Submitted by The Islands Conservation Corps.
The Islands Conservation Corps, a program of the San Juan Islands Conservation District, is proud to announce the launch a new partnership with Western Washington University around offering the Master of Arts degree in Environmental Studies in San Juan County. The
M.A. in Environmental Studies provides a hybrid model of online and place-based learning, with students taking courses remotely and traveling to Bellingham for on-campus coursework.
This degree offers a range of potential specialty tracks, preparing students for a career at the intersection of environmental science, business and natural resource management. Coursework can provide a background in technical environmental science skills such as biostatistical analysis, Geographic Information Systems, and research design. Students can expect to improve their professional skills in communications, project management, and public outreach.
In addition to their coursework, students in the M.A. in Environmental Studies receive funding from AmeriCorps to cover living costs as they serve as crew leaders for first-year students in the Ecological Restoration Certificate. Students work on restoration projects in a broad range of complex ecosystems on public lands throughout the San Juan archipelago. These work sites offer opportunities to research current ecological challenges, as well as the influence of restoration strategies, providing an educational framework to further adaptive management in a changing climate.
Successful applicants will have already completed the Ecological Restoration Certificate program currently offered through the Islands Conservation Corps and WWU. To learn more about the Ecological Restoration Certificate and apply, please visit https://www.sanjuanislandscd.org/icc. Applications will be open until April 15, 2022.
The San Juan Islands Conservation District and Islands Conservation Corps are continually grateful for the generous financial support from the Orcas Island Community Foundation, the San Juan Island Community Foundation, WA State Career Connect, WA Department of Natural Resources, and the WA Department of Commerce.
