Training Future Policymakers, Advisors and Advocates

The Environmental Economics and Policy (EEP) concentration provides students with knowledge and methods needed to analyze how households, businesses, governments and stakeholders help inform, develop and react to proposed and existing environmental and resource policies.

We strive to give students a broad and cohesive knowledge base in environmental economics, politics and law, including the economics of public goods and externalities, and in the study of interest group behavior, political institutions and property rights. Students also gain quantitative and qualitative analytical skills necessary to examine policies using economic, legal and political frameworks. Additionally, students cultivate professional management skills in teamwork and leadership, ethics, and oral and written presentation.

Concentration Courses

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)
    • *Students may substitute ENERGY 727 Energy law, ENVIRON 502S Climate Change and the Law, EVIRON 733 Risk Regulation in the United States, Europe, and Beyond, ENVIRON 775 Ocean and Coastal Law Policy, LAW 320 Water Resources Law, and Law 566 International Environmental Law.

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

 

EEP Primary concentration 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. Proposed courses and requirements are subject to change. Please contact your primary concentration faculty chair with any questions.

Students whose primary concentration is EEP will choose one of two pathways. Whether through advanced coursework in the course-based pathway or the Master’s Project (MP) pathway, students will gain tangible deliverables, professional growth and preparation for their next steps after graduation.

The EEP course-based pathway offers options from approved courses and requires a minimum of six additional graded credit hours. Students whose primary concentration is EEP may fulfill the 6-credit requirement by self-designing and proposing a 6-credit course-based pathway. This must include:

  1. A 3-credit applied course that synthesizes knowledge across at least two of the following fields: data analytics, economics, politics, or law (see approved list) and requires an original project
  2. One or more elective courses in policy, law, or economics totaling at least 3 credits (see approved list)

Course-Based Pathway Approved Courses

Courses listed below are subject to change. Please contact your primary concentration faculty chair with any questions.

  • ENV527S Impact Evaluation: Energy and Development
  • ENV551 International Conservation and Development
  • ENV590-03 Evaluating Environmental Programs
  • ENV592 UNFCCC Practicum
  • ENV658-01 Qualitative Methods
  • ENV790 Science and Knowledge in Global Climate Governance
  • ENV790 Financial Modeling Practicum
  • ENV640 Climate Economics and Policy
  • ENV795 Practicum in Community-based Environmental Management
  • ENV832 Environmental Decision Analysis
  • ENV850 Did the Policy Work? Quantitative Causal Inference in Environmental Policy
  • ENV860 Political Ecology
  • ENV869 Environmental Law and Policy Clinic
  • Design Climate (with sufficient EEP content, needs approval)
  • Bass Connections (with sufficient EEP content, needs approval)

Additional EEP Electives (non-exhaustive)

  • ENV536S Food, Agriculture, and the Environment: Law and Policy
  • ENV727 Energy Law
  • ENV727S Forest in the Public Interest
  • ENV775 Ocean and Coastal Law and Policy
  • ENV786 Marine Policy
  • ENV796 Financial Foundations for Environmental Managers
  • ENV807 International Fisheries Policy
  • MARSCI 504A Marine Protected Area Monitoring and Management

 

Expectations

Coming in: In addition to the school-wide prerequisites in calculus and statistics required for all concentrations, the EEP concentration requires one semester of microeconomics — either a full-semester microeconomics course or an introductory economics course, of which more than half is devoted to microeconomics rather than macroeconomics. Skills in clear writing and effective communication are also useful.

During the program: Coursework emphasizes economic analysis, policy processes and the role of governance in environmental outcomes. Students will spend time in the computer lab learning how to address complex, 21st-century problems through legal, economic and political lenses. Students will also develop an understanding of legal and social systems and learn how to apply math to decision-making and policymaking.

 

 

Audrey Kuptz

I choose EEP because I wanted to learn how to better advocate for and make changes in the marine and environmental fields of which I am passionate. I also wanted to immerse myself in the intersection of environmental policy and law and there are so many opportunities to do so at the Nicholas School. Taking classes at 51±¬ÁĎ's Sanford School of Public Policy and the Law School has allowed me to work with students outside of my program and see how policy plays a pivotal role in so many different fields and careers."

–Audrey kuptz, MEM'26

Transferable Skills

In this concentration, students will gain skills in:

  • Economic analysis, including benefit-cost analysis and non-market valuation
  • Policy analysis
  • Program evaluation
  • Survey research
  • Applied data analysis
  • Risk analysis
  • Qualitative methods

 

Knowledge Gained

Students in this concentration will also gain:

  • A broad, cohesive knowledge base in environmental economics, politics and law, including the economics of public goods and externalities, and in the study of interest group behavior, political institutions and property rights
  • Quantitative and qualitative skills in applied statistics, survey research, analytical modeling, optimization techniques and case-study methods
  • Professional management skills in teamwork and leadership, ethics, and oral and written presentation

 

Enrich Your Experience

Students in this concentration will find a range of opportunities to expand their academic experience and get connected to projects and people that align with their interests. We recommend exploring these programs to get started: 

 

Career Pathways

Students graduating from the program are qualified for a wide variety of careers in all levels of government, the nonprofit/NGO sector, and private industry, including roles with consulting firms serving federal agencies and departments. Historically, graduates often help the private sector adhere to evolving regulations or shape policy through advocacy and public service.
 
Graduates have secured jobs as a senior risk analyst for offshore wind development at National Grid Ventures; a corporate sustainability professional at Freddie Mac; an environmental protection specialist at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; a resilience planner at the sustainable design and engineering firm Arcadis; a carbon markets assistant at The Nature Conservancy; an assistant director of policy and programs at the Rachel Carson Council; and a sustainability souring manager at T-Mobile, to name just a few.

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