Master of Environmental Studies (MES) in Sustainability Management - Water

The program information below was valid for the fall 2017 term (September 1, 2017 - December 31, 2017). This is the archived version; the most up-to-date program information is available through the current Graduate Studies Academic Calendar.

The Graduate Studies Academic Calendar is updated 3 times per year, at the start of each academic term (January 1, May 1, September 1). Graduate Studies Academic Calendars from previous terms can be found in the archives.

Students are responsible for reviewing the general information and regulations section of the Graduate Studies Academic Calendar.

Program information

  • Admit term(s) 
    • Fall
  • Delivery mode 
    • On-campus
  • Length of program 
    • Part-time students will be obligated to complete their requirement within five calendar years from the date of their initial registration.
  • Program type 
    • Collaborative
    • Master's
    • Research
  • Registration option(s) 
    • Full-time
    • Part-time
  • Study option(s) 

Admission requirements

  • Minimum requirements 
    • A four-year undergraduate degree equivalent in a humanities, social science, health, engineering, natural science, environmental science, or business discipline with an overall average of at least 75% in the last two years.
  • Application materials 
    • Résumé
    • Supplementary information form
    • Transcript(s)
  • References 
    • Number of references:  2
    • Type of references: 

      academic
  • English language proficiency (ELP) (if applicable)

Degree requirements

    Thesis option:

  • Graduate Academic Integrity Module (Graduate AIM)
  • Courses 
    • Required courses:
      • SUSM 601 Foundations for Sustainability Management (Fall)
      • SUSM 602 Theories and Concepts of Sustainability Management (Fall)
      • SUSM 603 Research Methods for Sustainable Management (Winter)
      • SUSM 605 Thesis development (Winter)
    • Water core courses:
      • WATER 601 Integrated Water Management (Winter)
      • WATER 602 Integrated Water Management Project (Fall)
    • This degree is offered through the Collaborative Water Program. This program, jointly offered by a range of departments across several academic faculties, promotes the development of interdisciplinary perspectives on water. Collaborative Water Program students complete their specialist training in their respective home departments, while working with colleagues from a variety of other departments in core interdisciplinary courses (WATER 601 and WATER 602).
    • The Department will determine whether or not collaborative program courses can be used as electives. It is therefore possible that students will need to take additional courses in order to meet the specific requirements of the program.
    • Elective courses:
      • Students must complete 2 elective courses from the following list:
        • SUSM 620 Business Operations and Sustainability
        • SUSM 630 Enterprise Marketing and Social Accountability
        • SUSM 640 Strategy for Sustainable Enterprises
        • SUSM 650 Environmental Finance
        • ENBUS 621 Enterprise Carbon Management
        • ENBUS 622 Product Life Cycle Assessment
        • ENBUS 632 Sustainability Reporting
        • ENBUS 642 Stakeholder Engagement, Collaborations and Partnerships
        • INDEV 602 International Development ‐ Theory and Practice
        • INDEV 604 Sustainable Cities
        • INDEV 605 Economics for Sustainable Development
        • INDEV 606 Energy and Sustainability
        • INDEV 607 Management for Sustainability
        • INDEV 608 Water and Security
        • INDEV 616 Urban Food Security
        • LED 611 Industrial Location Theory and concepts
        • LED 612 Land Development Planning
        • LED 613 Regional Development Principles and Practices
        • LED 615 Community Economic Development
        • LED 619 Regional Planning, Economic and Investment Analysis
        • LED 688 Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development
    • Note: 1 elective course should be taken in the Fall term and 1 should be taken in the Winter term.
    • Students may request permission from the SEED Graduate Advisor to enroll in elective courses in other graduate courses that will complement their program of study. Permission must also be granted by the department or program in which the courses are offered.
  • Link(s) to courses
  • Collaborative Research Seminar I
    • Students are required to present a seminar on their thesis or major paper research proposal and, if appropriate, early stage results to current and past Water students and Water Institute faculty members. Seminars will normally occur following the completion of WATER 601 and WATER 602. Seminars will provide the opportunity for students to discuss how learnings from Water courses were applied in, or influenced, research proposals or research work in the student’s home department. Seminars will normally be poster presentations at Water Institute organized events. The seminar is not an oral examination of the thesis or paper; rather, its purpose is to develop the student's ability to communicate their research in an organized and informative manner.
  • Master’s Thesis
    • The thesis should demonstrate the student’s ability to conduct original research under the guidance of a faculty member. Furthermore a successful thesis in the program demonstrates knowledge of existing research within the area of inquiry, the development of a sound research question and the ability to apply appropriate methods. The results of research should be original and contribute to the existing body of knowledge in the selected field. The thesis should be approximately 100 pages.
Approved Doctoral Dissertation Supervisors (ADDS) list
School of Environment, Enterprise and Development (SEED) website
Discover Graduate Studies Master of Environmental Studies (MES) in Sustainability Management - Water web page