Major in Political Science, Environmental Politics and Policy Concentration

Program Overview

The Environmental Politics and Policy concentration equips students with the knowledge and skills to analyze the relationship between politics and environmental issues. The program focuses on developing environmental policies, leveraging political influence for environmental solutions, and gaining practical experience through internships. Graduates are prepared for careers in policy analysis, advocacy, planning, education, and decision-making in the environmental field.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The Environmental Politics and Policy concentration is designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to analyze the intricate relationship between politics and the natural world. This program prepares students for careers in environmental politics and policy-making.

Key Objectives:

• Understanding the Political Dimensions of Environmental Issues: Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of how political forces contribute to environmental degradation.
• Policy Development and Analysis: The program focuses on the process of developing environmental policies, including strategies for assessing the effectiveness of different policy approaches.
• Harnessing Political Influence for Environmental Solutions: Students will learn how to leverage political forces to develop effective responses to pressing environmental challenges such as climate change, pollution, food security, and energy provision.
• Global and Domestic Perspectives: The program explores environmental issues from both domestic and international perspectives.
• Practical Experience: Students are strongly encouraged to complete internships to gain practical experience in the field.

Learning Outcomes:

• Critical Thinking and Reasoning: Students will develop the ability to analyze political claims and assertions made by political actors.
• Ideological Diversity: Students will gain the skill to recognize and respond to diverse ideological perspectives.
• Historical and Institutional Context: Students will learn to place political issues and controversies within their relevant historical and institutional contexts.
• Political Processes: Students will become familiar with the institutional processes of politics in various global and domestic political arenas.
• Communication and Analysis: Students will gain confidence in expressing their opinions and presenting analyses of political problems and their potential solutions.

Careers:

Graduates of this program are well-prepared for a variety of careers in the environmental field, including:

• Policy Analysts: Working in government agencies, non-profit organizations, businesses, and consulting firms to analyze environmental policies and develop recommendations.
• Advocates: Working with environmental organizations to promote policies and advocate for environmental protection.
• Planners: Working in government agencies or private firms to develop and implement environmental plans.
• Educators: Teaching environmental science, policy, or related subjects at various levels.
• Decision-Makers: Holding positions in government agencies or other organizations where they make decisions related to environmental issues.

Other:

• Distinctive Requirements: Political science majors must achieve a minimum grade of C (2.000) in each of the political science (POLS) courses counted towards meeting the major requirements.
• Upper-Division Course Requirement: Students must complete an upper-division course in at least four subfields of Political Science before registering for POLS 492 (Capstone Seminar).
• Support Options: Students must complete one of five Support Options, which include a minor, interdisciplinary minor, second major, foreign language, or methods support option.
• Internship Encouragement: Students are strongly encouraged to complete an internship to gain practical experience in the field.