Program Overview

Master of Environmental and Sustainability Policy

The Cornell Brooks School’s 12-month Master of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Policy (ESP) prepares students to lead environmental change through public policy. This Ivy League degree blends rigorous training in law, economics, data, and environmental policy to shape tomorrow’s sustainability leaders.

Program Schedule

The program is 12 months long, starting in June.

Degree Awarded

The degree awarded is an MS in Environmental and Sustainability Policy.

Program Format

The program is full-time residential and STEM-designated.

Why Earn an MS in ESP at the Brooks School?

A Human-First Approach to Environmental Challenges

This degree starts with people, teaching students how to shape the legal, economic, and political systems that drive environmental change, while keeping equity and impact at the center.

Built for Complexity—and Urgency

The program prepares students to engage with the complexity of environmental problems, translating science into policy, data into decisions, and urgency into action.

Policy Is Personal

At the Brooks School, public policy isn’t abstract—it’s lived. It determines who gets clean water, which forests are protected, and how fast we move on climate action.

Ivy League Education, Interdisciplinary by Design

The program provides an Ivy League education, studying environmental policy through multiple lenses: law, economics, justice, governance, and communication.

Learn Deeply and Live Intentionally in Ithaca

Ithaca is a living laboratory for environmental policy, offering the perfect setting for reflection, learning, and leadership.

Student Opportunities

Capstone Project: Policy in Practice

Students apply their training to a real-world environmental challenge through a hands-on capstone project.

Courses Taught by Changemakers

Students learn from top scholars and practitioners in environmental law, economics, justice, and communication.

Elective Pathways

Students can tailor their studies to align with their interests and career goals through elective courses.

Campus Sustainability Connections

Students benefit from Cornell’s university-wide commitment to sustainability, anchored by the Atkinson Center for Sustainability.

Research Areas

• Data Science and Technology Policy
• Environmental and Sustainability Policy
• Health Policy and Management
• Human Security
• Politics and Economics of Development
• Race, Racism, and Public Policy
• Social Policy and Inequality

Program Details

The program is designed to prepare students for roles in the private and public sectors that require a strong grounding in environmental policy, in addition to the interdisciplinary skills fundamental to strategic policy analysis. Brooks alumni pursue careers in the private sector, policy consulting, civic tech, government, international organizations, and more. Wherever opportunity exists to turn innovation and stakeholder engagement into measurable environmental impact, students will be prepared.