Environmental Policy & Development
During the past decade, the daily news has become increasingly filled with stories that link economic development with environmental depletion and public health. As a result, interest in protecting the environment and promoting sustainable economic development has been rekindled among students and leaders in business and government.
At the university level, environmental issues can be studied in a number of ways. They can, for example, be studied from a technological perspective via the natural and engineering sciences, or from a policy perspective in the Department of Social Science and Policy Studies. Indeed, environmental programs at many universities examine environmental issues in precisely these ways. It is unusual, however, for an environmental program to offer a strong education from both the technical and policy perspectives. The Department fills this gap by offering a major in environmental policy and development. This degree program offers students substantial technical and policy education on environmental issues.
An important feature of WPI's environmental policy and development major is its focus on the interaction between the environment and the economy. On June 14, 1992, during the so-called "Earth Summit" in Rio de Janeiro, the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development adopted Agenda 21, a document that calls upon the nations of the world to "take a balanced and integrated approach to environment and development questions." Indeed, the preamble to Agenda 21 reads, in part:
Humanity stands at a defining moment in history. We are confronted with a perpetuation of disparities between and within nations, a worsening of poverty, hunger, ill health and illiteracy, and the continuing deterioration of the ecosystems on which we depend for our well-being. However, integration of environment and development concerns and greater attention to them will lead to the fulfillment of basic needs, improved living standards for all, better protected and managed ecosystems and a safer, more prosperous future. No nation can achieve this on its own; but together we can – in a global partnership for sustainable development.
The EP & D major has adopted sustainable economic development as one of its organizing themes. That is, many traditional environmental issues are examined through the lens of sustainable development.
The term sustainable development means choosing policies that balance environmental preservation and economic development so as to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the needs of future generations.
WPI's program in environmental policy and development examines the economic, psychological, social, political, legal, and technical issues surrounding the creation of policies aimed at establishing sustainable economic systems at the local, national, and international levels. Sustainable policies are those that move society away from the uncontrolled use of non-renewable resources, manage consumption of renewable resources, and control waste and pollution in order to preserve public health. Sustainable policies are also those which promote and maintain healthy communities.
Students enrolled in the environmental policy & development major combine basic work in the disciplines of economics, law, psychology, policy analysis, political science, and sociology, with a concentration in a technical area of their choosing. The basic work in the social sciences, law, and policy analysis provides students with a holistic view of environmental problems and their proposed solutions. The technical component acquaints students with the work of professionals in an environmentally-related engineering or science discipline, and ensures that they are conversant with the field and familiar with its terminology and basic principles. Environmental course sequences have been created by the WPI faculty in two science (chemistry, biology) and two engineering (civil, chemical) disciplines.
Students enrolled in the environmental policy & development major also have the option of significantly expanding their technical concentration or of acquiring a second area of concentration. Students choosing the latter option can select courses that lead to a second technical concentration, advanced training in a social science discipline, or even a concentration in any other discipline offered at WPI (e.g. computer science or management).
It is an undeniable fact that, in many parts of the world, environmental problems are posing an increasing threat to human well-being. As a result, there is a growing need in corporations, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations, for persons trained in the technical and social aspects of environmental policy and management.
The major in environmental policy and development is designed to prepare students for careers in public policy, government, business, academia, or law. It is unique among environmentally related programs in that it combines a major emphasis in social science and policy analysis with a significant technical concentration in an area of environmental engineering or science. As a result, it provides students with the perspective of the social scientist and the technical skills of the natural scientist/engineer, and gives them a distinct advantage in the job or graduate school market over students trained at institutions offering primarily either a social science or technical perspective on environmental problems.
For more information, see the Undergraduate Catalog for degree requirements and/or contact Prof. Saeed or Prof. Rissmiller.
Maintained by webmaster@wpi.eduLast modified: March 17, 2008 10:35:54