Schools
for Professional Master’s Degrees
 California: Donald Bren School of Environmental
Science and Management, at UCSB
 Master of Environmental Science & Management
 Duke: Nicholas School of the Environment
 Master of Environmental Management
 Master of Forestry
 Michigan: School of Natural Resources & Environment
 Master of Science in Natural Resources and Environment
 Master of Landscape Architecture
 Yale: School of Forestry and Environmental Studies
 Master of Environmental Management; Master of Env. Science
 Master of Forestry; Master of Forest Science
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
University of California, Santa Barbara
A Distinguished University
 Three UCSB Faculty awarded Nobel Prizes in last 5
years.
 UCSB ranked in the top-ten of US research
universities, based on per-faculty research
productivity
 UCSB ranked as #2 public research university in the
US, based on per-faculty research productivity (UCB
#1)
 In Sept 2002, Newsweek listed UCSB as one of 12 of
“This Year’s Hottest Colleges” based on its impressive
academic reputation.
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Donald Bren School of Environmental
Science and Management, UCSB
 Founded in 1994; first MESM students 1996
 105 MESM students; 33 Ph.D. students; 7 EES Ph.D.
students
 17 faculty
 Natural and social sciences
 Law
 Management
 University of California, Santa Barbara
 Founded in 1943 as third UC campus (after UCB & UCLA)
 Highly ranked nationally in ecology & environment programs
 20,000 students (90% undergrad)
 Overlooks the Pacific Ocean
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Bren Faculty Summary
 Natural Sciences
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Frank Davis: biogeography
Jeff Dozier: snow hydrology
Tom Dunne: hydrology
James Frew: informatics
Patricia Holden: microbiology
Arturo Keller: water chemistry
Bruce Kendall: applied ecology
Hunter Lenihan: marine ecology
Natalie Mahowald: atmospheric chem
Chris Marwood: toxicology
John Melack: limnology
 Social Sciences, Law & Mgmt.
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Dennis Aigner: management
Antonio Bento: transport economics
Chris Costello: resource economics
Magali Delmas: business strategy
Jody Freeman*: environmental law
Charles Kolstad: regulation
Carol McAusland: international trade
Catherine Ramus: management
Mary Nisbet: accounting
*at UCLA
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Professional Master’s Degree
MESM
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
What is a Professional Degree?
Degree is not designed as foundation for
further study
Degree prepares you for a specific type of job
and imparts specific skills
Different culture than academic/disciplinary
degree
Generally, financial aid is very limited
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
What is Environmental
Science and Management?
 Includes skills to be environmental problem solver
 Conversant with natural science, social science, law,
business and political context of problems
 A variety of employment opportunities
 Government: policy making or resource manager
 Within firms: helping firms meet environmental regulations
and be environmentally responsible
 NGOs: helping influence policy
 Consulting: supporting government and firms
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
What Makes Bren Unique
 Less than ten years old
 Built from the ground up with new faculty
 Central emphasis on management AND science
 NOT a re-branded forestry school
 Environment is at the top of the public agenda in Coastal
California
 UCSB extremely strong in environmental fields &
interdisciplinary studies
 Modern master’s curriculum delivering breadth of skills.
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Bren School
Professional Programs
 Master of Environmental Science & Management (MESM)
 2 year degree
 Incoming class of 60
 Multidisciplinary
 Concentration in environmental management for MBAs
 MBA at any of the five UC business schools (Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los
Angeles, Riverside) -- 2 year program
 Generally requires prior work experience
 Concentration involves coursework at UCSB & home campus
 Apply directly to business school of choice
 California Intercampus Environmental Law Program
 Open to UC Law Students (Berkeley, Davis, Los Angeles, Hastings)
 Travel to UCSB for colloquia and courses
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Bren MESM Curriculum
Core coursework (Mostly Year #1)
 3Q:
 2Q:
 3Q:
 2Q:
Earth System Science, Biogeochemistry, Ecology
Economics, Law & Policy
Corporate Management, Finance, Strategy
Statistics, Quantitative Methods
Capstone: Group Project
 Apply your skills to a real problem for real client
 Work for one year (3Q) on a team of 4-6 MESM students
Summer (after 1st year): Internship!
Specialization Coursework (Mostly Year #2)
 6-7 Courses
 Choose from 7 specializations
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Some Past Group Projects
How effective is ISO 14000?
Is MTBE in gasoline a good idea? If not, what
should be done?
What is the impact and viability of organic
wineries on the environment of California?
How sustainable are the buildings on the UCSB
campus? How can future construction on
campus be improved?
