The Master of Arts in Political Science, Environmental Politics and Policy Specialization examines the interplay between the environment and politics and the scope and severity of environmental governance challenges using interdisciplinary evidence, diverse perspectives, and multiple approaches. Specialists in this field normally examine key actors, institutions, and norms of environmental politics in domestic and international contexts for private or public organizations.

Effective Fall 2021

Core Course:
POLS 670Politics of Environment and Sustainability3
Methods Courses:
Select one course from the following:3
Approaches to the Study of Politics
Scope and Methods of Political Science
Select one course from the following:3
Qualitative Methods in Political Science
Quantitative Methods of Political Research I
Public Policy Analysis
POLS 699Thesis6
POLS Electives (see list below)6
Environmental Electives (see list below) 16
Additional Electives3
Program Total Credits:30

 POLS Electives (Select a minimum of 6 credits)

POLS 500Governmental Politics in the U.S.3
POLS 501Citizen Politics in the U.S.3
POLS 509Gender and the Law3
POLS 520Theories of Political Action3
POLS 530International Relations3
POLS 531International Security Studies3
POLS 532Governance of the World Political Economy3
POLS 540Comparative Politics3
POLS 541Political Economy of Change and Development3
POLS 542Democracy and Democratization3
POLS 544/ETST 544National Identities and Nation Building3
POLS 550/PPA 550Advanced Public Administration3

 Environmental Electives (Select a minimum of 6 credits. Students should select no more than 3 credits of a non-POLS subject code, and no more than 3 credits of a 300-400-level course)1

ANTH 515Culture and Environment3
ANTH 532The Culture of Disaster3
ANTH 554/ESS 554Ecological and Social Agent-based Modeling3
GES 440/ATS 440Sea Level Rise and a Sustainable Future3
GES 441Analysis of Sustainable Energy Solutions3
GES 460Law and Sustainability3
GES 520Issues in Global Environmental Sustainability3
HIST 539Reading Seminar--World Environmental History3
NR 503/GR 503Remote Sensing and Image Analysis4
NR 567Analysis of Environmental Impact3
NRRT 605Human Dimensions of Natural Resources Theory3
POLS 361U.S. Environmental Politics and Policy3
POLS 362Global Environmental Politics3
POLS 364Air, Climate, and Energy Policy Analysis3
POLS 442Environmental Politics in Developing World3
POLS 462Globalization, Sustainability, and Justice3
POLS 692Seminar in Environmental Policy3
POLS 709Environmental Politics in the U.S.3
POLS 729Political Theory and the Environment3
POLS 739International Environmental Politics3
POLS 749Comparative Environmental Politics3
POLS 759Environmental Policy and Administration3
PPA 555Environmental Law and Policy3
SOC 562/AGRI 562Sociology of Food Systems and Agriculture3
SOC 564Environmental Justice3

 A minimum of 30 credits are required to complete this program. 

1

Graduate students may use 300 or 400 level undergraduate courses approved by their committee in the Program of Study (GS Form 6) up to the limits set by the Graduate School. Graduate students may apply remedial undergraduate courses they were required to take as a condition of their admission toward the degree if such undergraduate credits are consistent with the requirements of the degree AND approved by their committee in the Program of Study (GS Form 6).

Effective Fall 2021 

Core Course:
POLS 670Politics of Environment and Sustainability3
Methods Courses:
Select one course from the following:3
Approaches to the Study of Politics
Scope and Methods of Political Science
Select one course from the following:3
Qualitative Methods in Political Science
Quantitative Methods of Political Research I
Public Policy Analysis
POLS Electives (see list below)6
Environmental Electives (see list below) 16
Additional POLS Electives 1, 215
Program Total Credits:36

POLS Electives (Select a minimum of 6 credits)

POLS 500Governmental Politics in the U.S.3
POLS 501Citizen Politics in the U.S.3
POLS 509Gender and the Law3
POLS 520Theories of Political Action3
POLS 530International Relations3
POLS 531International Security Studies3
POLS 532Governance of the World Political Economy3
POLS 540Comparative Politics3
POLS 541Political Economy of Change and Development3
POLS 542Democracy and Democratization3
POLS 544/ETST 544National Identities and Nation Building3
POLS 550/PPA 550Advanced Public Administration3
POLS 558/PPA 558Administrative Law3
POLS 626Political Research Laboratory1
POLS 660/PPA 660Theories of the Policy Process3

Environmental Electives (Select a minimum of 6 credits. Students should select no more than 3 credits from a non-POLS subject code, and no more than 3 credits of a 300-400 level course)1

ANTH 515Culture and Environment3
ANTH 532The Culture of Disaster3
ANTH 554/ESS 554Ecological and Social Agent-based Modeling3
GES 440/ATS 440Sea Level Rise and a Sustainable Future3
GES 441Analysis of Sustainable Energy Solutions3
GES 460Law and Sustainability3
GES 520Issues in Global Environmental Sustainability3
HIST 539Reading Seminar--World Environmental History3
NR 503/GR 503Remote Sensing and Image Analysis4
NR 567Analysis of Environmental Impact3
NRRT 605Human Dimensions of Natural Resources Theory3
PHIL 564Seminar in Animal Rights3
PHIL 565Seminar in Environmental Philosophy3
POLS 361U.S. Environmental Politics and Policy3
POLS 362Global Environmental Politics3
POLS 364Air, Climate, and Energy Policy Analysis3
POLS 442Environmental Politics in Developing World3
POLS 462Globalization, Sustainability, and Justice3
POLS 692Seminar in Environmental Policy3
POLS 709Environmental Politics in the U.S.3
POLS 729Political Theory and the Environment3
POLS 739International Environmental Politics3
POLS 749Comparative Environmental Politics3
POLS 759Environmental Policy and Administration3
PPA 555Environmental Law and Policy3
SOC 562/AGRI 562Sociology of Food Systems and Agriculture3
SOC 564Environmental Justice3

A minimum of 36 credits are required to complete this program. 

1

Graduate students may use 300 or 400 level undergraduate courses approved by their committee in the Program of Study (GS Form 6) up to the limits set by the Graduate School. Graduate students may apply remedial undergraduate courses they were required to take as a condition of their admission toward the degree if such undergraduate credits are consistent with the requirements of the degree AND approved by their committee in the Program of Study (GS Form 6).

2

Outside courses optional and/or as recommended by the Student’s Graduate Committee.