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Columbia
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Columbia University Program Link: |
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Steve Cohen, Director Phone: (212) 854-4445 Fax: (212) 854-5765 sc32@columbia.edu |
The Master's Program in Earth Systems Science, Policy, and Management
trains sophisticated public managers and policymakers, who apply innovative,
systems-based thinking to environmental issues. The program challenges
students to think systemically and act pragmatically. To meet this challenge,
we offer a top-quality graduate program in management and policy analysis,
which emphasizes practical skills and is enriched by ecological and
planetary science.
Our approach reflects the system-level thinking that is needed to understand
ecological interactions and maintain the health of the earth's interconnected
ecological, institutional, economic, and social systems.
Graduates are creating a new profession of earth systems problem-solvers:
individuals who are prepared for leadership positions in local, state,
and federal government agencies, as well as in nonprofit organizations
and the environmental divisions of private corporations. They are also
well suited for designing cost-effective programs and implementing policies.
Most importantly, a deep understanding of earth systems informs their
work, allowing them to craft the kinds of solutions necessary for our
increasingly complex environmental problems.
Master of Public Administration in Earth Systems Science, Policy, and
Management
Admission to the School of International and Public Affairs is competitive,
based in large part on academic excellence and professional focus. The
applicant must have a bachelor's degree or evidence of equivalent preparation
as determined by the Director of Admissions. Undergraduate work should
include courses in economics. At the very least, students should also
have taken chemistry and biology at the level taught in high school.
We advise those lacking an economics background and a basic understanding
of chemistry and biology to make up these deficiencies before entering
the program.
In order to assess a candidate's qualifications for admission, the Admissions
Committee reviews the following elements of a prospect's application:
personal statement, resume, transcripts, and letters of appraisal, and
it recommends but does not require the Graduate Record Exam. (Please
refer to the Application Checklist for more data about these requirements.)
Students enrolled in the Master of Public Administration Program in
Earth Systems Science, Policy, and Management complete the MPA degree
in twelve months. The curriculum provides a management and policy analytic
core curriculum and a natural and social science earth systems concentration.
Students complete a total of 54 points over three semesters. The intensive
course of study begins in early June with an orientation program. The
summer term begins immediately afterward, followed by the autumn and
spring terms.
The summer term features the fundamental science of earth systems and
conservation biology, as well as an introduction to environmental policy
and management issues. In the autumn and spring, students delve deeper
into the formulation and management of public policy. The physical and
social sciences are linked throughout the program so that students gain
an integrated understanding of earth systems.
Students apply this integrated approach by working on two specific theme
exercises that challenge them to think about global and local earth
systems issues. The exercise reflects the program's goal, which is to
teach a method of inquiry appropriate to the wide diversity of earth
system policy issues.
Classes are offered five days a week and are augmented by informal
group work in all core courses. The program begins in early June and
ends the following year in mid-May. There is a week-long break between
the summer and autumn semesters and a longer break between the autumn
and spring semesters. There is also a week-long spring break in March.
The schedule for the 2002-2003 academic year is:
Summer term
June 10-September 13, 2002
Autumn term
September 23-December 20
Spring term
January 20-May 9, 2003
(Spring Break: March 8-16)
The schedule for the 2003-2004 academic year is:
Summer term
June 9-September 12, 2003
Autumn term
September 22December 19
Spring term
January 19-April 30, 2004
(Spring Break: March 6-14)
Barry Bozeman Adjunct Professor of Public Affairs, Columbia
University, School of
International and Public Affairs, Director, Center for Environmental
Policy, Columbia Earth Institute, Regents Professor of Public Policy
& Distinguished Research Scholar, Center for Science, Policy and
Outcomes, Georgia Tech
Elizabeth Corley Assistant Professor of Public Affairs
David Leonard Downie Director of Educational Partnerships, Office
of Educational Programs, Columbia Earth Institute
William B. Eimicke Director of the Picker Center for Executive
Education, Columbia University, School of International and Public Affairs
Lewis E. Gilbert Executive Director, Office of Strategic Initiatives,
Columbia University
Tanya Heikkila Assistant Professor of Public Affairs
Patrick Louchouarn Professor of Environmental Science
Ben A. Minteer Associate Research Scientist in Environmental
Policy and Management; Associate Director, Center for Public Policy
and the Environment, The Earth Institute at Columbia University
Andrew G. Peterson Assistant Professor, Biosphere 2 Center
Alexander S. P. Pfaff Associate Professor of Economics and International
Affairs
Stephanie Pfirman Professor and Chair, Department of Environmental
Science, Barnard College
Steve Rayner Professor of International and Public Affairs. Director,
Program in Environmental Policy Studies
Gary Sax Adjunct Professor of Public Affairs
Glenn Sheriff Lecturer in Earth Systems Policy & Management
Arthur A. Small, III Assistant Professor of International and
Public Affairs
William Duncan Solecki Adjunct Professor of Environmental Affairs,
Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs; Associate
Professor, Department of Earth & Environmental Studies, Montclair
State University.
