Masters in Environmental Data Science

You will be required to upload transcripts from all institutions you’ve attended to your application. These uploaded transcripts are required to be official documents created by the university but can include "unofficial" transcripts that are generated by an online student portal - as long as the transcripts include the name of the student, the institution, the grades, and a grading scale.

Three letters of recommendation (maximum of four) are required as part of your application. Letters should be uploaded to the online application directly by the recommender. You will be asked to supply the name, email address, job title, and current institution or organization name of each recommender. Once this information is supplied, the online application will generate an automated email to the recommenders, prompting them each to upload a letter on your behalf. If you are using a Letter Service (such as Interfolio or a university career center) to submit one or more letters, you will be able to indicate this information within the recommender profile.

In your Personal History Statement, we invite you to share any aspects of your personal background, accomplishments, or achievements that you feel are important in evaluating your application for graduate study. This includes challenges you have overcome and the personal attributes that you believe contribute to your potential as a graduate student. Examples of such attributes might include resilience, leadership, and maturity, alongside any economic challenges or unique life experiences. We also encourage you to discuss any academic interests or intentions to use your degree to serve society, reflecting on how these goals are informed by your background. If there are discrepancies in your application, such as gaps in your resume or academic challenges, this is an opportunity to provide context and show that you are prepared for a rigorous graduate program. This statement should be a narrative of around 250 words that complements the information in your Statement of Purpose, offering a fuller picture of your capabilities and aspirations.

While work experience is not a requirement for admission, it is highly valued and significantly strengthens your application. Although professional experience in the environmental field suggests that your goals are well matched to the Bren School, we also highly value experience in other professional settings provided you have an environmental background through other means, such as coursework. If your experience is in an area that is not related to environmental science, make sure to provide an explanation in your Statement of Purpose that clearly conveys how the Master of Environmental Data Science will help you pursue an environmentally-related career path. Please include all relevant academic, work, volunteer, or leadership experience. Formatting style (e.g., line spacing, typeface, and font size) is up to your discretion.

The Statement of Purpose essay is your chance to explain why you want to attend a graduate program and earn a MEDS degree from the Bren School at UC Santa Barbara. You should include your specific interest in applying data science to environmental issues and how it relates to your ambitions. Explain how your past experiences have prepared you for a rigorous graduate program and how the MEDS program will help you achieve your professional goals.