Why the Nicholas School?
The Cooperative College (3-2) Program
The Cooperative College Agreement provides a means for qualified undergraduates to proceed directly from three years at one of the cooperative institutions to the professional Master of Forestry (MF) or Master of Environmental Management (MEM) program at the Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University. Assuming that all required undergraduate courses were completed prior to matriculation into the Nicholas School of the Environment, the student will be eligible to receive his or her undergraduate degree upon successful completion of the first year of professional study. After the second year, he/she will be eligible to receive the MF or MEM degree. A student from the cooperative college may also enter Duke after completing his/her baccalaureate degree (a 4-2 student). In all cases, applicants from cooperative institutions are evaluated on the same basis as other applicants to the school. There is no guarantee that 3-2 applicants will be admitted to the school just as there is no guarantee of admission for any other student.
The 3-2 option allows maximum education with minimum investment of time and money; however, there are both positive and negative aspects of this option and the individual student's undergraduate preparation and maturity are key factors in its success. We hope that the advisor will discuss both 3-2 and 4-2 options with potential applicants. In this way, the Cooperative College Program can be a useful tool for all participants. The following information highlights the pertinent components of preparation for students who wish to pursue the cooperative college 3-2 option.
