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Graduate Program

Degree Offered

Master of Water Resources

The Water Resources Program (WRP), administratively located in University College, offers the Master of Water Resources (M.W.R.) degree, an interdisciplinary professional degree designed to prepare students for careers in water resources. The degree assumes a basic proficiency in at least one water-related discipline (defined rather broadly)–engineering, sociology, management, public administration, environmental studies, economics, law, chemistry, planning, political science, geology, geography and biology, among others–or professional experience in the water field. The M.W.R. degree program seeks to expand and deepen students’ knowledge of their primary disciplines and, at the same time, provide them with an integrated perspective on water in nature and society, improve their capacity to for critical thinking and develop their technical and communication skills. UNM’s location in the Southwest means that there is a focus on arid region water issues; however, the M.W.R. degree is designed to provide its students a firm grounding in water resources that is applicable to any region.

The M.W.R. degree is obtained by taking a sequence of courses in one of two concentrations Hydroscience (HS) or Policy and Management (PM). Each concentration consists of 39 credit hours: 36 credit hours of coursework plus 3 credit hours for a professional project. The HS concentration is designed primarily for students with technical orientation in the physical and biological sciences and engineering. This concentration will lead to further expertise in the technical aspects of water resources management. The PM concentration is intended for students with interests in the social and natural sciences, administration, and planning. This concentration will develop the student’s skills in the administrative, economic, and socio-political aspects of water resources management. The curriculum for each concentration is flexible, enabling a student to design a course of study that will achieve his/her career objectives with guidance from his/her advisor and graduate committee.

The Water Resources Program and the Department of Community and Regional Planning have created a program of studies leading to the dual degrees of M.W.R. and Master of Community and Regional Planning (M.C.R.P.). This program consists of 53 credits of classes in Community and Regional Planning, Water Resources, and related subjects, and 6 credits of thesis or project. Details can be found in water Resources program Guidelines (http://www.unm.edu/~wrp). Students interested in other dial degree options should contact the Director.

The Water Resources Program faculty is drawn from five schools (Law, Engineering, Medicine, Public Administration, Architecture and Planning) and the College of Fine Arts and the College of Arts and Sciences. The Program is administered by a Program Committee drawn from the faculty and a Director, who functions as a department chair.

Admission Requirements

The admissions requirements for the M.W.R. degree program are as follows:

1. A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university;
2. A grade point average of at least 3.0 out of 4.0 for the last two years of undergraduate work. (A  student with a grade point average under 3.0 may be admitted if his/her experience/qualifications warrant it.)
3. Three references from individuals qualified to assess the applicant’s academic and/or professional qualifications. At least one individual must be a current/former professor. These letters must be sent to WRP.
4. Successful completion (C or better) of the following courses. These can be taken at other institutions; UNM equivalent courses are listed in parentheses.

Hydroscience (HS) Concentration:

• Calculus I (MATH 180 or 162L); Calculus II (MATH 181 or 163L); and Statistics (STAT 145). Note: MATH 162L and 163L are highly recommended.
• Introductory Microeconomics (ECON 106) or Intermediate Microeconomics I (ECON 300).
• Three introductory (or higher) science courses (UNM 100-level) from at least two different disciplines.

Policy-Management (PM) Concentration:

• Calculus I (MATH 180 or 162L) and Statistics (STAT 145).
• Introductory Microeconomics (ECON 106) or Intermediate Microeconomics I (ECON 300).
• Two introductory (or higher) science courses (UNM 100-level). These may be from two different disciplines.
• One introductory or higher course in: sociology (SOC 101); or political science (POLS 110); or psychology (PSY 105). Note: a student entering with a major or minor in one of the above must take a course in one of the remaining two disciplines.

5. A 1–2 page letter of intent describing the student’s interests in water resources, experience in the field, objectives and future plans. This document will be helpful in assessing a particular applicant’s aptitude for the program and in assigning an appropriate temporary advisor. These letters must be sent to WRP.

