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Areas of Emphasis

Focus Your Degree

Four areas of emphasis lets you concentrate your efforts.

Our field requires a variety of careers to solve issues and improve the community. From focuses in policy to technology to science, the answer to environmental problems requires a blend of approaches. In our program, you can choose an area of emphasis based on your career goals and fill the need for experts in environmental science and policy.

Students studying in labStudent logging information next to microscopeStudent taking picture of bird on phoneStudent in river testing water

Ecosystems Studies

If your work focuses on environmental science, but you still want to be well-versed in how policy interacts with research, this emphasis is for you. Many graduates work in analysis, research, consulting, compliance or enforcement.

Skills
  • Design and conduct scientific investigations
  • Collect, evaluate and interpret data
  • Make responsible decisions to implement appropriate technologies and strategies to solve environmental problems
  • Effectively communicate results of environmental studies to other scientists, decision-makers and the general public

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Environmental Policy & Administration

Develop skills to advance your career in governmental agencies at the national, state or local level, or nonprofit organizations. Courses focus on policy analysis, planning and administration.

Skills
  • Identify and analyze policy-relevant problems of major importance
  • Collect, assess and interpret policy-relevant data
  • Design, evaluate and implement strategies and programs for addressing such problems
  • Effectively communicate the results of policy analyses and evaluations to diverse audiences, including environmental scientists, policy-makers and the general public

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Environmental Technology & Analysis

In this emphasis, you'll evaluate and implement technology that goes into creating solutions for environmental problems. Concepts include alternative energy systems, environmental remediation, waste utilization and disposal and water systems, among others.

Skills
  • Design and conduct scientific investigations
  • Collect, evaluate, and interpret data
  • Make responsible decisions to implement appropriate technologies and strategies to solve environmental problems
  • Effectively communicate the results of environmental studies to other scientists, decision-makers, and the general public

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Personal Program of Study

The personal program of study is intended for students who want the flexibility to develop individual skill sets to pursue unique or emerging fields within the broader area of environmental science and policy. You might want to pursue this emphasis if you're a part-time student, seeking professional advancement through your current employer or intending to become an entrepreneur.

Personal programs of study must:

  • Conform to the Environmental Science and Policy program guidelines
  • Be approved by the student's graduate committee, the ES&P Program Chair, and the Associate Provost for Academic Affairs and Director of Graduate Studies

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Patrick Forsythe

Get Professional Support

Patrick Forsythe is an expert at understanding fish populations. He's also an expert at answering questions from students about our graduate program, too.

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