Concentration Courses
The Master of Environmental Management curriculum allows you to customize your education to what is important to you by selecting two concentrations—one environment concentration and one management concentration. Students will take four courses, or 12 credits, in each of their two selected concentrations.
NOTE: Courses listed below are subject to change.
Environment Concentrations – Select One
Your Environment Concentration is designed to provide depth of knowledge in a primary topical area. You will choose one Environment Concentration and will take four courses in this area.
Coastal and Marine Systems
COASTAL AND MARINE SYSTEMS (CAMS) CONCENTRATION
Dive deep into the science of coastal and marine processes and environments while learning how human activities affect — and are affected by — these complex and vital ecosystems.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Core courses - required
To develop a strong understanding of human-linked coastal and marine systems, all CAMS students will meet the following four core requirements:
- ENVIRON 707—Coastal and Marine Ecosystems (3 credits)
- ENVIRON 786/A—Marine Policy (3 credits)
Coastal and Marine Systems Concentration, Natural Science Elective
Examples include but are not limited to:
- ENVIRON 719/A—Aquaculture and the Environment (3 credits)
- ENVIRON 729A—Oceans in Human and Environmental Health (3 credits)
- ENVIRON 773A—Marine Ecology (4 credits)
- ENVIRON 776/A—Marine Mammals (3 credits)
- ECS 715—Introduction to Coastal Environmental Change Processes
Coastal and Marine Systems Concentration, Social Science and Policy Elective
Examples include but are not limited to:
- ENVIRON 502—Climate Change and the Law (2 credits)
- ENVIRON 506—Environmental Justice: Theory and Practice (3 credits)
- ENVIRON 533A—Marine Fisheries Policy (3 credits)
- ENVIRON 775—Ocean and Coastal Law and Policy (3 credits)
- ENVIRON 860SA—Political Ecology (3 credits)
- ENVIRON 705A—Social Impact Analysis (3 credits)
- ENVIRON 504A—Marine Protected Areas (3 credits)
- ENVIRON 551DA—International Conservation and Development (3 credits)
- ENVIRON 807—International Fisheries Policy
primary concentration course-based pathway
The course-based pathway will be available in a limited capacity to students matriculating in fall 2025 and will be fully available for students matriculating in fall 2026 and beyond. Please see the full concentration page for more details.
Learn more about the CAMS concentration
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Health
ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH (EEH) CONCENTRATION
Receive interdisciplinary training in environmental exposures, toxicology and epidemiology, and develop a strong foundation for a career that addresses environmentally driven ecological and human health problems.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Students in the EEH concentration may take one of two tracks: traditional or research.
Core courses – Required for traditional track
- ENVIRON 537—Environmental Health (spring)
- ENVIRON 539—Human Health & Ecological Risk Assessment (spring)
- ENVIRON 560—Environmental Health Pollutant Chemistry and Toxicology (fall)
- Choose one additional course from the list below:
- ECS 525—Ocean and Freshwater Pollution (fall)
- ENV 573A—Coastal Marine Pollution (fall, Marine Lab)
- ENVIRON 605—Air Quality Management (fall)
- ENVIRON 610—Ecotoxicology (ad hoc)
- Additional courses with the consent of the EEH chair
Core Courses – required for research track
The research track is comparable to a Master of Science degree. The following core courses are required, along with two additional classes in either toxicology, chemistry or health. Students must also develop a master’s project or thesis with a faculty advisor.
- ENVIRON 501—Environmental Toxicology (fall)
- ENVIRON 537—Environmental Health (spring)
- ENVIRON 539—Human Health and Ecological Risk Assessment (spring)
- ENVIRON 540 or ENVIRON 542—Environmental Chemistry courses (fall)
Elective Course suggestions
-
Toxicology Specialization
Recommended courses include graduate-level toxicology, physiology, biochemistry and molecular biology. Suggested additional courses are listed below; alternative courses may be substituted with approval by the EEH chair.
