Curriculum

Requirements

Our graduates have entered with undergraduate degrees ranging from sociology to biology to engineering. Because of the interdisciplinary nature of the field and the intensity of the curriculum plan, students accepted into the program must have strong undergraduate credentials and should have proven facility with written and oral communication. Students are expected to have taken (as undergraduates) at least one course in ecology or biology, one in micro-economics, and one in statistics. Any background deficiencies must be made up during the first year of graduate study.

The Master of Science Degree in Environmental Policy requires 30 credits.

• At least 20 of these 30 credits must be taken in courses at or above the 5000-level.
  
• No more than 12 credits at the 3000-4000 level may be counted toward degree requirements.

Typically, the program will involve two years in residence. During the first year students take mostly required core courses in environmental policy analysis and the social context of environmental issues. Most of the second year is devoted to concentration courses and to the project or thesis.

Core Courses (15 credits)

All these courses are required:

SS 5100 Global Environmental Systems (3 credits)
SS 5200 Environmental Decision Making (3 credits)
SS 5300 Environmental Policy and Politics (3 credits)
SS 5350 Environmental Policy Analysis (3 credits)
SS 5400 Sociology of the Environment (3 credits)

Methods (3-4 credits)

Students will select one methods course, typically from among the following depending upon their background and interests:

SS 4010 Social Science Methods (4 credits)
FW 5550 Geographic Information Systems (4 credits)
EC 4200 Econometrics (3 credits)
HU 5100 Qualitative Methods (3 credits)

Concentration (6-9 credits)

In the second year, students, in consultation with their guidance committee, will identify two courses (thesis option) or three courses (project option) which provide further depth in some aspect of environmental policy or related skills and techniques, and which are most appropriate for their needs. These electives, drawn from across the university, will often link policy interests, internship activities, and students' particular skills. Concentrations might include, resource management, policy and regulation, environmental technologies, industrial archaeology, ecosystems, pollution, philosophy, organizations or communications.

Project or Thesis (3-6 credits)

Much of the second year is devoted to a project or thesis. Each student will conduct research under the supervision of his/her advisor. Students must submit a written proposal describing the project or thesis for approval by the student's graduate committee and will give a brief presentation on the project. Generally, projects/theses will be linked to work done during the student's internship. The completed project or thesis will be examined by a committee of four faculty.

The master's project (3 credits) identifies and represents the student's major area of interest and concentration, and demonstrates the student's competence in that area. The thesis (6 credits) is designed to demonstrate the student's grasp of a complex problem in environmental management or policy through original research.

Preparation and Prerequisites

Students with a wide variety of backgrounds ranging from Geography to Engineering to Biology enter and do well in the Environmental Policy Program. All students are required to have at least one course in Microeconomics, Statistics, and Biology or Ecology before they start the program. We will admit students missing just one of these prerequisites but they will be expected to complete it by the end of the first year in our program.

Sample Curriculum Plan

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