MS: Freshwater Sciences & Technology (Professional Track) MS
Become a freshwater expert capable of using scientific knowledge to solve complex problems and protect valuable water resources.
More than 95% of our students land well-paying jobs in their chosen field or begin a PhD program. Our job placement rate is high because faculty and staff work with students to explore freshwater careers, build a network and develop the professional skills that will help them land a job.
Required career development coursework helps you develop essential leadership skills and build real-world connections through mock interviews, resume-building activities, elevator pitches and mentorships with industry leaders in water-related organizations.
An internship with a water-related business, government or nonprofit organization gives you the experiences and connections to launch your career while you’re still in school.
Our equipment and research vessels give you hands-on opportunities to build expertise you can only get in the field.
Schedule a Graduate Program Information Session
Program Type
Program Format
Hands-On Skills. Fulfilling Careers.
The School of Freshwater Sciences has longstanding connections to industry leaders, nonprofits, advocacy organizations and natural resources agencies who advise our program and actively hire our graduates. Here are some of the areas where our graduates succeed:
- environmental consulting
- aquatic biology
- public health
- habitat restoration and conservation
- field and laboratory research
- resource management
- water policy and advocacy
- water treatment and technology
- science communication and education
- community outreach
Advance Your Career with a Professional Science Master’s
Whether you’re a full-time student, a working professional or somewhere in between, the professional science master’s degree will help you advance your career and become a change-maker. Students accepted to the program:
- Gain real-world skills through research opportunities and internships with companies in the private sector, nonprofit organizations and government agencies who are working on the Great Lakes, local beaches and urban waterways.
- Learn from expert faculty who are solving water challenges.
- Train on the region’s top research fleet and in state-of-the-art labs.
- Build a network of professionals as passionate about protecting water as you are.
No GRE required for application. No thesis required for graduation.
You must meet Graduate School requirements in addition to the following to be considered for admission:
- Bachelor’s degree
A bachelor’s degree in biology, chemistry, economics, geosciences, mathematics, physics, public policy, or other appropriate natural science, social science or engineering discipline. - Undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0.
- Transcripts
All applicants, including UWM students, must upload an official or unofficial transcript into the Panthera admission application system for all work done at higher education/postsecondary institutions. All applicants who are admitted to the Graduate School will be required to submit an official transcript with the degree posted within two weeks of the beginning of their first semester of enrollment. - Reason Statement
The reason statement is an essential part of the application. It is used to determine the appropriateness of your educational and professional goals and serves as an example of your ability to express yourself in writing. Your reason statement should include:- your reasons for pursuing graduate study
- your specific background interests and background in the field
- any relevant skills or training you’ve acquired
- any academic awards or honors you have received
- Resume
Submit a current resume that clearly articulates your professional experience. - Writing sample
Submit a scholarly writing sample that demonstrates critical thinking and writing skills. - Three letters of recommendation
Three letters of recommendation are required by persons who can attest to your scholarship and/or research potential and your success in graduate school at the School of Freshwater Sciences. - Relevant courses
List relevant courses taken at previous institutions. Please include course number, course title, credits and final grade (example: BioSci 150, Foundations of Biological Sciences, 4 credit, A-). The following prerequisites are strongly recommended:- at least one semester of any three of the following topical areas: chemistry, biological sciences, physics and calculus
- one additional semester of chemistry, biological sciences or physics
Participating in an internship at a water-related entity allows you to combine science and business skills. Whether you’re a full-time student, working professional or somewhere in between, we can help you create an experience that accommodates your current schedule and professional goals.
Graduates of our professional science master’s program have high job placement rates. More than 90% of those tracked are working in a water-related job or enrolled in a PhD program.
Recent professional science master’s graduates landed jobs at the following organizations: the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD), The Nature Conservancy, Milwaukee Riverkeeper, Veolia North America, Oklahoma Water Resource Board, Pentair, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Milwaukee Water Works, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission.
Required courses (19 credits)
FRSHWTR 502 Freshwater Ecosystem Dynamics (3 credits)
FRSHWTR 504 Quantitative Freshwater Analysis (3 credits)
FRSHWTR 513 Field Experimentation and Analysis in Freshwater Sciences (3 credits)
FRSHWTR 514 Analytical Techniques in Freshwater Sciences (3 credits)
FRSHWTR 810 Professional Development for Water Leaders (3 credits)
FRSHWTR 890 Science, Communication, and Public Engagement (3 credits)
FRSHWTR 900 Colloquium in Freshwater Sciences (1 credit)
Select one of the following courses (3 credits)
FRSHWTR 506 Environmental Health of Freshwater Ecosystems (3 credits)
FRSHWTR 508 Aquatic Technologies (3 credits)
FRSHWTR 510 Economics, Policy, and Management of Water (3 credits)
Elective courses selected with advisor (9 credits)
Internship Requirement (1 credit)
FRSHWTR 980 Graduate Internship (1 credit)
Total required credits – 32 credits