The SEAS Approach

At the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS), we’re turning knowledge into impact — from research to implementation and engagement. Our deeply interdisciplinary environment supports expansive creativity and effective problem-solving — allowing us to address complex environmental issues from every angle on every scale. We offer the most comprehensive and integrated academic environmental programs in the nation — providing students from all backgrounds with the skills and expertise they need to become sustainability leaders. How do we do it? Through the SEAS approach:

WORLD-CLASS FACULTY + RESEARCH

Our faculty are 21st century scholars and dedicated mentors leading ambitious research programs on the cutting edge nationally and globally. They know our environment is about much more than the natural world alone. Our research actively:

• Brings behavioral, economic, political, scientific, engineering, and design solutions, processes, and information to bear on sustainability challenges.
• Pursues a systems-based understanding of water, energy, food, forest, land, urban, and ecological systems. 
• Creates a more just world by examining small- and large-scale social equity and disparity related to the environment.

A SMALL COMMUNITY WITH BIG OPPORTUNITIES

SEAS provides all the benefits of a small community within a world-class university. As the #1 public research institution in the country, U-M attracts top faculty and students from around the world. SEAS students can take courses across a multitude of highly ranked graduate programs and have access to a broad range of resources — labs, libraries, programs, activities — while getting the personal attention and great opportunities that come from working closely with our accomplished scholars and practitioners. SEAS faculty-to-student ratio is 1:7.

CUSTOMIZED PROGRAMS

There is no one “SEAS path.” Students from all backgrounds who care passionately about creating a more sustainable, just world, can customize their program to match their specific interests. We offer several dual-degree and certificate programs, as well as extensive interdisciplinary opportunities. In addition, a SEAS master’s degree can be tailored to professionals who have a minimum of five to seven years of leadership and management experience in any field and want to hone their sustainability knowledge. Contact [email protected] for more information.

REAL-WORLD, VALUABLE EXPERIENCES

SEAS provides students with many opportunities to make a real difference throughout their studies. We are the first environmental school to require a group process model for master’s projects. Through regular collaboration with SEAS centers, institutes and initiatives, and prominent client organizations, our students gain valuable skills that allow them to lead and make change today and into the future. Many become published academic authors by graduation, presenting their research at national and international conferences. 

AN ENVIRONMENT FOR DISCOVERY

Place-based learning is a hallmark of the SEAS education, and many of our students travel throughout the country and the globe. From master’s projects in places like Puerto Rico, to Colorado and Washington D.C., we work hand-in-hand with communities to have true impact. Closer to home, our state of Michigan—surrounded by the Great Lakes — provides an array of ecosystems to study and explore. SEAS itself manages six natural areas totaling 1,761 acres near campus, and the university’s Matthaei Botanical Gardens, Nichols Arboretum, and Biological Station provide an additional 14,000 acres for field study. 

PROMOTING SUCCESS

SEAS provides extensive support, career services, individual coaching, workshops, and resources that help our students prepare for impactful careers in environment and sustainability — everything from finding the best internships and mentorships to guidance on preparing for interviews, resumes, and networking. 

ENGAGED ALUMNI

More than 13,400 SEAS alumni span the globe and are game changers for climate action, conservation, environmental justice, sustainable landscapes, and public policy. Many now work at the highest levels of leadership in a wide range of fields — from the National Parks and the World Wildlife Fund to Tesla, the organic food industry, and government — providing opportunities and mentorship for SEAS students. As an alum, you can connect with our growing network of game changers through the SEAS Network LinkedIn Group.