- ENVIRON 516—Global Change: Molecules to Organisms (3 credits)
- ENVIRON 610—Ecotoxicology (3 credits)
- ENVIRON 819—Mechanisms in Environmental Toxicology (3 credits)
- PHARM 533—Essentials of Pharmacology and Toxicology (3 credits)
- TOXC 707—Advanced Toxicology at UNC-Chapel Hill (3 credits)
-
Chemistry Specialization
ENVIRON 540 and ENVIRON 542L are required courses for students specializing in environmental chemistry, plus at least one course from the list below. Suggested additional courses are listed below; alternative courses may be substituted with approval by the EEH chair.
- ENVIRON 566—Environmental Analytical Chemistry (3 credits)
- ENVIRON 667—Chemical Transformation of Environmental Contaminants (3 credits)
- ENVIRON 790—Environmental Cheminformatics (3 credits)
- ECS 571—Isotopes in Earth and Environmental Sciences (3 credits)
- CEE 666—Aquatic Geochemistry (3 credits)
-
Epidemiology and Environmental Health Specialization
Two additional courses (not including the core environmental health classes) in a graduate-level field are required. Suggested additional classes are listed below; alternative courses may be substituted with approval by the EEH chair.
- ENVIRON 538—Global Environmental Health: Economics and Policy (3 credits)
- ENVIRON 605—Air Quality Management (3 credits)
- GLHLTH 705—Biostatistics and Epidemiology I (4 credits)
- GLHLTH 707—Biostatistics and Epidemiology II (4 credits)
primary concentration course-based pathway
The course-based pathway will be available in a limited capacity to students matriculating in fall 2025 and will be fully available for students matriculating in fall 2026 and beyond. Please see the full concentration page for more details.
Learn more about the EEH concentration
Energy and Environment
ENERGY and environment (EE) CONCENTRATION
Advance your understanding of energy systems while developing the problem-solving skills necessary to lead the transition toward a more secure, affordable and clean energy future.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
CORE COURSES – REQUIRED
All students must take the following courses:
- ENVIRON 520—Resource and Environmental Economics I (1.5 credits, fall year two)
- ENVIRON 635—Energy Economics and Policy (1.5 credits, fall year two)
- ENVIRON 631—Energy Technology and its Impact on the Environment (3 credits, spring year one)
- ENVIRON 711—Energy and Environment (3 credits, fall year one)
- ENVIRON 716—Modeling for Energy Systems (3 credits, fall year one)
ELECTIVE COURSE SUGGESTIONS
Students may consider the following courses to round out their degree:
- ECS 792—Microgrid Seminar
- ENVIRON 588—Introduction to Solar Project Development
- ENVIRON 590.05—Economics of Modern Power Systems
- ENVIRON 630—Transportation Energy
- ENVIRON 717—Markets for Electric Power
- ENVIRON 797—Time Series Analysis for Energy and Environmental Applications
- ENVIRON 830—Building Energy
- ENERGY 620—Energy Finance
- ENERGY 727—Energy Law
primary concentration course-based pathway
The course-based pathway will be available in a limited capacity to students matriculating in fall 2025 and will be fully available for students matriculating in fall 2026 and beyond. Please see the full concentration page for more details.
