BA/MS in Energy & Environment

NOTE: In academic year 2020–2021, the Department of Earth & Environment recoded all courses from ES and GE to EE.

The BA/MS program in Energy & Environment offered through the Department of Earth & Environment combines advanced undergraduate and graduate coursework to provide students with the foundational knowledge and advanced analytical skills to prepare them for professional opportunities in energy and environmental fields at a variety of organizations including government agencies, consulting firms, and nonprofits. The program provides qualified juniors and seniors an opportunity to earn a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in one coherent program.

The program is open to students pursuing the major in either Environmental Analysis & Policy (EAP) or Earth & Environmental Sciences (EES). The MS is awarded in Energy & Environment by the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (GRS).

Students receive the BA and MS degrees simultaneously. Pursuing a second undergraduate major is allowed only by petition to the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences upon application to the BA/MS program. Courses taken for graduate credit must be taken at the 500 level or higher and completed with a grade of B− or above.

Learning Outcomes

  • Demonstrate a thorough understanding of (a) one or more current energy and/or environmental issues along multiple dimensions (resources, technologies, and markets), and their relationship of these dimensions to (b) fundamental concepts from economics and other social science disciplines (e.g., political science/international relations, or law), and (c) fundamental concepts from natural science.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of quantitative and qualitative theoretical frameworks and methodological approaches used to analyze environmental problems and understand the effectiveness of policy interventions.
  • Quantitatively analyze data and perform simulation modeling to characterize the impacts of energy and environmental policies on human systems.
  • Communicate effectively, verbally and in writing, concepts in the natural and social sciences as they relate to environmental issues, and demonstrate a thorough understanding of the broader societal consequences of one or more environmental problems and policies.
  • Apply analytical techniques from statistics, spatial science, and economics to solve qualitative and quantitative problems in the design and implementation of policies to address environmental issues.

Requirements

Students in the Energy & Environment BA/MS program are required to complete a total of 38 courses (152 credits) while fulfilling all requirements for both the CAS BA and the GRS MS programs. Specific paths of completion will be determined by a student’s undergraduate program.

Environmental Analysis & Policy Majors

Environmental Analysis & Policy majors can count two courses toward both the BA and the MS requirements:

  1. CAS EE 545 Methods of Environmental Policy Analysis
  2. One additional 4-credit course from the approved list of coursework for the MS in Energy & Environment program. A course at the 400/600 level that fulfills both BA and MS requirements may count toward both programs, but it must be taken at the 600 level.

A complete list of requirements for the BA in Environmental Analysis & Policy can be found by visiting the BA in Environmental Analysis & Policy section of this Bulletin.

A complete list of requirements for the MS in Energy & Environment can be found by visiting the MS in Energy & Environment section of the GRS Bulletin.

Earth & Environmental Sciences Majors

Earth & Environmental Sciences majors can count two courses toward both the BA and the MS requirements:

  1. CAS EE 516 Multivariate Analysis for Geographers, which fulfills an upper-elective principal group requirement for students focusing on Earth Observations and a breadth requirement for students focusing on Ecosystems or Earth & Climate.
  2. One additional 4-credit course from the approved list of coursework for the MS in Energy & Environment program. A course at the 400/600 level that fulfills both BA and MS requirements may count toward both programs, but it must be taken at the 600 level. (Note: Students may, in consultation with their advisor, select courses beyond the approved list of elective courses in the MS in Energy & Environment program to count toward the MS.)

A complete list of requirements for the BA in Earth & Environmental Sciences can be found by visiting the BA in Earth & Environmental Sciences section of this Bulletin.

A complete list of requirements for the MS in Energy & Environment can be found by visiting the MS in Energy & Environment section of the GRS Bulletin.

Honors in the Major

In conjunction with the MS in Energy & Environment, students are also encouraged to complete departmental honors in the major requirements during their final year of study.

The requirements to graduate with honors in the major for Environmental Analysis & Policy can be found in the BA in Environmental Analysis & Policy section of this Bulletin.

The requirements to graduate with honors in the major for Earth & Environmental Sciences can be found in the BA in Earth & Environmental Sciences section of this Bulletin.

Application Information

For general BA/MS information for prospective students and application instructions, please refer to the BA/MA and BA/MS Programs section of this Bulletin.