NSEA and Western Washington University's
Certificate Program

What is it
NSEA and Western Washington University's Environmental Science and Environmental Studies Departments have collaborated to create two academic certificates. These certificates combine academic learning, hands-on training and paid internships that give students training and experience needed to apply a variety of skills to critical work in watershed restoration and community education and engagement. Throughout the two-year program, students engage in courses to learn the current environmental issues in fisheries habitat and how best to design research, education, science, policies, and community action while also participating in hands-on practicum work through paid internships with the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association (NSEA) a local salmon recovery organization to support students in gaining the skills and experience in supporting salmon recovery. 

Salmon Enhancement: Community Education Certificate
Offered through the Environmental Studies Department.
View this program in the University Catalog.

Salmon Enhancement: Habitat Restoration Certificate
Offered through the Environmental Science Department.
View this program in the University Catalog.

Students should apply for the certificate that best aligns with their major and its degree requirements.

Who Should Apply
These certificate programs have been developed in accordance with the equity principles of Career Connect Washington in mind. Career Connect Washington's equity mission is to ensure that demographics and student characteristics such as race, income, geography, gender, and citizenship status do not predict the academic and career outcomes of Washington's students. In alignment with this goal, NSEA alongside WWU’s Environmental Studies Department and Environmental Science Department have designed these certificate programs with the intention of exposing historically underrepresented students to the field of environmental restoration. We particularly encourage applications from BIPOC students, LGBTQ+ students, multilingual students, students with disabilities, lower-income students, rural youth, foster children, homeless youth, and young parents.

Application Process
Acceptance into the NSEA certificate programs is competitive. Students who have completed preparatory courses and have declared a major in the College of the Environment should apply.

Applications through the link below are reviewed late spring each year. A committee of NSEA staff and faculty review applications and select up to 15 students for each cohort. Following acceptance, students will meet with a faculty certificate adviser to map out coursework and NSEA staff to plan internship hours and activities. Diverse students of all kinds are strongly encouraged to apply and bring their diverse experiences and perspectives to enrich, challenge, and enhance NSEA's activities.

Applications open March 1st-April 18th each year.

How it Works
Students should expect to complete one to two courses certificate-related courses each quarter for three to six quarters. They should plan on completing 8 internship credits with NSEA, equivalent to about 240 hours of paid work. These internship credits will be divided between a summer internship intensive (4 credits) and an equivalent amount of internship credit spread out across three quarters of the academic year. Students that apply in April will do their summer internship intensive first, followed by academic courses and academic year internship credits. Students that apply in October will start their courses work and academic year internship credits first, and end with their summer internship intensive. 

Students and NSEA may mutually agree upon additional paid internship hours that are beyond those required for certificate. These credits would not need to be taken for university internship credit.

Students will be expected to engage in internship activities that are both indoors and outdoors all year long. Some work may be physically strenuous. Tools, training, and transportation to field sites will be provided by NSEA.