Admission Criteria

Criteria

Acceptance into the M.S. program is based in part of a review of the applicant's past academic performance. To be eligible for admission an applicant must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (or the equivalent GPA on a different grading scale) at their undergraduate degree granting institution. Students with a GPA below a 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) may still apply but will be less competitive applicants. The EPM program uses a holistic application processes, meaning the Admissions Committee looks at all aspects of a potential student's application including relevant work experience.

If an applicant's undergraduate GPA does not meet this minimum requirement and the admissions committee wishes to recommend admission, the committee may submit a justification and request for exception to be reviewed by the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies.

Required undergraduate preparation

Students without a prior degree in a STEM field are required to complete preparatory courses, or their equivalents to demonstrate a fundamental scientific background appropriate for environmental policy. Applicants are expected to have passed the equivalent of the following UC Davis courses:

  1. One upper-division course in environmental science or ecology
    • ESP 110 Principles of Environmental Science
  2. One upper-division course in microeconomics or policy analysis
    • ESP 162 Policy Analysis
  3. One upper-division course in statistics or mathematical modeling
    • POL 114 Quantitative Analysis of Political Data

Prerequisite decisions will be made by the admissions committee at the time of application decision. Coursework deficiencies ideally will have been completed in the summer prior to the commencement of the program. However, coursework deficiencies may be made up by the end of the first academic year following initial enrollment by earning a grade of "B-" or better. Coursework deficiencies cannot be taking S/U unless exempted by Graduate Council.

Students without a prior degree in a STEM field should fill out the Prerequisite Course History form available in the electronic application, demonstrating they have completed the requirements listed above.