Learn more about the EE concentration
Terrestrial and Freshwater Environments
Terrestrial and Freshwater Environments (TFE) Concentration
Develop and apply systems thinking to solving complex, boundary-spanning challenges between land and water, science and management, and environment and society.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Core courses - Required
Most of the courses below are 3 credits except where noted. Required courses include one natural science course and one integrative science course, plus two additional courses from either natural or integrative sciences:
Natural Sciences
- ECS 511—The Climate System
- ENVIRON 714—Landscape Ecology
- ENVIRON 732—Hydrology in Environmental Management
- ENVIRON 734—Watershed Hydrology
- ENVIRON 743—Food Web Theory
- ENVIRON 503—Forest Ecosystems
- ENVIRON 517—Tropical Ecology
- ENVIRON 744—Freshwater Ecosystems
- ENVIRON 564—Biogeochemistry
- ENVIRON 721—Soil Resources
Integrative Sciences
- ECS 550—Climate and Society
- ENVIRON 646—Urban Ecology
- ECS 524—Water Quality Health
- ENVIRON 501—Environmental Toxicology
- ECS 525—Ocean and Freshwater Pollution
- ENVIRON 703—Conserving the Variety of Life
- NV 617—Restoration Ecology
- ECS 570—Geohazards and Disaster Risk
Elective Course Suggestions
The Nicholas School offers a wide variety of environmental social sciences that can enhance and shape TFE curricula, such as:
- ENVIRON 835—Environmental Law
- ENVIRON 577—Environmental Politics
- LAW 320—Water Resources Law (2 credits)
- ENVIRON 520, 521—Resource and Environmental Economics I, II (1.5 credits each); or ENVIRON 520, 680—Resources and Environmental Economics I, Economics of Forest Resources (1.5 credits each)
- ENVIRON 550—Land Use Principles
primary concentration course-based pathway
The course-based pathway will be available in a limited capacity to students matriculating in fall 2025 and will be fully available for students matriculating in fall 2026 and beyond. Please see the full concentration page for more details.
Management Concentrations – Select One
Your Management Concentration enables you to develop essential skillsets related to professional practice in the area you selected as your Environment Concentration. You will choose one Management Concentration and will take four courses in this area.
Business and Environment
BUSINESS AND Environment (BE) CONCENTRATION
Combine your cutting-edge environmental science education with analytical and applied business practices, helping organizations find triple bottom line solutions for people, planet and profit.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Core Courses - Required
To ensure that BE students will have a working knowledge of finance, strategy, operations and marketing as it relates to environmental and climate impacts in the corporate sector, all students must take the following four courses:
- ENVIRON 811—Business and Environment (3 credits, fall year 1)
- ENVIRON 796—Financial Foundations for Environmental Managers (3 credits, fall year 1)
- ENVIRON 782—Marketing for Environmental Professionals (3 credits, spring year 1)
- ENVIRON 831—Business Strategy for Sustainability (3 credits, spring year 1)
Elective Course suggestions
For students interested in further developing their business skills as they relate to corporate environmental management, we recommend students take the following courses as part of their MEM degree:
- ENVIRON 767—Entrepreneurial Experience
- ENVIRON 790xx—Financial Modeling Practicum
- ENVIRON 790xx—Carbon Accounting and Certification
- ENVIRON 638—Environmental Life Cycle Analysis and Decision Making
- ENVIRON 590xx—Design Climate
- ENVIRON 790.41—Sustainable Operations & Supply Chains
- ENVIRON 690—Innovation and Private Sector Responsibility: Navigating Megatrends
primary concentration course-based pathway
The course-based pathway will be available in a limited capacity to students matriculating in fall 2025 and will be fully available for students matriculating in fall 2026 and beyond. Please see the full concentration page for more details.
Learn more about the BE concentration
Community Engagement and Environmental Justice
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT and environmental justice (CEEJ) CONCENTRATION
Explore structural, institutional and historical roots of inequity and injustice while cultivating community-based partnerships in pursuit of environmental and social justice and sustainability.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Gateway Course
ENVIRON 755: Introduction to Community-Based Environmental Management, typically taught in the fall semester is the gateway course for CEEJ concentration.
