Welcome to SENS!

Important ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

Applications for 2025–2026 are now OPEN.

Deadline for INTERNATIONAL applications will be 15 January 2025.

Deadline for DOMESTIC applications will be 31 March 2025.

NOTE: Any application documents that are intended to be personal statements (e.g., Statement of Intent, Statement of Research, etc.) must be written by the applicant. Any such documents that appear to be produced by generative artificial intelligence (e.g., ChatGPT) may be rejected.

  

Info Sessions: 2025–2026 Academic Year

We will be hosting Information Sessions starting in October 2024. For more information on days and times and to access the Zoom links, please click on the button below.

The HYBRID-BLENDED Classroom

Most SENS graduate courses will be delivered in a hybrid-blended format to accommodate both in-person and online students.

The BLENDED component of learning refers to where online asynchronous learning replaces some in-person synchronous instructional hours. Within SENS, the instructor will teach part of the course hours synchronously and the remaining online asynchronously.

Synchronous sessions would be delivered in a HYBRID format in which two cohorts of students are instructed jointly and concurrently. The in-person cohort of learners gathers in the same location and completes their instructional hours in-person. The Synchronous Online cohort of learners joins the session remotely from a study location of their choosing and completes their instructional hours via web-conferencing (e.g., Zoom).

Tuition for 2025–2026 Academic Year

The SENS tuition rates for 2025–2026 are expected to increase across the board (all students, all programs) by approximately 4%.

Final tuition rates will be announced in Spring 2025 after approval by the University’s Board of Governors and subsequently posted on the SENS website. Learn more about graduate tuition here.

Graduate Degree Programs—Non-thesis

SENS offers course-based and project-based Master degrees for students who are interested in sustainability-related careers. The project-based programs culminate in a one-semester community-based or applied project instead of a research thesis. Students do not identify a supervisor before applying, and students do not receive a stipend.

Master of Sustainability: Energy Security
(MSs)

The mission of the Energy Security stream is to empower a network of northern, Indigenous, remote, and career professionals through distance education and purpose-driven practical experience to lead sustainable, community energy development. Taught by faculty who work directly in the industry, the Energy Security program is the only one of its kind in North America. Students graduating from this program will have workforce-ready skills to lead community energy development projects and graduates have jobs as community energy planners, business development managers, environmental technicians, sustainable energy & sovereignty specialists, policy analysts, community energy managers, climate change analysts, councillors, lands managers, partnership managers, CEOs, and consultants. This program is open to Canadian Indigenous and northern students, other domestic students, and international students who aspire to be community energy champions or energy transition champions for Indigenous, northern, and remote communities. NOTE: spots are limited for International applicants.

Master of Sustainability: Regenerative Sustainability
(MSs)

The Regenerative Sustainability stream of the Master of Sustainability program is designed to equip the next generation of thinkers and planners to move beyond simply sustaining the environment towards regenerating ecological and social systems for more fundamental transformation. Our mission is to empower our graduates to catalyze positive, transformative, changes in socio-ecological systems by engaging with the latest developments in sustainability thinking and practice. Career prospects include job titles such as Environmental Manager, Communications Officer, Environmental Educator, and Sustainability Coordinator. 

Master of Water Security
(MWS)

The MWS is a cross-disciplinary, project-based and professional-style program. Graduates are prepared to address complex water problems, with training in science, engineering and policy analysis enabling them to investigate water security issues of regional, national and international significance. Graduates are ready to pursue careers as water scientists, managers and policy-makers with the necessary expertise needed to tackle the complex water problems facing us now, and in the future. 

**NEW*** Master of Chemical Risk Assessment (planned for September 2024)
(MRA)

The MRA is a detailed and very specialized professional-style program that focuses exclusively on how chemical risk assessments are performed, with a focus on both environmental and human health. This globally unique program is delivered 100% online and covers both prospective (e.g., for registration and use of pesticides) and retrospective risk assessment procedures (e.g., assessment of a contaminated site or a chemical already in use). The program covers both theory and applied practices and exposes learners to the tools, models and approaches most commonly used to perform chemical risk assessments. Graduates should be fully equipped to enter jobs in the risk assessment field in any sector upon completion.

The program is offered in partnership with Aarhus University, Denmark. Pending required university approvals, this program will begin September 2024.

Graduate Degree Programs —Thesis

The MES/PhD is a research-based Master or Doctoral degree program, with a limited course load. Students are responsible for finding a SENS faculty member to act as their supervisor before applying. Completion of the degree requires, among other things, a written thesis and oral defense. Students receive a stipend for a minimum of two years (Masters) or first three years (PhD) of their program.

 

75th Anniversary Recruitment Scholarships

As part of a university-wide program, SENS is pleased to announce the creation of several “75th Anniversary Recruitment Scholarships” for exceptional students wishing to enroll in a thesis program (PhD or MES) in the School. The program guarantees a limited number of students a stipend of $30,000 (PhD students) or $25,000 (MES students) for their first year and a minimum stipend of $27,000 (PhD—for two more years) and $25,000 (MES—for one more year) thereafter (subject to change). Higher stipends and longer durations may be negotiated with the chosen faculty advisor. All regular rules for application to a SENS thesis program remain in effect.

Environment and Sustainability
Master (MES) and PhD

Through interdisciplinary learning and research experiences, students will advance their understanding of sustainability challenges in today’s world. Students will explore a wide range of scientific, technical, political, social, economic, and institutional factors that shape environmental and sustainability problems, their management and their potential solutions.

Graduate Programs-at-a-Glance

Water Security 
Masters		 Sustainability
 Masters

 

 Environment and Sustainability
MES & PhD
Regenerative Sustainability
(stream)		 Energy Security
(stream)

24-month program 

Research can be community-based.

Applicant does not need to identify a supervisor.

Applicant MUST identify and secure written support from a faculty supervisor to work with before applying.*

Self-funded (successful applicant pays tuition). Minimal scholarship funding is available.

Applicants should seek funding from desired supervisor. Scholarships are available.

*Tips on finding a faculty supervisor. 

International Students - Immigration Questions

If you are an international student, please connect with the International Student and Study Abroad Centre (ISSAC). They have the latest information on study permits, post-graduate work permits (PGWP) and other student immigration inquiries.

As of March 2021, programs that are temporarily online due to COVID-19 (but that would normally be offered in person) may be eligible for a study permit and PGWP. Learn more from IRCC online about how Covid-19 may impact you as an international student. Students can also visit Usask Covid-19 Updates on International Students. 

Students who wish to begin an academic program online abroad that normally requires in-person attendance are advised to apply for a study permit before commencing their studies online, as the program of study may still require the student to be in Canada in the future (subject to travel restrictions).


MESPOM

Learn more about the MESPOM, a master course in Environmental Sciences, Policy and Management offered jointly with six consortium universities.

Questions?

Information about admission requirements and deadlines, tuition, applying and more are listed on each program page (find program links above).
If you have any questions, please email sens.admissions@usask.ca.