Masters of the Environment Environmental Studies Program University of Colorado, Boulder
Short Description This proposal for the Masters of the Environment (MENV) degree is among the first of a cohesive set of professional masters degree programs at CU-Boulder that fit within the broad commitment to supply specialized, post-baccalaureate education to a growing market. MENV is an interdisciplinary, applications-focused professional degree program that meets the growing need for analytically trained and skilled environmental professionals who can address complex problems encountered in both the private and public sectors. Through enhanced professional training, graduates of the program will re-enter the workforce with greater capacity to serve the needs of Colorado, the Rocky Mountain region, and beyond. Our objective is to have our participants develop skills that are context-sensitive and collaborative, enabling them to explore and craft solutions using a diversity of viewpoints. MENV participants will acquire training in multiple forms of quantitative and qualitative analysis, data integration, and synthesis as well as communication and project management so they can reach across disciplines and perspectives to effectively craft and promote solutions to environmental problems that consider multiple perspectives and values. In their first year, participants will take foundational courses such as leadership and systems thinking, along with skills-based courses such as collaboration and conflict resolution, statistics, and strategic communication. Participants will develop and carry out a year-long capstone project, where they will partner with industry, government, or non-profit clients to tackle real-world problems and develop hands-on professional experience. Throughout the program, participants will be exposed to a variety of experiences and settings to develop their ability to determine which techniques and approaches are appropriate to apply in specific circumstances. Learning will occur on and off campus both through traditional classroom experiences and through workshops, capstone, and other professional training opportunities. Program graduates will be rigorously trained for successful careers in the private sector (such as energy services, consumer products, environmental consulting, and recreation and tourism) as well as municipal and government agencies and non-profit organizations. MENV will not only respond to industry and public sector demands, but our financial analysis shows that this program will generate a significant revenue stream to the campus.
Duplication Issues The MENV program at the University of Colorado-Boulder will fill an important regional gap. Other universities across the country have established elite professional programs such as Masters of Environmental Management (e.g., Yale University, Duke University), which are mainly private and located in the eastern US. The programs at these institutions are national and even global in scope and program focus, but they do not specifically serve the Rocky Mountain region. They have much higher tuition costs, whereas the MENV program will have a lower pricepoint that will attract a good mix of in-state and out-of-state applicants within the Rocky Mountain region. The 17-month program is a shorter than typical professional Masters of the Environment New Degree Summary February 2015 programs, and includes a capstone project. The capstone is envisioned differently than a traditional masters project or internship. Instead, the MENV participant will be partnered directly with an external organization and work alongside the client to achieve a co-developed goal.
Workforce Demand The MENV is a professional post-graduate degree. Participants will enter the program after demonstrating strong performance in an undergraduate degree and, most likely, with professional experience. The program is market-driven with a design that is based on input from professionals and organizations, for-profit and not-for-profit, in environmental-related areas. Thus, from its inception, the MENV program is focused on producing masters graduates precisely prepared for the professional workplace. Participants may return to their place of employment in an advanced position, or seek an advanced position in another organization.
A survey sent to ENVS graduate student alumni (2004-present) shows that students go on to find careers in three main sectors: public, private, and non-profit, and most find placements in Colorado and nationally. Graduates of the MENV program will find these same opportunities. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (US Department of Labor, 2014) employment of environmental scientists and specialists is expected to increase by 19% between 2010 and 2020. Employment of environmental scientists and specialists is projected to grow 15% from 2012 to 2022, faster than the average (11%) for all occupations. Some MENV participants may find employment in the planning field. With an expected job outlook of 10% for 2012-2022 (US Department of Labor 2014), urban and regional planners develop plans and programs for the use of land.
In comparable professional masters programs, graduates find employment in a range of sectors. From the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources masters, about one third of the 150 graduates each year go into careers in national, state, and local government; one third into the private industry and consulting; and one third into non-profit organizations. Duke University’s Master of Environmental Management trains participants to understand the scientific bases of environmental problems. Each year, between 140 and 150 graduates go on to find jobs in a wide range of fields. For example, 2012 graduates are working in private industry (29%), consulting (17%), education (4%), federal government (18%), legal/law (4%), non-profit (19%), research (4%), and state/local government (7%).
