Programs
Bloomington Campus
Master of Public Affairs Dual Degree Programs
Master of Public Affairs–Master of Science in Environmental Science
This combined master’s program is a 60-credit hour program that gives the student more depth and breadth than is possible in a single degree. M.P.A. and M.S.E.S. degrees are awarded concurrently after the student has completed the requirements for both degrees.
Application and Admission
The student must apply to and be accepted by both the Master of Public Affairs program and the Master of Science in Environmental Science program. The normal criteria for admission to each program apply.
Program Requirements
(60 credit hours) The combined M.P.A.–M.S.E.S. program requires a minimum of 60 credit hours distributed among four components: environmental science core, public affairs core, environmental science and policy concentration, and professional experience.
Public Affairs Core
Required Courses (15 credit hours)
| SPEA-E 543 | Environmental Management | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-F 560 | Public Finance and Budgeting | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-V 506 | Statistical Analysis for Effective Decision Making | (3 cr.) |
| OR | ||
| SPEA-E 538 | Statistics for Environmental Science | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-V 517 | Public Management Economics | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-V 540 | Law and Public Affairs | (3 cr.) |
Environmental Science Core Competencies
Each Student should demonstrate a competency in the following areas of environmental science: mathematics, statistics, chemistry, engineering principles, and ecology. The selection of courses may vary according to the students background. Some or all of the following course categories may be appropriate to be determined in consultation with the gatekeepers for each course category.
Required Courses (12 credit hours)
| SPEA-E 526 | Applied Mathematics for Environmental Science | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 527 | Applied Ecology |
(3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 536 | Environmental Chemistry |
(3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 552 | Environmental Engineering | (3 cr.) |
Tool Skill Courses (3 credit hours)
Students are encouraged to acquire competency in analytical methods by focusing on tool skills appropriate to their concentration. Courses should be selected in consultation with a concentration advisor.
| SPEA-E 512 | Risk Communication | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 518 | Vector-based Geographic Information Systems | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 529 | Application of Geographic Information Systems | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 555 | GIS for Managers | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 560 | Environmental Risk Analysis | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-M 547 | Negotiation and Dispute Resolution for Public Affairs | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-P 507 | Data Analysis and Modeling for Public Affairs | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-P 539 | Management Science for Public Affairs | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-P 541 | Benefit Cost Analysis | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-P 562 | Public Program Evaluation | (3 cr.) |
Capstone
Required Course (3 credit hours)
Choose one of the following courses:
| SPEA-E 546 | Stream Ecology | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 560 | Environmental Risk Analysis | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 625 | Research in Environmental Science | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-V 600 | Capstone in Public and Environmental Affairs | (3 cr.) |
| *GLOBASE | Capstone in Global Business and Social Enterprise | (3 cr.) |
*Please note only second year students can count GLOBASE as a capstone.
Program Options
Dual degree students can pursue one of six concentration options.
1. Environmental Management Concentration
(24 credit hours)
Required Courses
In consultation with an advisor, choose four of the following courses:| SPEA-E 515 | Fundamentals of Air Pollution | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 520 | Environmental Toxicology | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 528 | Forest Ecology and Management | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 539 | Aquatic Chemistry | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 540 | Wetlands Ecology and Management | (4 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 542 | Hazardous Materials | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 545 | Lake and Watershed Management | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 562 | Solid and Hazardous Waste Management | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-R 643 | Natural Resource Management and Policy | (3 cr.) |
Electives (12 credit hours)
In consultation with an advisor, choose four of the following, including at least two law/management/policy-focused electives.
Science-Focused Electives:
| SPEA-E 502 | Water Quality Modeling | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 534 | Restoration Ecology | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 544 | Subsurface Microbiology and Bioremediation | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 554 | Groundwater Flow Modeling | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 555 | Toxicology in the 21st Century | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 564 | Organic Pollutants: Environmental Chemistry & Fate | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 574 | Energy Systems | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 591 | Climate Change Impacts on Natural Resources |
(3 cr.) |
Law, Management, and Policy-Focused Electives:
| SPEA-E 512 | Risk Communication | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-R 531 | Water Law | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-R 533 | Public Natural Resource Law | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-R 625 | Environmental Economics and Policy | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-R 643 | Natural Resource Management and Policy | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-R 645 | Environmental Law | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-R 674 | Energy Economics and Policy | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-V 550 | Water Policy and Economics | (3 cr.) |
Tools Electives:
| SPEA-E 518 | Vector-Based Geographic Information Systems | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 529 | Application of Geographic Information Systems | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 560 | Risk Analysis | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-I 516 | Public Management Information Systems | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-M 547 | Negotiation and Dispute Resolution for Public Affairs | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-M 654 | Public Program Management and Contracting | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-P 507 | Data Analysis and Modeling for Public Affairs | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-P 541 | Benefit Cost Analysis | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-P 562 | Public Program Evaluation | (3 cr.) |
2. Environmental Systems Analysis and Modeling Concentration
(27 credit hours)
Required Courses
The following three courses:
| SPEA-E 560 | Environmental Risk Analysis | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-P 507 | Data Analysis and Modeling for Public Affairs | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-P 539 | Management Science for Public Affairs | (3 cr.) |
Electives (18 credit hours)
In consultation with a concentration advisor, select a total of 6 classes, including at least 2 classes from the Sciences section and 2 classes from the Policy and Administration section.
