Environmental Sciences and Policy, Master of Science

MS in Environmental Science and Policy

environment.jhu.edu

Climate change, population growth, energy consumption, habitat loss, water depletion and degradation, air pollution, and species extinction have increasingly come to the fore in minds of citizens around the world. To manage the Earth’s environment effectively, there is a need to understand the processes that shape the planet’s surface, control the chemistry of its air and water, and generate the natural resources on which humans depend. Our unique program is distinct in its focus on the interplay between science and policy. This program is founded on the premise that rational solutions to complex, twenty-first century environmental challenges require an in-depth understanding of applicable scientific principles and an appreciation for relevant political, ethical, economic, legal, and historical contexts. Graduates of the program develop combined expertise in science and policy that empowers them to become change agents and leaders in public and private organizations responsible for safeguarding our environment. Many of the program’s students are currently employed in environmental fields but wish to enhance their knowledge or move in new directions. Others seek to transition into the arena of environmental science and policy.

The program offers a flexible curriculum that allows students to customize their academic experience to suit their personal needs and interests. Courses are focused on wide ranging issues such as imperiled global ecosystems, natural resources economics, and multinational environmental trusts and laws. The program is open to students with limited scientific background as well as those that already have a background in the environmental sciences. Core course work includes geology, hydrology, oceanography, meteorology, ecology, geographic information systems (GIS), and policymaking. Electives range across a spectrum from courses strongly oriented toward policy to ones focused more heavily on science. Electives are selected by students under the guidance of advisors.

The program was originally designed by members of the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Johns Hopkins, in conjunction with experts in applied science at regional and federal institutes and agencies. Courses are taught by distinguished instructors with valuable experience in the academic, public, and corporate sectors. Many of the program’s alumni are highly successful professionals. Taking a holistic approach, curricula in the Environmental Sciences and Policy (ESP) program positions students to join and contribute to the global science community.

Admissions Criteria for all Advanced Academic Programs

Program Specific Requirements

• One semester of undergraduate calculus, statistics, and general chemistry

Program Requirements

The core courses introduce the relevant body of knowledge in science and policy upon which students will base their studies. The core courses can be taken in any order.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Select five of the following:
AS.420.601	Geological Foundations of Environmental Science	3
AS.420.603	Environmental Applications of GIS	3
AS.420.604	Hydrology & Water Resources	3
AS.420.608	Oceanic & Atmospheric Processes	3
AS.420.611	Principles & Methods of Ecology	3
AS.420.614	Environmental Policymaking and Policy Analysis	3

Tracks (Optional)

Students in the Master of Science in ESP program could choose to follow a track. The tracks are general recommendations of logical course groupings that could be pursued. Our goal is to maintain flexibility of the ESP program, and allow students to choose courses that best fulfill their interests.

• Conservation Biology
• International Environmental Policy
• Sustainability
• Climate and Energy
• Remediation, Compliance and Assessment

The same five out of six core courses would be required, with electives chosen to support the desired concentration.

Sample Elective Courses for the Conservation Biology Track

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
AS.420.613	Forest Ecosystems	3
AS.420.637	Conservation Biology and Wildlife Management	3
AS.420.639	Landscape Ecology	3
AS.420.654	Environmental & Natural Resource Economics	3
AS.420.667	Analysis of Environmental & Ecological Data	3
AS.420.671	Global Land Use Change	3
AS.420.673	Ecology and Evolution of the Galapagos	3

Sample Elective Courses for the International Environmental Policy Track

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
AS.420.605	Maritime Law and the Environment	3
AS.420.650	International Environmental Policy	3
AS.420.679	International Water: Issues and Policies	3
AS.420.676	Global Scarcity in Freshwater Systems: Crisis and Solutions	3
AS.420.671	Global Land Use Change	3
AS.420.666	Community Development and Sustainability in developing countries	3

Sample Elective Courses for the Sustainability Track

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
AS.420.612	Sustainability Science: Concepts and Challenges	3
AS.420.610	Sustainable Business	3
AS.420.609	Agroecology	3
AS.420.644	Sustainable Cities	3
AS.420.646	Transportation Policy and Smart Growth	3
AS.420.669	Applied Sustainability	3
AS.420.670	Sustainability Leadership	3
AS.420.624	Ocean Stewardship and Sustainability	3

Sample Elective Courses for the Climate and Energy Track

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
AS.420.619	Climate Dynamics	3
AS.420.606	Climate Justice	3
AS.420.665	Climate Change on the Front Lines: The Study of Adaptation in Developing Countries	3
AS.420.616	Environmental Consequences of Conventional Energy Generation	3
AS.420.674	Applied Energy Policy in the 21st Century	3
AS.420.704	Practical Engineering Approaches to Climate Adaptation	3

