Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources

Current Stanford Students

Joint/Dual MS Application Process

MBA students currently enrolled in Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB),  and JD students at Stanford Law School (SLS) are eligible to submit a joint degree application during Winter Quarter of their first year.  MA and MS students across Stanford’s seven schools, MD students in the School of Medicine, or students pursuing a PhD in another Stanford department are eligible to submit a dual degree application during Winter Quarter of their first year, pending approval of their home graduate degree program. The deadline for applications to begin the Joint MS in Spring 2025 is Wednesday, January 31, 2025 by 11:59 pm Pacific Time. Applicants will be notified of their acceptance late February/early March.  All new students are required to enroll in ENVRES 280 during Spring Quarter 2025.

There is no application fee to apply for the Joint MS or Dual MS. Students who matriculate in the Joint MS or Dual MS are required to pay a $125 fee to the Registrar to add their E-IPER graduate career.

E-IPER will not accept applications outside of existing application cycles. The MS-MBA, MS-JD, and MS-MA or MS degree programs are designed to start during a student’s first year, and students are highly encouraged to apply at that time. In exceptional cases, second-year GSB, SLS, and MA or MS students may apply to E-IPER by the deadline indicated above. Second year applicants are required to have completed or be enrolled in a minimum of 9 units of non-professional school E-IPER units by the time of their application in the second year. Non-professional school courses are courses that are outside of your professional school. For example, a Law student applying for a Joint Degree can not include Law courses in their 9 units of non-professional school E-IPER units. This is a minimum requirement and does not guarantee acceptance. 

To Apply

STEP 1

If you are a student in the GSB or SLS applying for the Joint MS, complete the appropriate form by the January 31, 2025 deadline. 

For GSB students: Fill out this Google Form to have your application forwarded to E-IPER.

For SLS students: Fill out the Release of Academic Records for Dual and Joint Degree Application Form to have your application forwarded to E-IPER.

STEP 2

The winter 2025 application portal will be linked here when the application process opens in early November 2024. The application includes the following items:

  • Statement of Purpose (see following section for more information about the prompt)
  • Resume/CV
  • Unofficial Stanford transcript that includes your Autumn quarter grades and Winter quarter classes.
  • For JD and MA students only: Students applying for the Joint MS-JD or the Dual MS/MA should include a brief description of their quantitative preparation (ie. 1-2 paragraphs describing your previous coursework in mathematics and sciences or relevant professional work and a bulleted list of previous coursework taken, if applicable) to demonstrate readiness for the science and engineering courses that are required for the Joint MS.

 

Statement of Purpose Questions

A statement of purpose (2 pages double-spaced maximum) to help us understand what you care about, how your experiences support the pursuit of an MS degree, and how an increased understanding in environment and resources will further your goals.  There is no pre-defined best answer, and we hope you are able to share your authentic self in addressing the following:

What environment, energy, and/or sustainability-related resource issue(s) do you wish to address, and what makes those important to you?

Explain what motivates you to dedicate a significant part of your educational pursuits to a Master of Science in Environment and Resources. 

Tell us how your professional and personal experiences will help you pursue your E-IPER degree.

Please emphasize the ways in which your experiences and skill sets will help you navigate and be successful in E-IPER.  (Note that we are looking for more than a list of your experiences or skill sets as we can see those in your resume.)

Discuss how an increased understanding of environment and resources (e.g., in the natural or social sciences, or in engineering) will support your goals.

Use our website to learn about E-IPER's curriculum and experiences, such as the Capstone project. Provide clear examples to help us understand the topics about which you are excited to learn and how they connect to the issues important to you.

Prerequisites

Though E-IPER has no specific course prerequisites for application purposes, it is expected that students will enter the program with foundational quantitative skills. These skills may be obtained through E-IPER coursework as long as students understand that this may extend the length of their program. Students may also consider taking an online course through a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) platform. 

Prospective students can review prerequisites for potential courses in which they are interested in taking. See E-IPER Curriculum for more information about E-IPER pathway courses. Prerequisites for courses are listed in the course description in the Stanford Bulletin Explore Courses. 

Questions? See our FAQs.

Review Process

All applications will be reviewed by the E-IPER Joint MS Admissions Committee which considers each applicant's academic preparation, professional experience, motivation, and career goals. The strongest candidates will clearly demonstrate how they will integrate their interests and prior experiences with their E-IPER and professional school education, and why an interdisciplinary graduate degree is necessary for their career goals. 

Knight-Hennessy Scholars

Join dozens of Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability students who receive up to three years of funding and valuable leadership skills as Knight-Hennessy Scholars (KHS).

KHS admits up to 100 applicants each year from across Stanford’s seven graduate schools, and delivers engaging experiences that prepare them to be visionary, courageous, and collaborative leaders ready to address complex global challenges. As a scholar, you join a multidisciplinary and multicultural cohort, participate in up to three years of KHS's leadership program, and receive full funding for up to three years of your graduate studies at Stanford.

Candidates of any country may apply. KHS applicants must have earned their first undergraduate degree within the last seven years, and must apply to both a Stanford graduate program and to KHS.

If you aspire to be a leader in your field, we invite you to apply. The KHS application deadline is October 9, 2024. Learn more about KHS admission.

Questions?

If you have any questions about the application materials or process, contact Mike Diaz at mikediaz@stanford.edu .