About SRES

The School for Resource and Environmental Studies (SRES) grew out of the Institute for Environmental Studies which was founded by F. Ronald Hayes in 1973. The Master of Environmental Studies (MES) Program began in 1978. Work in the School, whether research or teaching, is interdisciplinary, collaborative and responsive to current concerns. Cooperation in fact reaches far beyond Dalhousie to the other universities in Halifax and Nova Scotia, to professionals working in the area, and even to partners in other countries.

From left to right former SRES directors: Art Hanson, Gordon Beanlands,
Ray Côté, Scott Wood and Peter Duinker (first Director, Ronald Hayes, missing)

In 1989 the School became one of four units within the Faculty of Management. This has led to further collaboration in areas as diverse as international business and information. The other three units of the faculty are the School of Business Administration, the School of Public Administration and the School of Library and Information Studies. 

In addition to working partnerships within the Faculty of Management, SRES contributes to many other programs on the Dalhousie campus, including the Marine Affairs Program and the Lester Pearson Institute for International Development. SRES also assists and collaborates with other institutions such as the Nova Scotia Agricultural College. The School, through its many teaching, research and community service initiatives, strengthens the University's capacity in ocean studies and health studies.

The School offers graduate education in environmental management, science and policy. Our original Master of Environmental Studies (MES) program has an annual intake of approximately 12 students. It is a two-year program which includes both course work and a thesis. There are now more than 300 graduates from this program, some of whom have gone on to further studies, and some who have made careers in all levels of the civil service, with industry and consulting, as university faculty, in various non-governmental organizations and in environmental projects around the world.

As of September, 2004, SRES also offers a Master of Resource and Environmental Management (MREM) program.  The MREM is a 16-month program which includes both course work and an internship.