Course Requirements
Complete at least one of the following courses:
- ENVIRON 506: Environmental Justice: Theory and Practice for Environmental Scientists and Policy Professionals: typically taught in the fall semester
- ENVIRON 790: Environmental Justice: typically taught in the spring semester
- ENVIRON 860SA: Political Ecology: typically taught in the fall semester at the 51±¬ÁÏ Marine Lab
Complete at least one of the following courses:
- ENVIRON 795: Practicum in Community-Based Environmental Management: typically taught in the spring semester; prerequisite course: ENVIRON 755 (fall)
- ENVIRON 869: Environmental Law and Policy Clinic: typically taught fall and spring semesters
Additional Coursework Suggestions
If students have not already completed 12 credits of coursework from the list above, they may select one of the following courses to meet concentration requirements:
- ENVIRON 556: Environmental Conflict Resolution
- ENVIRON 557: Social Science Surveys for Environmental Management
- ENVIRON 577: Environmental Politics
- ENVIRON 632: Environmental Education and Interpretation
- ENVIRON 590: Evaluating Environmental Programs
- ENVIRON 590: Indigenous Land and Water
- ENVIRON 590S: Narrating Nature Documentary and Environmental Studies
- ENVIRON 658/A: Applied Qualitative Research Methods
- ENVIRON 705A: Social Impact Analysis
- ENVIRON 754A: Research Design for Environmental Social Sciences
- ENVIRON 820S: Conservation Ethics
- ENVIRON 887/A: Theory and Methods for Policy Analysis of the Commons
- ENVIRON 975: Community-Based Environmental Management in Mexico
primary concentration course-based pathway
The course-based pathway will be available in a limited capacity to students matriculating in fall 2025 and will be fully available for students matriculating in fall 2026 and beyond. Please see the full concentration page for more details.
Learn more about the CEEJ concentration
Environmental Analytics and Modeling
environmental analytics and modeling (EAM) CONCENTRATION
Gain quantitative and computational experience using data-driven analytical tools such as statistical modeling, geospatial and remote-sensing analysis, and machine learning to address land, water and climate challenges.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
CORE COURSES – REQUIRED
The following courses are required:
- ENVIRON 872L—Environmental Data Exploration
- ENVIRON 710—Applied Statistical Modeling for Environmental Management
Elective Course Suggestions
Students may consider the following courses to round out their degree:
- ECS 568S—Integrated Assessment Modeling
- ENVIRON 514—Machine Learning in Environmental Science
- ENVIRON 558—Satellite Remote Sensing for Environmental Analysis
- ENVIRON 559—Fundamentals of Geospatial Analysis
- ENVIRON 623—Ecological Diversity and Climate Change
- ENVIRON 658/A—Applied Qualitative Research Methods
- ENVIRON 665—Bayesian Inference in Environment Models
- ENVIRON 716L—Modeling for Energy Systems
- ENVIRON 717—Markets for Electric Power
- ENVIRON 761—Geospatial Analysis for Land and Water Management
- ENVIRON 765—Geospatial Analysis for Coastal and Marine Management
- ENVIRON 771—Geospatial Field Skills
- ENVIRON 797—Time Series Analysis for Energy and Environment Applications
- ENVIRON 832—Environmental Decision Analysis
- ENVIRON 850—Quantitative Causal Inference in Environmental Policy
- ENVIRON 859/A—Geospatial Data Analytics
- ENVIRON 876A—Data Time Series Analysis in Marine Sciences (51±¬ÁÏ Marine Lab)
primary concentration course-based pathway
The course-based pathway will be available in a limited capacity to students matriculating in fall 2025 and will be fully available for students matriculating in fall 2026 and beyond. Please see the full concentration page for more details.
Learn more about the EAM concentration
Environmental Economics and Policy
ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS AND POLICY (EEP) CONCENTRATION
Our highly analytical environmental policy program provides training in economics, politics and law for future policymakers, policy advisors and policy advocates.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
CORE COURSES – REQUIRED
The following courses are required:
- ENVIRON 520—Resource and Environmental Economics I (1.5 credits, fall)
- ENVIRON 521*—Resource and Environmental Economics II (1.5 credits, fall)
- *Students may substitute ENVIRON 635—Energy Economics and Policy or ENVIRON 680—Economics of Forest Resources for ENVIRON 521
- ENVIRON 577*—Environmental Politics (3 credits, spring)
- *Students may substitute ENVIRON 705A—Social Impact Analysis, ENVIRON 860S/A—Political Ecology or ENVIRON 877A—Theory and Methods for Policy Analysis of the Commons for ENVIRON 577
- ENVIRON 710—Applied Statistical Modeling for Environmental Management (3 credits, fall)
- ENVIRON 835—Environmental Law (3 credits, spring)
Elective Course Suggestions
- ENVIRON 506—Environmental Justice: Theory and Practice for Environmental Scientists and Policy Professionals
- ENVIRON 531L— Economic Valuation of the Environment
- ENVIRON 550—Land Use Principles and Policy
- ENVIRON 590—Economics of Modern Power Systems
- ENERGY 727—Energy Law
- ENVIRON 727S—Forest in the Public Interest
- ENVIRON 741—Water Resources Finance
- ENVIRON 775 —Ocean and Coastal Law and Policy
- ENVIRON 807— International Fisheries Policy
- ENVIRON 832—Environmental Decision Analysis
- ENVIRON 869—Environmental Law and Policy Clinic
primary concentration course-based pathway
The course-based pathway will be available in a limited capacity to students matriculating in fall 2025 and will be fully available for students matriculating in fall 2026 and beyond. Please see the full concentration page for more details.