Jonathan Titus Assistant Professor, Biosphere 2 Center
Martin Visbeck Associate Professor of Earth and Environmental
Science Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory
Bryan Lee Williams Adjunct Professor of Environmental Affairs,
Columbia University, School of International and Public Affairs; Associate
Professor, Public Health & Director of Environment, Behavior, and
Risk Research Laboratory, College of Public Health, University of Arizona;
Joint Associate Professor, Soil Water and Environmental Sciences, College
of Agriculture, University of Arizona; Adjunct Assistant Professor,
Department of Civil Engineering, School of Engineering, Vanderbilt University.
Tuition and Fees: Tuition for the 2002-2003 academic year will
be approximately $12,996 per semester. Students are also required to
pay fees for certain specific services at Columbia, such as access to
the computer labs and Biosphere 2 recreational facilities, and a one-time
transcript fee. While specific amounts are not available for 2002-2003,
the anticipated cost is expected to range from $875 to $925 per term.
A complete list of applicable fees will be provided on your billing
invoice.
Estimated Cost of Attendance 2002-2003 Academic Year: Three semesters
of tuition (total tuition for the entire MPA Program): $38,998 Fees:
$ 2,730 (approx.) Living expenses: $7,275 Personal expenses: $3,900
Books: $1,500 Total estimated cost of attendance for the entire degree:
$54,393
Financial Aid: Applicants to the program who are U.S. citizens
or permanent residents are typically eligible for federal Stafford student
loans up to $37,000 for the length of the program, nearly the full cost
of tuition. All interested applicants must complete the Free Application
for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is available at all colleges
and high schools, online at www.fafsa.ed.gov, or through the SIPA Office
of Admissions and Financial Aid, (212) 854-6216. The School's Title
IV code is E00128. Students are strongly encouraged to submit their
FAFSA form by February 15. Following admission, all students who submitted
a FAFSA form will be advised by the School of their eligibility for
federal aid via an award letter with the forms and materials needed
to apply for Stafford loans.
Additional educational financing support sufficient to meet the full
cost of attendance is available through an assortment of private lenders.
Following admission, all students will be mailed a packet of information
entitled the "Columbia Comprehensive Educational Financing Plan."
This guide outlines the financing options recommended by Columbia University.
Students enrolled in the program are eligible to have prior federal
student loans deferred during their term of study. Please contact your
lender for a Certification of Enrollment form and bring it to the Biosphere
Student Affairs Office for certification. Fellowships The School of
International and Public Affairs and the Columbia Earth Institute award
a limited number of fellowship/scholarship grants to incoming students
on the basis of merit and need. International students are considered
on the same basis as domestic applicants. A fellowship application is
included as part of the application for admission
Courses in environmental science round out the training so that our
graduates will be able to inform the decision-making process and manage
science experts. The policy and management challenges our graduates
are being trained to address include global change issues such as global
warming, but, more frequently, focus on air, water, solid waste, and
toxic waste management issues. Graduates of the MPA Program in Earth
Systems Science, Policy, and Management are prepared for the role of
analyst, manager, and translator of scientific knowledge. This MPA program
requires more environmental science than any other public policy master's
degree in the world. The skills and concepts involve an understanding
of scientific method, including observation, hypothesis generation,
and hypothesis testing; the chemical processes affecting environmental
quality and public health; collection and analysis of field and laboratory
data; and systems modeling.
