Master of Environmental Sciences and Policy at Johns Hopkins University

MS in Environmental Science and Policy

environment.jhu.edu

Climate change, population growth, energy consumption, habitat loss, water depletion and degradation, air pollution, and species extinction have increasingly come to the fore in minds of citizens around the world. To manage the Earth's environment effectively, there is a need to understand the processes that shape the planet's surface, control the chemistry of its air and water, and generate the natural resources on which humans depend. Our unique program is distinct in its focus on the interplay between science and policy. This program is founded on the premise that rational solutions to complex, twenty-first century environmental challenges require an in-depth understanding of applicable scientific principles and an appreciation for relevant political, ethical, economic, legal, and historical contexts. Graduates of the program develop combined expertise in science and policy that empowers them to become change agents and leaders in public and private organizations responsible for safeguarding our environment. Many of the program's students are currently employed in environmental fields but wish to enhance their knowledge or move in new directions. Others seek to transition into the arena of environmental science and policy.

The program offers a flexible curriculum that allows students to customize their academic experience to suit their personal needs and interests. Courses are focused on wide-ranging issues such as imperiled global ecosystems, natural resources economics, and multinational environmental trusts and laws. The program is open to students with limited scientific background as well as those that already have a background in the environmental sciences. Core course work includes geology, hydrology, oceanography, meteorology, ecology, geographic information systems (GIS), and policymaking. Electives range across a spectrum from courses strongly oriented toward policy to ones focused more heavily on science. Electives are selected by students under the guidance of advisors.

The program was originally designed by members of the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Johns Hopkins, in conjunction with experts in applied science at regional and federal institutes and agencies. Students and faculty continue to collaborate in our accelerated BS/MS degree. Courses are taught by distinguished instructors with valuable experience in the academic, public, and corporate sectors. Many of the program's alumni are highly successful professionals. Taking a holistic approach, curricula in the Environmental Sciences and Policy (ESP) program positions students to join and contribute to the global science community.

Program Educational Objectives

Our overall programmatic goals at ESP have several objectives and we will hit upon all of these as we read, discuss and proceed through course. Among our learning goals, we want to identify root and structural causes and the systemic nature of environmental issue (such as invasive species), critical interpretation of environmental information (e.g. examining forest carbon sequestration trends), synthesizing scientific studies (e.g. the impacts of land use change on forests), integrating basic principles derived from your core courses (e.g. geology and ecology) and finally we want to frame our science discussions around sound policy decisions (e.g. National Park mining exploration and fire policy).

When you successfully complete the program requirements, you would achieve the following goals: (Number Objectives)

1. Interpret environmental policy making processes, institutions, and organizations to be able to identify root and structural causes and the systemic nature of environmental problems.
2. Research and recommend methods for collection, analysis, presentation and critical interpretation of environmental information using appropriate statistical and quantitative tools.

3. Utilize the practical and theoretical components of environmental science and policy to develop local and global environmental strategies, while developing competency in evaluating and synthesizing scientific studies to guide environmental decision making, policy making, and advocacy. 

4. Analyze environmental problems by applying or integrating basic principles derived from natural and social science, legal, and economic frameworks. Additionally, to conceptualize, develop and devise bridges between the realms of policy and science on critical environmental issues.

5. Evaluate effective strategies, technologies, and methods for sustainable management of environmental systems at and for the remediation or restoration of degraded environments in conjunction with evidence-based, science-informed environmental policy analysis.