Masters in Environment Management Programs in Illinois

Graduate students who wish to learn how to analyze and manage natural environments for human health and ecosystem preservation might find a Masters in Environment Management graduate program to be a great academic fit. Professionals in this field coordinate large-scale community environmental and conservation efforts, and might enact or oversee a sustainability strategy. If you have a passion for environmental issues combined with a desire to work dynamically with others, a Masters in Environmental Management may lead to a variety of potential career paths in some fast-growing fields.

Masters in Environmental Management Programs: Overview

Masters in Environment Management programs are designed to provide students with the technical skills and competencies needed for a variety of environmental management settings. They incorporate both a solid conceptual and applied practical foundation in topics such as waste management, pollution prevention, environmental policy-making, project management and environmental management systems.

What is an EMS?

An Environment Management System (EMS) refers to the management of an organization’s environmental programs in a systematically planned and documented method. Some of the components of an EMS are the organizational structure, planning, and resources for developing, implementing and also, maintaining policy that is geared to environmental protection.

How To Find a Masters in Environmental Management Program

GradSchools.com has easy to use search tools to help you select a Masters program in Environmental Management. You might start out with a location search to determine where theses programs are offered if this is a factor in your decision-making.

There are different program formats as well. Review campus based programs if you are interested in participating in college life or more motivated to attend classes than study via distance-learning options. Busy working professionals might gravitate to online learning, especially if commuting is not feasible, or you work well independently. Hybrid programs are both flexible and low residency, and combine on-campus with online coursework.

Some of the listings you might encounter include Graduate program in Environmental Science and Policy, MA in Environmental Conservation Education, Environmental Leadership Master of Environmental Management, MSc in Sustainable Environmental Systems, and Master of Science in Energy Policy and Climate.

Potential Curriculum in Master of Environmental Management Programs

Depending on the school and the specialization, a Master of Environmental Science curriculum might include coursework in the natural and social sciences as well as a focus on the complex relationships among science, management, and policy.

The general goal of some programs is to provide students with a scientific understanding of ecological and social systems that may be applied in a policy or management context. Students might refine their capacities as leaders and managers through summer internships, professional skills courses, or other opportunities.

FUN FACT: A relatively new type of degree, called the Professional Science Master’s (PSM), blends advanced training in a particular science field with business skills, such as communications and program management, and policy (BLS).

Some universities give students an option to enroll in a specialization, which may not only reflect their interests, but also potentially direct a future career. In the light of all the changes in the global environment, some career fields may be emerging. Research each school and their masters programs to determine whether it is a match for your vocational goals.

Some specializations might include:

• Ecosystem conservation
• Environmental policy analysis
• Industrial ecology
• Water resource management
• Sustainability

Potential Career Trends in Environmental Management

Depending on your interests and education, earning a master’s in Environmental Management might lead to different job outcomes, especially as different fields either impact or are impacted by environmental considerations in some way.

Those interested in pursuing a more lab-focused career may be interested in a career as a natural sciences manager. Typically these professionals begin their careers as scientists, and generally have a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or Ph.D. in a scientific discipline or a related field, such as engineering. While employment growth is expected to be slow between 2022 and 2032, the median annual wage for Natural Science Managers in 2023 was $157,740, per the BLS.

If you are more inclined to a leadership role, some graduates might pursue roles such as Chief Sustainability Officers, a position that coordinates sustainability strategy and activities. A vice president of sustainability is a top executive that is responsible for reducing the environmental impact of a company, its operations, and its products. Employment growth is projected to be average between 2022 and 2032; the median annual wage for Top Executives was $206,680 in 2023, as of BLS.

Ready To Pursue a Masters in Environmental Management Degree?

With the increasing drive for the environment to be managed in a sustainable fashion to protect and navigate the global challenges of food, water and energy security, earning a Masters in Environmental Management might place you amongst the next generation of leaders in the field. Why not initiate a search for a masters program that matches your aspirations on GradSchools.com today!

GradSchools.com offers 4 Graduate Schools with Environment Management Degrees and Graduate Programs in Illinois