MENR: For Aspiring and Mid-Career Environment and Natural Resources Professionals
Take your career to the next level with a master’s degree focused on professional practice: the Master of Environment and Natural Resources degree! Our MENR degree is a non-thesis, course-based, applied degree that focuses on environmental and natural resource science and management. This program is designed for current environmental professionals and those who aspire to transition into this important field of practice. Applicants with related work or volunteer experience in the areas of environment and natural resources are preferred, but this is not a fixed requirement.
Program Structure
The MENR program is a 36-credit hour program that can be completed in two years of full-time enrollment and includes a credit-granting internship experience. The degree features a rigorous but flexible program, creating valuable educational and training experiences for persons planning for or already engaged in professional careers in environmental or natural resources management, administration, planning, or education. Students in the MENR program deepen their knowledge and expertise in environmental and natural resource science and management and strengthen their decision-making and managerial skills.
Students receive academic advising to tailor their program of study in the following curricular areas:
- The MENR Core (12 credits) is made up of foundational courses that represent the interdisciplinary nature of a degree in the School of Environment and Natural Resources (SENR). Courses include environmental science and law, ecology, environmental impact assessment, and environmental social sciences.
- Professional development (5 credits) is at the heart of an MENR degree and includes seminars in current topics (2 credits) and an internship experience (paid/unpaid, in-career, or volunteer; 3 credits)
- Knowledge-building electives (minimum of 19 credits) provide students with courses that will develop or expand their content-based knowledge. Students can choose courses from within SENR or from partnering units from across Ohio State, allowing each student to build a unique program around the content they need.
The flexibility of the MENR program encourages students to concurrently enroll in two degree-granting programs so they can expand their expertise in relevant areas. Read more about our Dual Degrees & Combined Programs. Graduate minors and certificates in a wide range of complementary subjects can be included in the MENR program of study as well, giving students a concentration of related expertise to bolster their marketability in their target career field. Popular minors and certificates include environmental assessment, public affairs, earth sciences, and city and regional planning, among others.
Mode of delivery
The MENR degree is offered primarily in-person, with ample opportunities for hands-on experience for students interested in field work. Some core and elective courses are available as distance education.
Internships
Career development is a key component of the MENR program. MENR students complete a 3-credit internship experience where they get an opportunity to put theory into practice. Internships can be paid, unpaid, in-career, or volunteer experiences. MENR students work closely with their advisors to choose an internship experience that aligns with their career goals and interests.
The following are examples of organizations where recent MENR students have interned:
- ODNR/Division of Natural Areas & Preserves – Scenic Rivers Program
- ODNR/Division of Parks & Watercraft
- ODNR/Division of Forestry
- Ohio EPA – Division of Surface Water
- Franklin County Soil & Water Conservation District
- Columbus & Franklin County Metro Parks
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Olentangy River Wetlands Research Park
- Dawes Arboretum
- Conservation International
- CEVA Logistics
- The Nature Conservancy (TNC)
- Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC)
- Ohio Wildlife Management Association (OWMA)
- Ohio Pollinator Habitat Initiative (OPHI)
- OSU Extension
- Ohio Environmental Council (OEC)
Job Placement
Students select the MENR program for its theory-into-practice orientation. Outcomes for our alumni are as diverse as their interests. MENR alumni work for a variety of employers in the public, private, and non-profit sectors, including environmental consulting firms, law firms, federal agencies, state and local agencies, and non-governmental organizations. Specific examples include the following:
- The Nature Conservancy
- Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC)
- Conservation International
- Ohio Environmental Council
- Green America
- Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- Ohio Department of Natural Resources (Natural Areas, Forestry, Wildlife)
- U.S. Department of State
- U.S. Department of Agriculture
- NASA
- U.S. Forest Service
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Ohio Sea Grant
- USDA NRCS
- Columbus City Parks & Rec.
- City of Columbus
Preparing for Graduate Study
If you have been out of education for a while and are hesitant about returning, or if you have a low undergraduate GPA and are concerned about how you may perform in a graduate degree program, you might consider these options:
- Enroll as a graduate non-degree-seeking student at Ohio State or another university to take classes without the commitment of enrolling in a degree program. Up to 10 credits of non-degree work taken at Ohio State can transfer to the MENR degree. Up to 7 credits taken at another institution can transfer to the MENR at Ohio State.
- Apply to the MENR for full consideration: otherwise promising candidates with a low GPA or deficiencies in foundational course work may be considered for conditional admission, which would allow you to enroll in the program as normal other than having additional monitoring of your academic performance.