Environment and Society - PhD

The degrees in Environment and Society (ENVS) were created in response to a growing demand in natural resource fields for more interdisciplinary professionals with diverse skills and broader intellectual capabilities. It is being recognized, for example, that social and managerial sciences are increasingly important in helping society better understand and solve environmental problems. The ENVS program will produce students who are problem solvers because they will be able to integrate human and biophysical aspects of ecosystems, and better analyze policies and decisions that encourage both community and ecosystem sustainability.

The ENVS degrees will train students for professional positions with local, state, national, and international resource management agencies, private consulting and environmental analysis firms, and non-governmental environmental organizations. The M.S. degree will prepare students for professional practice in natural resources and environmental management and planning, policy and program analysis, public affairs, environmental education, community assessment and collaboration, conflict management, and extension/outreach positions. The Ph.D. program puts greater emphasis on basic theory and research methods in one or more social science disciplines, depending on the student’s interests. The Ph.D. will prepare students for university teaching, research, and extension; conducting agency and private organization research; and for positions in formal policy and program evaluation.