Although normally applicants should satisfy the prerequisites before they can be admitted to the program, they may be admitted on condition that they complete the prerequisites as soon as possible. Applicants missing more than two prerequisites may not be admitted. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not required for admission.

Admission Deadlines

  
The deadlines for international applicants are August 1 and March 1, respectively. Prospective students are advised to apply as early as possible, as available slots may be filled well in advance of the published deadlines. This is especially true for those seeking financial aid.

Degree Requirements

The M.W.R. Curriculum

Concentrations
A student selects one of two concentrations: 1) Policy-Management (PM); or 2) Hydroscience (HS). This selection should be made soon after entering the Program.

Thirty-nine (39) credits are required: 36 credits of formal coursework and 3 credits for a professional project. The credits are distributed as follows:

1. 12 credits in the Water Resources interdisciplinary (core) courses: WR 571, WR 572, and WR 573.
2. 15 credits from courses in the student’s concentration (HS or PM) (see below for suggested HS and PM courses).
3. 6 credits of courses in the other group (HS or PM). If the student’s concentration is PM, these six credits must come from the HS group, and vice-versa.
4. 3 credits from the Utilities Group courses (see below).
5. 3 credits of WR 598 (Professional Project). The student can take more than 3 credits of WR 598, but only 3 credits will count towards the degree.

M.W.R.-HS concentration students
15 credits from HS Group I, with at least one course from each category; 6 credits from PM Group II, from two different categories; and 3 credits from Utilities Group III (24 credits).

M.W.R.- PM concentration students
6 credits from HS Group I, with courses from two different categories; 15 credits from PM Group II, with at least one course in any 3 of the 4 categories; and 3 credits from Utilities Group III (24 credits).
Note: WR 590 - Internship can substitute for a Group I or II course, depending upon the nature of the internship.

Courses
Courses are subdivided into three groups; suggested courses are listed below. A complete list of suitable courses will be kept in the WRP office and on the WRP website and updated periodically. Course titles can be viewed in the Program Guidelines (online at http://www.unm.edu/~wrp/) or in the online catalog (http://www.unm.edu/~unmreg). Note: students without suitable undergraduate degrees may be required to take additional remedial courses for no graduate credit. Individual courses listed below may have prerequisites in excess of the M.W.R. prerequisites. Note that current policy precludes acceptance of any 300-level courses for graduate credit towards the M.W.R. degree, except CE 335.

Group I: HS Courses
Students concentrating in HS must take 15 credits from this group, with one course from each of the three categories.

• Hydrology and Hydraulics (WR 576; EPS 562, 572, 580, 581L; CE 442, 540, 541, 542, 543, 544, 545, 549)
• Ecosystems, Environment, Health, and Water Quality (BIOL 502, 558, 535, 495 or 514; EPS 515, 558; CE 531, 532, 534, 536, or 537L; CHEM 545; ENVS 530; PH 502, CRP 524)
• Climatology (EPS 522, 536, 570)

Group II: PM Courses
Students concentrating in PM must take 15 credits in this group, with at least one course from each of any three categories.

• Law (LAW 547, 554)
• Economics (ECON 541, 542, 543, 544)
• Policy, Administration and Management (GEOG 562; CRP 524, 532; PADM 500, 521, 524, 525; PH 501, 560)
• Sociology, Communication and Culture (CRP 574; AMST 523, 525; CJ 554)

Note: WR 590 Internship can substitute for a Group I or II course, depending upon the nature of the internship. See the Director for details.

Group III: Utilities Courses
These are courses that are either modeling courses or not classifiable as HS or PM courses but are applicable to a variety of water problems.

• GIS (CE 547, GEOG 559, 587L, 588L; etc.)
• Methods (STAT 538, ECON 504, etc.)
• Modeling (EPS 557L)

Professional Project

Each student must complete a 3 credit hour professional project. The student selects the topic in consultation with his/her advisor and committee and conducts the work under their guidance. The student must present the results of his/her work in an open forum and successfully defend the project before the advisory committee. This defense functions as the Master’s examination. Examples and guidelines for preparation of the professional project report are available from the Water Resources Program office, the Web site, and the Program Guidelines.