Sample Elective Courses for the Remediation, Compliance, and Assessment Track

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
AS.420.629	Drinking Water,Sanitation & Health	3
AS.420.634	Bioremediation & Emerging Environmental Technologies	3
AS.420.651	Environmental Risk in Decision Making	3
AS.420.659	Management for Environmental Results with Performance-based Measurement	3
AS.420.677	Spatial Statistics	3
EN.575.629	Modeling Contaminant Migration through Multimedia Systems	3
EN.575.643	Chemistry of Aqueous Systems	3

Electives

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Select five of the following:		15
AS.420.605	Maritime Law and the Environment	3
AS.420.606	Climate Justice	3
AS.420.610	Sustainable Business	3
AS.420.704	Practical Engineering Approaches to Climate Adaptation	3
AS.420.703	Open Source GIScience for Environmental Research	3
AS.420.738	Newfoundland and Labrador: A Journey Through Time	3
AS.420.800	Independent Research Project in Environmental Sciences and Policy	3
AS.420.805	Internship and Capstone Thesis	3
AS.420.888	Capstone or Thesis Continuation
AS.420.704	Practical Engineering Approaches to Climate Adaptation	3
AS.420.738	Newfoundland and Labrador: A Journey Through Time	3
AS.420.678	Nature Conservation and Sustainability in Cuba	3
AS.420.679	International Water: Issues and Policies	3
AS.420.687	Science Communication and Policy Engagement	3
AS.420.674	Applied Energy Policy in the 21st Century	3
AS.420.672	Environmental Ethics	3
AS.420.671	Global Land Use Change	3
AS.420.666	Community Development and Sustainability in developing countries	3
AS.420.630	Tropical Ecology and Conservation of African Wildlife	4
AS.420.627	Great Lakes Ecology and Management	3
AS.420.619	Climate Dynamics	3
AS.420.617	Managing Responsible Organizations for the Ecosystem	3
AS.420.609	Agroecology	3
AS.420.612	Sustainability Science: Concepts and Challenges	3
AS.420.613	Forest Ecosystems	3
AS.420.615	Environmental Restoration	3
AS.420.616	Environmental Consequences of Conventional Energy Generation	3
AS.420.618	Terrestrial and Marine Conservation Biology	3
AS.420.620	Soils in Natural & Anthropogenic Ecosystems	3
AS.420.622	Ecotoxicology	3
AS.420.623	Freshwater Ecology & Restoration of Aquatic Ecosystems	3
AS.420.625	Ecology and Ecosystem Management in Coastal and Estuarine Systems	3
AS.420.626	Field Methods in Ecology	3
AS.420.628	Ecology and Management of Wetlands	3
AS.420.629	Drinking Water,Sanitation & Health	3
AS.420.631	Field Methods in Stream & Water Quality Assessment	3
AS.420.632	Air Quality Management and Policy	3
AS.420.634	Bioremediation & Emerging Environmental Technologies	3
AS.420.635	Integrated Water Resources Management	3
AS.420.637	Conservation Biology and Wildlife Management	3
AS.420.638	Coastal Zone Processes and Policy	3
AS.420.639	Landscape Ecology	3
AS.420.641	Natural Resources Law and Policy	3
AS.420.642	Public Lands-Private Interests:The Struggle for Common Ground	3
AS.420.643	U.S. Environmental History	3
AS.420.644	Sustainable Cities	3
AS.420.646	Transportation Policy and Smart Growth	3
AS.420.650	International Environmental Policy	3
AS.420.651	Environmental Risk in Decision Making	3
AS.420.652	Environmental Justice	3
AS.420.654	Environmental & Natural Resource Economics	3
AS.420.656	Environmental Impact Assessment & Decision Methods	3
AS.420.659	Management for Environmental Results with Performance-based Measurement	3
AS.420.660	Strategies in Watershed Management	3
AS.420.662	Coral Reefs and Caves: The Geology of the Bahamas	3
AS.420.665	Climate Change on the Front Lines: The Study of Adaptation in Developing Countries	3
AS.420.667	Analysis of Environmental & Ecological Data	3
AS.420.668	Sustainable Food Systems	3
AS.420.669	Applied Sustainability	3
AS.420.670	Sustainability Leadership	3
AS.420.673	Ecology and Evolution of the Galapagos	3
AS.420.675	Geology and Tropical Ecology of Hawai’i	3
AS.420.676	Global Scarcity in Freshwater Systems: Crisis and Solutions	3
AS.420.677	Spatial Statistics	3
AS.420.681	Climate Change Adaptation and Development in Nepal	3

Optional Capstone

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
AS.420.800	Independent Research Project in Environmental Sciences and Policy	3
AS.420.805	Internship and Capstone Thesis	3
AS.425.800	Research Design for Capstone Projects in Energy and Environmental Sciences	3

Intensive Study Courses

Several ESP courses are offered as intensive study field courses. These courses meet the residency requirement and occur in a compressed format during the summer, winter, or over spring break. Each intensive study course has an additional field trip fee. Students are responsible for travel to the location of their residency course. 

