Studying Environmental Policy
Posted on May 19th, 2014 by Bryanna DavisEnvironmental Policy
Sometimes in order to change the world, policies have to be made. International students who study environmental policy will have the opportunity to decide which policies will better help the earth and how those policies will be implemented. Without these students, the ability to protect the planet from various risks and issues would be more difficult and less apparent.
We live in a world of coexisting. We coexist with our neighbors. We coexist with our co-workers. We coexist with the people in the checkout line at the grocery store. Most importantly, we coexist with nature, with the environment that houses our ability to live. Because of this, the harm we have done to the environment has produced negative effects in our world of coexisting, and men and women across the world are coming together to make environmental policy changes to help our environment remain sustainable. Without environmental policy, the world may continue to be unaware of how to take better action in protecting our planet.
What Is Environmental Policy?
When climate change, pollution, genetic engineering and other environmental issues affect our everyday living, scientists and professionals find ways to promote change and heal the earth. International students studying environmental policy will be able to identify, assess and monitor environmental issues and find solutions toward making progress on these issues. Whether in rural or urban settings, environmental policy teaches students to create scientifically credible decisions that lead to the move of society in a more sustainable direction.
Why Study Environmental Policy?
As an international student studying environmental policy, you can create public policies and plans that will change the world. Since environmental policy focuses on action, boldness and advocating, students in this field will have a hands-on and exciting experience, knowing first hand how to analyze the diverse environments found on our planet. Along with knowing the environment, these students will be familiar with law, human behavior, and research.
Because students who study environmental policy gain such a broad education—including economics, politics, psychology, and sociology—employers are interested in working with these students. The experiential learning involved in environmental policy programs tell the employers that not only can they conceive different learning techniques and information, but they can also do what should be done about the conceptualized information.
What Are The Programs?
Environmental policy programs combine politics and science to create a curriculum that will give students the ability to create and implement solutions to environmental problems. Other fields of study involved in environmental policy could be sociology, psychology, law, and management. Some courses in environmental policy programs could include environmental monitoring and analysis, environmental or ecological management, environmental planning, energy markets and energy politics, environmental law, negotiation skills, and more.
Many programs will be hands-on, as taking action and making strides toward progression are a part of understanding the field. New York City has many environmental organizations that try to tackle the issues that come with an urban environment. Because of this, programs such as the master’s program for environmental policy at The New School can provide a laboratory for experiential learning. The Tishman Environmental and Design Center, the Chase Competition, Community Development Finance, the International Field Program, and other organizations and programs are only a few examples of what students at The New School in New York City can experience in environmental policy.
What Careers Are In Environmental Policy?
Since a diverse range of skills are needed to succeed in environmental policy, available career options are well-rounded and vary considering whether or not students have decided on a concentration or dual major to help specialize their career goals. Some career options are:
- Ocean and coastal resource management
- Environmental planner
- Finance manager
- Lobbyist
- Business, sustainability and development
- Biological scientist
- Natural resource policy and management
There is often a disconnect between science and policy, but environmental policy seeks to bridge that gap. International students who study environmental policy will have the potential and the knowledge to take the information they learned in their classes and apply that to appoint policy decisions. With the help of these political changes and inspiration to promote change, the world is starting to notice that we live in a world of coexisting with the environment, not separated from it.