Student Demand and Enrollment Projections Surveys of environmental professionals in the metro-Denver area suggest a strong demand for a professional program. In the 2013 and 2014 applicant pool for ENVS graduate programs, 36% selected the internship option. Between 2004 and 2013, an average of 5.4 MS-internship students have graduated each year, compared to 2.5 per year for the thesis option. The internship option constituted 52% of all MS graduates in ENVS, compared to 24% for thesis option. These data suggest that there will be a large applicant pool to populate the professional masters program and we can be highly selective in our admissions.
Masters of the Environment New Degree Summary February 2015
We project the first incoming class with 20 participants in the Environmental Leadership specialization. As capacity builds and more specializations and tracks are added, the MENV program will grow; with a full implementation target of 100 participants.
Yr1 Yr2 Yr3 Yr4 Yr5 Full Implementation 1a In-state Headcount 13 37 45 54 62 84 1b Out-of-state Headcount 7 8 10 11 13 16 2 Program Headcount 20 45 55 65 75 100 3a In-State FTE 10 33 45 55 63 76 3b Out-of-state FTE 6 6 8 9 10 24 4 Program FTE 16 39 53 64 73 100 5 Program Graduates 0 20 25 30 35 50
Physical Capacity and Needs The MENV program will be housed and administered at the Sustainability, Energy, and Environment Complex (SEEC) on East Campus (440,000 gross sq. ft.), which will have the capacity to support the academic and experiential needs of MENV participants. Faculty who teach in the MENV program will have offices allocated through their home departments. There will be additional office space to accommodate the administrator and other future instructors in the program. For faculty that have appointments elsewhere, but teach in the program, desks and conference rooms will be available. Within SEEC, there are conference rooms, smaller huddle rooms, and other workspaces that will be available for MENV participants. The space in SEEC will become available at program launch. Within SEEC, the MENV program will need a classroom and a space to act as a student “hub”. Establishing an identity and creating cohesion among participants is important in developing professional skills and collaboration.
Budget Summary/Issues (Full budget on next page) The MENV program will be tuition-driven. Operating expenses for year 0 will be covered by the Graduate School, but after program launch in Fall 2016, expenses will be covered by tuition from MENV participants. A capital investment is required to build out a classroom and student hub in SEEC. As the MENV program grows, with new specializations, tracks, and classes added, more resources will be necessary. The MENV program will generate revenue that will also be reinvested into the MENV program. In addition, financial aid will be dedicated to scholarships, which will be funded solely through donations.
Masters of the Environment New Degree Summary February 2015
Projected Expense and Revenue Estimates Estimated Amount in Dollars (PV)
Projected Revenue Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Enrollment Revenue Cash Revenue: Tuition $403,500 $635,500 $770,000 $902,250 $1,036,750 Cash Revenue: Fees Other Revenue Federal Grants Corporate Grants/Donations $25,000 $30,000 $35,000 $40,000 Other fund sources Institutional Reallocation (explain) TOTAL PROGRAM REVENUE $403,500 $660,500 $800,000 $937,250 $1,076,750
Projected Expenses Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Operating Expenses Faculty $91,504 $91,504 $127,204 $127,204 $162,904 Financial Aid specific to program $25,000 $30,000 $35,000 $40,000 Instructional Materials $50,000 $60,000 $70,000 $80,000 $90,000 Program Administration $76,500 $76,500 $76,500 $76,500 $76,500 Laboratory & other operating costs $25,000 $35,000 $45,000 $55,000 $65,000 Net of Campus Overhead Rent/Lease Other operating (TAs) Total Operating Expenses $243,004 $263,004 $318,704 $320,854 $394,404 Program Start-Up Expenses Capital Construction $250,000 Equipment Acquisitions Library Acquisitions Total Program Start-Up Exp. $250,000 TOTAL PROGRAM EXPENSES $493,004 $263,004 $318,704 $320,854 $394,404 Click here to enter text.
Masters of the Environment New Degree Summary February 2015