LEARN, CONSERVE, RESTORE
UC Irvine is located on the shared ancestral territory of the Acjachemen and Tongva Peoples

About MCRS

The Masters in Conservation and Restoration Science (MCRS) at UC Irvine is a highly collaborative program, portions of which will embed students into real-world conservation and restoration settings through community partnerships. When the program is completed, students will earn an MCRS degree.

The MCRS program is offered through the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB) and the Center for Environmental Biology (CEB) within the Charlie Dunlop School of Biological Sciences.

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Why choose MCRS?

The Masters in Conservation and Restoration Science (MCRS) curriculum is designed for professional growth in the area of active, adaptive management.

Our students work closely with faculty and community partners in a rigorous, field-based program.

The learning experience culminates in a solution-based capstone project conducted in collaboration with one of our many community partners.

Capstone Project

GRADUATE CAREER PATHS

The MCRS program prepares students to pursue careers that enable them to collaborate and lead in planning, designing, implementing, and managing environmental conservation and restoration activities in agency, non profit and for profit settings.

Careers for Graduates

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

  • Highly engaged academic and practitioner faculty
  • Interdisciplinary foundation
  • Leadership and management focus
  • Community-engaged projects
  • Partnerships with local agencies
  • Partnerships with non-profits and businesses
Program Structure

Latest News

May 12, 2025

Beneath the crashing waves lies a world where the ocean kisses the shore, a world where an owl limpet (National Park Service, 2021) named Luma clings tightly to her rocky home. Her home and kingdom...

May 5, 2025

Monitoring habitats is crucial for their conservation. Like an annual checkup, monitoring can reveal problems as they arise and document current conditions. The MCRS 2024-2025 Mesquite Bosque Health Capstone Project’s primary focus is to create...

APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED ON A ROLLING BASIS

· Priority Review Deadline February 1st

· Regular Review Deadline April 1st

WE ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR FALL 2025. PLEASE APPLY FOR THE FALL 2026 COHORT STARTING IN OCTOBER.

*Please Note: The priority deadline is February 1; applications received by this date are read first, and next fall’s cohort begins to fill from this group. April 1 is the normal deadline; the remainder of the cohort is filled from these applicants. If the cohort is not full after each review of the April 1 applicants, additional applications will be accepted until June 30 1 (or June 1 for International student applications).