Program Overview

Master of Public Administration in Environmental Science and Policy

The Master of Public Administration in Environmental Science and Policy is a comprehensive program that equips students with the knowledge and skills necessary to address the complex environmental challenges facing our world today.

Program Overview

The program is designed to provide students with a deep understanding of environmental science and policy, as well as the management and analytical skills needed to develop and implement effective solutions. The curriculum is interdisciplinary, drawing on the fields of environmental science, policy, and management to provide a comprehensive education.

Curriculum

The curriculum is divided into several key areas, including:

• Environmental Science: Students take a series of courses in environmental science, including environmental chemistry, hydrology, earth systems and environmental politics, policy, and management, risk assessment and environmental toxicology, principles of ecology, and climatology.
• Management and Policy: Students learn about management issues, including sustainability management, quantitative techniques and systems analysis in policy making, and financial management.
• Workshop in Applied Earth Systems Management: Students participate in a workshop where they develop a plan for implementing and managing a new environmental program.
• Elective Courses: Students must also enroll in two elective courses, which can be taken within the School of International and Public Affairs or any school within Columbia University.

Course Descriptions

Summer Courses

• ENVP U6220: Environmental Chemistry: This course teaches basic techniques for understanding particular environments and the key chemical processes of environmental science.
• ENVP U6116: Hydrology: Students are introduced to the hydrologic cycle, as well as to processes governing water quantity and quality.
• ENVP U6241: Earth Systems and Environmental Politics, Policy, and Management: This course takes a system-level approach to environmental policy problems.
• ENVP U6221: Risk Assessment and Environmental Toxicology: The purpose of this course is to foster an understanding of how environmental scientists think and solve environmental issues.
• ENVP U6111: Principles of Ecology: This course facilitates learning about basic principles related to ecological interactions of life on earth and the causes and consequence of changes in biological diversity.
• ENVP U6246: Analytics for Environmental Science: This course provides a brief introduction to the quantitative skills required to analyze environmental policy decisions.
• ENVP U6115: Climatology: Students learn how the atmosphere, oceans, and freshwater systems interact to affect climate.
• ENVP U6112: Urban Ecology: Students learn how ecology can inform land use decisions and applied management strategies of natural resources.

Fall Courses

• ENVP U6234: Sustainability Management: The course translates the academic study of organization theory, bureaucracy, and public management into practical lessons for sustainability professionals.
• ENVP U6229–U9230: The Workshop in Applied Earth Systems Management I and II: Students enroll in small, faculty-advised project teams and develop a plan for implementing and managing a new environmental program.
• ENVP U6310: Quantitative Techniques and Systems Analysis in Policy Making: Students learn quantitative techniques of organizational decision-making.
• ENVP U8213–U8216: Microeconomics and Policy Analysis I and II: This two-semester course demonstrates that it is both possible and useful to think about public policy rigorously.

Spring Courses

• ENVP U9232: The Workshop in Applied Earth Systems Policy Analysis: Students undertake analytic projects for real-world clients in government and nonprofit agencies.
• ENVP U8201: Financial Management: The course introduces students to budgeting and financial control as a means of influencing the behavior of organizations.
• ENVP U8213–U8216: Microeconomics and Policy Analysis I and II: This two-semester course demonstrates that it is both possible and useful to think about public policy rigorously.

Admissions

The admissions process for the Master of Public Administration in Environmental Science and Policy is competitive, and applicants must meet certain requirements, including:

• A bachelor's degree from an accredited institution
• A strong academic record
• Relevant work experience
• Letters of recommendation
• A personal statement

Careers

Graduates of the Master of Public Administration in Environmental Science and Policy program go on to pursue careers in a variety of fields, including:

• Government
• Nonprofit organizations
• Private industry
• Academia
• Research

The program provides students with the knowledge, skills, and network necessary to succeed in these fields and make a positive impact on the environment.