Bren School of Environmental Science & Management

About the school

The Bren School of Environmental Science & Management was approved as a new graduate school of Environmental Science and Management in 1991. It is housed on the lovely UCSB campus, steps from the beach, and offers two professional master's programmes - the Master of Environmental Data Science and the Master of Environmental Science and Management.

Bren School of Environmental Science and Management is a leading place for environmental study. Experts in environmental and natural resource research, Bren academics also collaborate across fields in the natural sciences, social sciences, data science, environmental economics, law, and politics. The school promotes inclusivity, so they conduct important discussions to develop a strategy plan to increase the accessibility and diversity of the excellent community and economic benefits of Bren School education.

Location of the School

The University of California Santa Barbara Bren School of Environmental Science and Management is located in Santa Barbara, the birthplace of contemporary environmentalism.

Life at Bren School of Environmental Science & Management

Bren is a place where the students can get together, have an experience, and find inspiration to solve environmental issues. Students claim there is no other place with such experience. Here, the students have access to mentors, faculties, potential employers, and internship opportunities from day one. The best part of living at Bren is that the beach is only 900 steps from the Bren Hall, which teaches about coastal ecology, sustainable fisheries, and other topics. Thus, the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management gives all its students equal opportunity to make changes. This addresses the institutional barriers and, thus, promotes building a genuine. Living in stunning Santa Barbara feels like living in paradise.

Bren School assists new students in finding the best housing and transportation options on campus or in the neighbourhood. It also has an online Bren student organisation to discover roommates with the same interests. Most of the graduates prefer to live in the San Clemente Villages. These villages are LEED Gold certified and available to all graduate Bren students. They are close to the main campus and Isla Vista and Goleta. The school even has an official band where the participants can shift through their musical instruments. In addition, the Bren school also conducts outdoor recreational programs such as Aquatic Program and Adventure Programme.

Bren School of Environmental Science and Management has 28 sports clubs, and the UCSB Sports Club programme is one of the best in the country with over 1,000 student-athletes and 75 National Championship honours. In addition, there are also mural and intramural sports where students can participate and have fun while learning about the ecosystem.

Additional Benefits of Studying at Bren School of Environmental Science & Management

Bren School of Environmental Science and Management trains you to succeed in a competitive, ever-changing job market from the first day of orientation through graduation. With individualised advice, workshops, online resources, job/internship possibilities, alumni connections, and more.

Admissions criteria

The two-year Master of Environmental Science and Management degree program at Bren is designed to prepare students for environmental science and management jobs while focusing on generating solutions to pressing environmental problems. Through the UCSB Graduate Application Online, candidates for the Bren School submit their applications. Every year, from September 1 through December 15, the application portal is open.

Generally, applications require the following types of information: - Complete personal information form - A personal statement written by the applicant or SOP (Statement of Purpose) - A prerequisite verification form - Three letters of recommendation from an employer, academic, etc. - The applicant’s undergraduate transcripts, which must be translated into English - A graduate admissions test result (GMAT, GRE, LSAT) - Resume/CV with all the relevant work experience - Minimum Scores/GPA

Note: GRE scores have been waived off for admission for the year 2023-24. Also, for the letter of recommendation, it is better to provide at least one letter from a professor who understands the candidate’s academic abilities. If this is not possible, the candidate can include letters from managers or supervisors who can attest to their potential and aptitude in the classroom, as well as their innovation, dedication, and work performance.

The Prerequisite form is available on the school’s official admission page, which the candidate has to upload while submitting the admission form.

International students must follow the same application as the natives. However, there are a few extras that they need to do - - The applicant’s undergraduate transcripts, which must be translated into English - A graduate admissions test result (GMAT, GRE, LSAT) - Proof of proficiency in English (TOEFL - 550 (paper test), 80 (computer test), IELTS - 7.0, DET - 120) - Proof of proficiency in a local language (country-specific) - Resume/CV with relevant work information - Minimum Scores/GPA

For all fee and tuition information for both local and international students, visit the university website.

Job placements

Bren provides the knowledge, tools, and contacts a student needs to get the job they desire. BrenConnect is a central hub where current students and graduates can interact and acquire career information. The hub has several environmental jobs, internships, and many career resources. Students can create their personal accounts to connect and network for the jobs they are looking for.

In addition, the Bren community offers networking opportunities to enhance the careers of the students and the alumni. The school helps students build their resumes and conduct mock interviews for better job preparation.

The following companies that hire from Bren School: - Environmental Defense Fund - World Wildlife Fund - The Nature Conservancy - Center for Ocean Solutions - NOAA - US Forest Service - Google - Levi Strauss & Co. - AECOM - US Fish and Wildlife Service - Rincon Consultant - Natural Reserve System