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
AS.420.618	Terrestrial and Marine Conservation Biology (Maine)	3
AS.420.623	Freshwater Ecology & Restoration of Aquatic Ecosystems (Maryland)	3
AS.420.637	Conservation Biology and Wildlife Management (Montana)	3
AS.420.662	Coral Reefs and Caves: The Geology of the Bahamas	3
AS.420.669	Applied Sustainability (Maryland)	3
AS.420.670	Sustainability Leadership (Costa Rica)	3
AS.420.673	Ecology and Evolution of the Galapagos	3
AS.420.675	Geology and Tropical Ecology of Hawai’i	3
AS.420.678	Nature Conservation and Sustainability in Cuba	3
AS.420.681	Climate Change Adaptation and Development in Nepal	3
AS.420.669	Applied Sustainability	3
AS.425.617	Energy, Eutrophication, and Inundation in Coastal Louisiana	3
AS.430.629	Drones in Geospatial Decision Making	4
AS.420.627	Great Lakes Ecology and Management	3
AS.420.705	Natural Resources Sustainability: Field Study in Alaska	3
AS.420.673	Ecology and Evolution of the Galapagos	3
AS.420.678	Nature Conservation and Sustainability in Cuba	3
AS.420.738	Newfoundland and Labrador: A Journey Through Time	3
AS.420.630	Tropical Ecology and Conservation of African Wildlife	4
420.602 TROPICAL FIELD ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION		3

Residency Requirement

Many courses are offered online, but at least one ESP course must be taken in an on-site classroom or as an in-person field course to fulfill the requirements of the degree. Students may choose to come to our campus in Baltimore or Washington DC for a whole semester, during intersession, or opt for an intensive field course. These are offered throughout the year, but the majority are scheduled during the summer or in January. Compressed field courses require an additional fee and often include lodging, course transportation, and some food (this is variable). Students are responsible for travel to the location of their residency course. Note: The University does not have lodging facilities in Washington DC.

Electives Outside of ESP Program

Electives should be chosen in consultation with the student’s advisor and should accommodate individual career goals. To customize the ESP experience, each student should choose electives that align with their scholarly and professional interests such as courses in environmental sustainability, monitoring, planning, or management. These electives may be chosen from any combination of the environmental sciences and policy offerings. Students may also consider related courses elsewhere in Advanced Academic Programs or in the schools of Engineering, Public Health, Advanced International Studies, Business, or Education (see Registering for Courses in Other Divisions/Programs). Students are permitted, with the written consent of the director of the program, to take up to two pertinent courses outside of the ESP degree. Please refer to the Advanced Academic Programs course schedule for exact dates, times, locations, fees, and instructors.

Program Educational Objectives

Our overall programmatic goals at ESP have several objectives and we will hit upon all of these as we read, discuss and proceed through course. Among our learning goals, we want to identify root and structural causes and the systemic nature of environmental issue (such as invasive species), critical interpretation of environmental information (e.g. examining forest carbon sequestration trends), synthesizing scientific studies (e.g. the impacts of land use change on forests), integrating basic principles derived from your core courses (e.g. geology and ecology) and finally we want to frame our science discussions around sound policy decisions (e.g. National Park mining exploration and fire policy).

When you successfully complete the program requirements, you would achieve the following goals: (Number Objectives)

1. Understand environmental policy making processes, institutions, and organizations to be able to identify root and structural causes and the systemic nature of environmental problems.
2. Research and recommend methods for collection, analysis, presentation and critical interpretation of environmental information using appropriate statistical and quantitative tools.
3. Develop competency in evaluating and synthesizing scientific studies to guide environmental decision making, policy making, and advocacy. Utilize the practical and theoretical components of environmental science and policy to develop local and global environmental strategies.
4. Describe and analyze environmental problems by applying or integrating basic principles derived from natural and social science, legal, and economic frameworks. Additionally, to conceptualize, develop and devise bridges between the realms of policy and science on critical environmental issues.
5. Evaluate effective strategies, technologies, and methods for sustainable management of environmental systems at and for the remediation or restoration of degraded environments in conjunction with evidence-based, science-informed environmental policy analysis.