Warren Wilson College - MS in Applied Climate Studies

Thank you for your service through AmeriCorps and for your commitment to making your community and the world a better place. Service, work, and experiential learning are at the heart of our educational approach at Warren Wilson College in Asheville, NC, and we value your efforts and contributions. Warren Wilson might be the ideal place to take you to the next level in leading change as we address the climate crisis through our innovative low-residency MS in Applied Climate Studies program. 

The program involves three intensive 12-day residencies on our 1100-acre campus on the edge of Asheville, NC combined with four semesters of online studies that explore climate science, climate data analysis, data visualization, communication, justice, planning, policy, management, and leadership. This is integrated with professional skills workshops and two team-based projects on behalf of community partners where you can apply knowledge, build skills, enhance professional networks, build capacity for others, make real positive change, and demonstrate newly developed competencies in climate work that will position you well for the climate job market. 

This structure allows you to enroll in the program either at a distance or locally, and you can be active as an AmeriCorps member or finished with your service and working in another capacity while completing the MS degree. 

Warren Wilson College’s MS in Applied Climate Studies program recognizes those who have served through the AmeriCorps programs in the following ways:

Warren Wilson College’s MS in Applied Climate Studies program will waive the application fee for all current and former AmeriCorps members. Prospective students should indicate on the application that you are or were an AmeriCorps member to get your application fee waived. You can include information in your application materials that document your participation in AmeriCorps. 

Warren Wilson College will also provide up to three additional scholarships per year to those who have been admitted and have completed a climate-related AmeriCorps service in its entirety. These can involve an additional $1,000 for each of the two years for the program (totaling $2,000) to be used in addition to the AmeriCorps education award. Students should submit an application for admission to Warren Wilson College and verification of an AmeriCorps Education Award or a letter from an AmeriCorps program manager if still active in your program. 

If you have questions about this process, please direct them to macs@warren-wilson.edu. We look forward to connecting and exploring whether this is the right program for you.