Course description
Professional Curriculum
Our mission is to provide the professional training needed for leadership positions in International Environmental Policy—in government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and businesses—throughout the world. Our curriculum is informed by top leaders in the environmental field, who provide us with a detailed account of the skills, knowledge, and experience they seek in graduate students.
Our curriculum is….
Solution Oriented: We train students to be the solution - to craft effective, efficient, and just strategies to tackle the world’s toughest environmental challenges. Our courses blend theoretical and practical applications to prepare students for the job market.
Dynamic: The fast-paced policy world demands an evolving curriculum. We regularly create new courses to give students skills and knowledge relevant to today’s pressing environmental policy challenges. For example, in the spring of 2010 we were the first campus in the U.S. to offer a full semester course on carbon markets.
International: In contrast to other U.S. programs, which still largely focus upon U.S.-policy issues, our curriculum is international in scope. Special programs such as the International Professional Service Semester program and the Development Project Management Institute Plus provide opportunities for immersive professional experiences that often lead directly to job offers.
Interdisciplinary: Faculty from disciplines including economics, business, political science, conservation biology, and energy and resources teach and develop courses together. IEP students can choose from a large number of electives in the Graduate School of International Policy and Management in fields as diverse as conflict resolution, development, trade policy, public administration, non-profit management and business. In addition, speaker series, symposia, conferences, and extended one-on-one time with faculty contribute to a rich learning experience outside the classroom.
Specialized: We offer three tracks at the cutting edge of new career opportunities: Energy & Climate Change, Marine & Land Conservation, and Business, Sustainability, & Development. We also offer the option of completing a dual-degree Masters in International Environmental Policy (MAIEP) and a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) in three years.
Collaborative: Students may earn credit towards their MAIEP degree from our excellent neighboring institutions, such as the Naval Postgraduate School, Stanford’s Hopkins Marine Lab, and the University of California at Santa Cruz. Please see our COS MARINE page for details on taking courses on all aspects of marine science and policy in the Monterey Bay Area.
Career Possibilities
There is no typical job profile for an IEP graduate. Our students have developed careers in government, the private sector, and non-governmental organizations, as well as exciting niche fields. Browse through our career page to learn more about organizations where IEP graduates are employed. Students have the additional option to participate in the Masters International IEP, which combines two years overseas experience in the Peace Corps with two years of graduate training.
Outstanding Local Resources
Within 100 miles from campus are innovative leaders in virtually all aspects of environmental policy, business, and technology. Many local organizations employ IEP students as paid or volunteer interns, offering invaluable experience and networking opportunities. These organizations continually seek our students and graduates because of their high degree of professionalism and the quality of their work.
Monterey is also a center of marine and ocean conservation and policy, featuring excellent resources such as the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, one of a number of marine protected areas that serves as an example of ocean conservation. Additional notable organizations include the Center for Ocean Solutions, the Center for the Future of the Oceans, the Ocean Conservancy and Oceana.
Nearby Silicon Valley serves as the heart of the greentech revolution. The organic agriculture movement started on the other side of the bay in Santa Cruz. Conservation leaders like the Big Sur Land Trust and the Ventana Wildlife Society are local groups that have helped define conservation policy for decades. Finally, only two hours away, the San Francisco Bay Area has the highest concentration of environmental NGOs anywhere in the world.
Sustainable Campus
Our Sustainability Council and student-led groups have achievements that place us among the most environmentally-conscious campuses in the country.