Science (choose at least two of the following courses):
| SPEA-E 502 | Water Quality Modeling | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 515 | Fundamentals of Air Pollution Control | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 518 | Vector-Based Geographic Information Systems | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 529 | Application of Geographic Information Systems | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 539 | Aquatic Chemistry | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 554 | Groundwater Flow Modeling | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 555 | Fluid Mechanics | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 564 | Organic Pollutants: Environmental Chemistry and Fate | (3 cr.) |
| GEOG-G 588 | Applied Spatial Statistics | (3 cr.) |
Policy and Administration (choose at least two of the following courses):
| SPEA-P 541 | Benefit Cost Analysis | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-P 562 | Public Program Evaluation | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-R 625 | Environmental Economics and Policy | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-R 674 | Energy Economics and Policy | (3 cr.) |
3. Energy Concentration
(24 credit hours)
Required Courses (6 credit hours)
| SPEA-E 574 | Energy Systems | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-R 674 | Energy Economics and Policy | (3 cr.) |
Electives (18 credit hours)
Students seek a mixture of science and policy courses related to energy in accordance to professional goals. No double counting with program core course is permitted. At least two courses must be taken from each group.
Natural Science Elective Group:
| SPEA-E 503 | Natural Gas: Technical and Policy Challenges | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 515 | Fundamentals of Air Pollution | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 518 | Vector -based Geographic Information Systems | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 529 | Application of Geographic Information Systems | (3 cr.) |
| GEOG-G 532 | Physical Climatology | (3 cr.) |
| GEOL-G 571 | Principles of Petroleum Geology | (3 cr.) |
| GEOL-G 576 | Climate Change | (3 cr.) |
| GEOL-G 587 | Organic Geochemistry | (3 cr.) |
Economics, Public Policy and Law Elective Group:
| SPEA-E 501/X511 | Human Behavior and Energy Consumption | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 535 | International Environment Policy | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-P 541 | Benefit Cost Analysis | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-R 533 | Public Natural Resources | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-R 590 | Energy Policy from a Nation-State Perspective | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-R 625 | Environmental Economics and Policy | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-R 643 | Natural Resource Management and Policy | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-R 645 | Environmental Law | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-S 596 | Sustainable Development | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-V 550/LAW-L 644 | Energy Law and Policy | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-V 550/LAW-L 660 | Climate Law and Policy | (3 cr.) |
4. Water Management Concentration
(25 credit hours)
Required Courses (10 credit hours)
| SPEA-E 556 | Limnology | (4 cr.) |
| SPEA-R 531 | Water Law | (3 cr.) |
| or | ||
| SPEA-V 550 | Water Policy and Economics | (3 cr.) |
| One physical science class from the list below | (3 cr.) |
Water Science (6 - 9 credit hours without overlap with courses used for requirements)
Physical Sciences:
| SPEA-E 502 | Water Quality Modeling | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 539 | Aquatic Chemistry | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 554 | Groundwater Flow Modeling | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 555 | Fluid Mechanics | (3 cr.) |
| GEOL-G 690 | Fluvial Processes and Sediment Transport (P: SPEA-E 555 Fluid Mechanics) | (3 cr.) |
Ecology and Management:
| SPEA-E 460 | Fisheries and Wildlife Management | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 461 | Fisheries and Wildlife Management Lab | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 540 | Wetlands Ecology and Management | (4 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 545 | Lake and Watershed Management | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 546 | Stream Ecology | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 555 | BMP Design for Healthy Urban Watersheds | (3 cr.) |
Policy and Administration (6-9 credit hours without overlap with courses used for requirements)
| SPEA-P 541 | Benefit Cost Analysis | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-R 531 | Water Law | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-R 625 | Environmental Economics and Policy | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-R 643 | Natural Resource Management and Policy | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-R 645 | Environmental Law | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-V 550 | Water Policy and Economics | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-X 511 | Human Behavior and Energy Consumption | (3 cr.) |
| GEOG-G 553 | Water and Society | (3 cr.) |
5. Specialized Concentration
(21 credit hours) Select four M.S.E.S. courses from one of the listed M.S.E.S. concentrations and three M.P.A. courses from one of the listed M.P.A. concentrations.
6. Any M.S.E.S. or M.P.A. Concentration
Any M.S.E.S. concentration plus 9 additional credit hours from the M.P.A. curriculum.
Or
Any M.P.A. concentration plus 12 additional credit hours from the M.S.E.S. curriculum.
Experiential Requirement
Each double master’s degree candidate must obtain professionally relevant experience through one of the following options: an approved internship (0-6 credit hours); advanced project; independent research/thesis; the award of prior professional experience credit; or an environmental science research project culminating in a master’s thesis. Students are encouraged to discuss with faculty members the relative merits of their experiences according to individual career objectives.