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Current Specializations
Water Resources Management
Pollution Prevention & Remediation
Conservation Planning
Environmental Information Management
Public Environmental Management
Corporate Environmental Management
Coastal Marine Resources Management
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Example Specialization:
Conservation Planning
Applied Population Ecology
Conservation Planning
Landscape Ecology
Restoration Ecology
Endangered Species
Geographic Information Systems
Modeling Environmental and Ecological Change
Natural Resource Economics and Policy
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Example Specialization:
Public Environmental Management
Natural Resource Economics
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Public Policy Analysis
Political Institutions
International Environmental Economics
Advanced Topics in Env. Policy
Geographic Information Systems
Fate and Transport of Pollutants
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Placement of
2001 MESM Grads
 Diverse placement
 Consulting (41%)
 Industry (3%)
 Government (30%)
 Local (11%)
 State (14%)
 Federal (5%)
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Non-profit (8%)
University/research (5%)
Advanced Degree (8%)
Other (5%)
 85-90% find career positions within 2-3 months of
graduating
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
MESM: Entrance Requirements
 “State of Mind”
 Interest in a broad and balanced training in ES & M
 Emphasis on quantitative and analytic approach to environmental
problem solving
 Desirable undergraduate preparation
 One year of natural science (chemistry essential)
 One year of mathematics (calculus)
 One term each: intermediate microeconomics, statistics
(recommended)
 Deficiencies in preparation
 Remedy during semester of summer prior to matriculation
 Limited course makeup possible during first year at Bren
 Work experience desirable
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Cost of Attending UCSB
California residents: $4000 per year
Non-residents and international
students: an additional $12,000 per
year
U.S. residents can establish residency after
12 months
Cost of living in Santa Barbara: $15,000
per year
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
MESM:
Applying & Financial Aid
Application Deadline Feb 1 (with aid)
Application Deadline March 1 (without aid)
Expect to cover most of your costs yourself
Some financial support available to
exceptional applicants
Fellowships & Teaching Assistantships
Jobs/internships available on-campus and offcampus
Most MESM students meet all or most of their
costs with their own resources
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Ph.D. Program
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Bren Ph.D. Degree
Disciplinary or multidisciplinary
Optional track in Economics and Environmental
Science (EES)
Tailored to research interests of faculty
Interested?
Study faculty research interests on web
Identify faculty member with whom to work
Contact faculty member expressing interest
Faculty member indicates interest (hopefully)
Apply to UCSB & Bren School
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Placement of Ph.D. Grads
Bren PhD Program New Program
Graduated our first 3 Ph.D. students in
June 2002.
Obtained employment in both academic
and non-academic arena:
Assistant Professor at UW-Madison
Researchers for the U.S. Navy
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
EES Ph.D. Program
(EES=Economics & Environmental Science)
 A Fellowship Program not a Degree Program
 Supported by a major National Science Foundation Grant
 A New Model for Ph.D. education in Environmental Econ
 Undergrad background in natural science, math or econ.
 US Citizens or Permanent Residents Only (NSF Rules)
 Rigorous program in economics plus natural science focus:
 Conservation Biology/Applied Ecology
 Hydrology/Water Resources
 Climate
 Marine Science
 Apply to either the Bren School or Dept of Economics
 Generous 3-5 year fellowships (very competitive)
 Expect 5-10 new EES fellows per year (started Fall 2002)
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Typical EES Five Years
 Year #1
 Economics Core Curriculum (Common to all Econ PhD’s)
 Year #2
 Establish Proficiency in 2 Economics Fields
 Establish Proficiency in Natural Science Specialization
 Assist in Masters Group Project (one quarter)
 Year #3
 Complete Empirical Research Paper
 Complete Coursework
 Defend Dissertation Proposal
 Years #3, #4 & #5
 Research
 Seminar/Workshop Participation
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Applying to the EES Program
Decide on your Department
Economics Department
Bren School
Apply by February 1
Indicate on application “EES Fellowship”
No need to contact a faculty member
Most quantitative undergrad majors ok
Quantitative skills and demonstrated interest
in economics are vital
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Admissions Requirements
Master’s and Ph.D.
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Ph.D.: Entrance Requirements
Focus on a specific area of research
Identify a faculty member with very similar
research interests
Contact faculty member (except EES)
Required coursework faculty-specific
Contact the faculty member directly
No master’s degree required
Highly Competitive
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Applying to the Bren School
Fall admission only
GRE required (general exam only)
GPA of 3.0 or greater (calculated from junior and
senior years) – minimum only
Three letters of recommendation
Statement of purpose
Resume or curriculum vitae
Apply on-line: www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/eapp
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Application Deadlines
December 15
Ph.D. applicants interested in competing for
University fellowships
February 1
MESM applicants interested in competing for Bren
School fellowships
Final deadline for Ph.D. applications
EES Fellowships deadline
March 1
All MESM applicants unconcerned with financial
support, space permitting
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Cost of Attending UCSB
California residents: $4000 per year
Non-residents and international
students: an additional $12,000 per
year
U.S. residents can establish residency after
12 months
Cost of living in Santa Barbara: $15,000
per year
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Financing Your Education
 Ph.D. Students
 Usually funded as GSRs by faculty research grants
 Some fellowship support from University and/or School
 EES track students: Fellowships up to $32,000/yr, up to 5 years
 MESM Students
 Some financial support available to exceptional applicants
 Fellowships & Teaching Assistantships
 Jobs/internships available on-campus and off-campus
 Most MESM students meet all or most of their costs with their own
resources
 Fill out a FAFSA!
 Deadline: March 2
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Need More Information?
Visiting Campus
Open Houses Held twice a year at UCSB
Saturday, November 2, 2002
Friday, January 24, 2002
Other times? Let us know.
Make an appt with Prof. Kolstad at MIT
www.bren.ucsb.edu
EES Program: www.ees.ucsb.edu
Or call toll-free: 1-866-4-UC-BREN
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
http://www.bren.ucsb.edu
Toll-free: 1-866-4-UC-BREN
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB