Academic Advising for Current MS, MLA, and PhD Students
If you need to make an appointment with an academic advisor, please click this link to sign up for an appointment slot.
Note: only current University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS) master's and PhD students can use the link above to make an appointment.
If you are a PitE undergraduate student, use this page instead.
If you are looking for admissions information, start here.
General support email for current students: SEAS.gradsupport@umich.edu.
This email goes to Jennifer Taylor, Jaime Langdon, and Hillary Streit, as well as Kim Elliott.
Meet the Academic Advisors
- Course Advising for PitE and SEAS Masters' students
- Plans smaller events in the SEAS Student Center, like SEAS Halloween.
- Supports advising record keeping, such as collecting syllabi
- Good point of contact if you have a question but don't know who to ask
- Manages academic advising for SEAS AMDP students and PitE undergraduate students
- Assists with leadership development and semester programming/events
- Is a resource for our student community as they navigate academic and life choices
- Plans, with our student community's input, social, wellness, and academic/professional events
- Guides PhD students through their SEAS and Rackham milestones and monitors progress toward their degree
- Advises SEAS dual degree students on program requirements and academic progress
- Assists graduate students with any questions they may have about SEAS, Rackham, or University guidelines and academic processes
- Manages PitE and SEAS Curriculum
PhD Timeline
Fall 2025 Audit Sheets for Master's students
Audit sheets are forms you can use to track your progress toward the completion of your degree.
BEC, EJ, EPP, ESM, GDS, Sus Dev, Sus Sys
MLA 3 year program, MLA accelerated 3 year program, MLA 2 year program
Master's Course Lists
These are lists of courses that fulfill SEAS Master's degree requirements.
Integrated Analytic Methods and Skills Requirement (IAMS)
Graduate Peer Advising
The SEAS Student Center hires current graduate students to provide a student perspective on course registration, changing your Master's specialization, and accessing resources when you need them. Their hours are walk in, no need to make an appointment.
Google Calendar for the Peer Advisors' Office Hours
Fall 2025 - Winter 2026 (you'll be able to meet with them starting in F25)
Craig Reiley: Born and raised in Michigan, Craig spent the last five years working as an SAP functional analyst and project manager in the automotive industry at Stellantis and General Motors. His career focus lies at the intersection of impact investing and environmental consulting within the development context where he aims to help address global issues in clean energy transitions, climate resiliency, and economic and social progress. As a third-year dual degree student at Ross and SEAS (SusDev), Craig brings a wealth of knowledge and experiences. Whether it’s applying for research assistant positions or fellowships, navigating the course selection process, reviewing resumes, or preparing for interviews, Craig has you covered. Having held several positions throughout Ross and SEAS while taking a wide variety of courses, Craig has a deep understanding of the opportunities that exist in and out of U-M and is eager to help students achieve their goals and reach their full potential.
Yun Li: Hi folks, I am Yun(Leo) Li (he/his), and my specialization is in geospatial data science. I focus on sustainable entrepreneurship, climate finance, but have a board interests in energy systems, carbon accounting, etc. I worked for nearly 4 years in the climate change industry. In addition, I have plenty of research experience in climate change. During my free time, I love watching movies, traveling, and meditating. I will be in the student center to answer any questions and provide support as best as I can!
Other Resources
Looking for career advising help? Email SEAS-careers@umich.edu.
Looking for funding information and resources? Email SEAS-financial-aid@umich.edu or take a look at the funding database.
Have questions about the Master's projects? Email seas-projects@umich.edu.
Do I have to take EAS 509 - Ecology: Concepts and Applications if I am a Master's student?
All MS and 3 year program MLA students have to take EAS 509 unless they test out of the course. Test outs are done in the summer before your first semester in SEAS. 2 year program MLA students do not have to take EAS 509.
Do I have to take EAS 510 - The Science and Practice of Social Change if I am an MS student?
If you have a background in social science, you can take a combination of courses from the Social Science Distribution list that add up to 3 credits instead of taking EAS 510. MLA students do not need to take 510.
I don't see any required courses for the PhD program other than Research Paradigms. Why?
All PhD students must take Research Paradigms. All other courses should be selected with the guidance of your advisor. You will be tasked with filling out a course of study approval form. As a part of completing that form, you will list relevant graduate-level courses that you took or plan to take. These courses should be listed in emphasis areas of theory, methods, and analytics, and applications to show how they contribute to your background. Courses taken as part of the PhD program should be clearly denoted, and one course from each emphasis area must be taken at UM as part of the PhD program.
How are class overrides and waitlists managed?
Students interested in enrolling in a course with full enrollment should attend the first class meeting to request permission for an override from the instructor. Instructors can then email Jennifer Taylor with class permission requests. Processing can take 24-48 hours. Some SEAS courses have electronic waitlists. Staff will issue permissions to students on waitlists as seats open up.
How many credits do I need to graduate from the Master's program?
The MS program requires 42 credit hours. 25 of the 42 credits must be from EAS courses. The 2 year MLA program requires 36 credits to graduate. 19 of the 36 credits must be from EAS courses. The 3 year MLA program requires 62 credits (including foundational courses). 25 of the 62 credits must be from EAS courses.
If I am an MS student, how soon can I declare a second specialization?
The earliest you can declare a second specialization is January of your first year.
Can you advise me on course selection for other departments?
Unfortunately, no. The SEAS advising staff do not keep records of requirements for other departments. However, if you are a dual degree student, we will help you get in contact with an academic advisor in your other department.
I want advising from a faculty member. How do I get it?
When you were admitted to SEAS, you should have been assigned a faculty advisor. You can get in touch with them through email or going to their office hours. If you don't know who your faculty advisor is, or if you have trouble getting in contact with your faculty advisor, please email seas.gradsupport@umich.edu so we can help.
Do any courses fulfill more than one requirement for the MS degree?
Yes! The Social Science Distribution courses and the IAMS courses can also be used to fulfill your specialization core requirements. However, the credits only count once.