Free Electives
Augment your specialized training through a broad selection of elective courses at the Nicholas school, or choose from a modified catalog of courses at other 51±¬ÁÏ professional schools and at UNC-Chapel Hill, NC State University, and other partner universities.
Once matriculated, you will be assigned an academic advisor who will work with you during registration to ensure you're on track to meet graduation requirements and your elective course choices are the best match for your interests and career goals.
Primary Concentration Pathways
Primary concentration pathways offer options for MEM students who want to focus their graduate experience in different ways. Whether through advanced coursework or a Master's Project (MP) experience, students will gain tangible deliverables, professional growth, and preparation for their next steps after graduation.
Course-Based Pathway
The course-based pathway will be available in a limited capacity to students matriculating in fall 2025 and will be fully available for students matriculating in fall 2026 and beyond.
The course-based pathway offers students options from approved courses, depending on their primary concentration. All pathways are designed to provide hands-on, applied learning and help students deepen skills relevant to their career goals.
This pathway will involve a minimum of six additional graded credit hours. Please refer to your primary concentration program chair or the list of courses on your concentration's page for more information about specific requirements by concentration.
Master's Project Pathway (MP)
For students matriculating in fall 2026 and beyond, the Master's Project will have a new structure.
A Master's Project (MP) is a problem or inquiry-based project led by a student, or group of students, to develop analytical capabilities, practice and demonstrate professional skills, and produce defined deliverables. During their first year of study, students may propose a topic to a faculty member or apply to a faculty-generated research project, which sometimes involves an external partner.
Students must have the approval of a Nicholas School faculty member to pursue an MP and it is important to note that not all projects will be approved. Master's program chairs will explain further details in the first semester of the program.
When approved, project planning begins as early as the second (spring) semester and culminates in the students’ fourth and final semester. Students will be enrolled for a total of six graded credits: three in the second-year fall and three in the second-year spring.
Depending on the nature of the project, summer work may or may not be expected. Students pursuing an MP are encouraged to connect with a possible faculty advisor in their first semester and by the start of the second semester, students must have identified a willing MP advisor and submit a project proposal.
Outputs from the MP experience can be flexible, but should reflect future professional practice. In all cases, there must be a written component that can be uploaded to 51±¬ÁÏSpace.
View Past Master's Project Examples
Seminar
You will take this course every semester, registering for the section that accompanies your primary concentration choice. Even though you will have registered for this course in multiple semesters, you will earn only one credit towards your degree at graduation. Seminar activities include MP status and practice presentations, registration and course advising, and professional development activities.
How Does 51±¬ÁÏ's Degree Compare?
As a professional master’s degree, our Master of Environmental Management (MEM) provides an interdisciplinary lens on tackling environmental issues in partnership with colleagues and communities. While many Master of Science (MS) degree programs are more research-focused, the MEM is an applied degree.
Though the majority of our graduates enter the workforce upon graduation, a handful of our MEM graduates do pursue further study in doctoral programs.
What Skills Can You Gain at the Nicholas School?
Master of Environmental Management and Master of Forestry students discuss skills they’ve learned during their time at 51±¬ÁÏ.
Unearth the Possibilities
The Master of Environmental Management (MEM) is a flexible two-year professional master's degree for students who want to make an impact in meaningful careers at the intersection of policy, science and community.