About the Master of Environment & Sustainability

The MES is an intensive, 12-month research-stream program that responds to the growing need of society to understand and develop solutions to the environmental and human well-being challenges facing us in the 21st century. Upon graduation, MES graduates will have acquired a transdisciplinary perspective on environmental issues, learned to use methodologies and tools relevant to environmental protection and sustainability solutions, and will be well prepared for a variety of careers in the private and public sectors, or for further studies at the doctoral level.

The hands-on supervision of students guarantees the quality of student learning overall. By working closely with their individual thesis advisor and advisory committees on an extended project, students can anticipate a strong and effective learning environment. To encourage transdisciplinary perspectives, each MES student will have an advisory committee comprised of a primary supervisor and two other faculty members from at least two disciplines or departments.

The MES is a 12-month degree, starting in September each year. Students undertake research leading to the preparation of a thesis, in conjunction with four core courses, and three electives chosen from one of the MES concentrations. Program requirements include the following:

1. Completion of Coursework (4.0 FCE or four full-course equivalents)
   • This includes four required core courses (a total of 2.5 FCE) and three half-credit (1.5 FCE) electives from one of the MES concentrations. 

2. Submission of Thesis

3. Presentation at the MES Research Showcase

Adaptation and Resilience

How will the world cope with the impacts of climate change? Adaptation focuses on how natural and human systems can prepare for change, to minimize harmful impacts. Resilience describes the ability of communities and ecosystems to cope with change and evolve in ways that improve their future sustainability. Together they determine how humanity will anticipate and respond to environmental crises.

Global Change Science

Understanding global environmental change requires an examination of how human activity interacts with the Earth’s atmosphere, oceans and biosphere, and the ways in which climate change, biodiversity loss, and persistent pollutants disrupt these systems. This concentration will offer a transdisciplinary perspective on the scientific study of these processes of change.

Social Sustainability

Cultural assumptions and values shape the human relationship to nature, so it is important to draw on different worldviews – particularly indigenous perspectives – as we seek a just transition to a sustainable society. This concentration addresses issues of equity, diversity, social cohesion, quality of life, well-being, democracy, and governance within the concept of sustainability.

The Sustainability Transition

The transition to sustainability is a social revolution as profound as the European transition from feudalism to capitalism. To create a low-carbon economy will require systemic change in energy production, resource management, human settlement, trade, digital technologies, and human governance. This concentration will examine the scientific, political, and historical implications of this transition.