Master of Climate and Environmental Policy (MCEP)

Home Academics Degree Programs Master’s Degrees at VLGS Master of Climate and Environmental Policy (MCEP)

The Master of Climate and Environmental Policy (MCEP) is a robust applied public policy degree dedicated to the environment. Degree-seekers will receive the tools needed to make change — especially finding and implementing solutions to the greatest challenges of our day at the intersection of climate change and environmental justice.

MCEP students can shape their own specialization from our extensive elective offerings, focusing on a wide range of issues including climate change, environmental justice, and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG). All MCEP students choose between a “research track” to write a thesis, or a “practice track” to pursue an externship or on-campus clinic.

MCEP students gain the core skills needed to shape environmental policy and integrate issues of racial and economic justice into practice and policymaking — including environmental research and writing, policy design, climate justice, structural inequality, public participation, and consensus-building.

Click here to learn more about degree requirements

At a Glance

Location: Online, on-campus or a hybrid of both
Credit Requirements: 34 credits

August

Class Credits
Introduction to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 0
Subtotal 0 credits

Fall

Class Credits
Legislation/Regulation Survey 3
Intro to Policy Research & Writing 3
Fundamentals of Environmental Justice 2
Structural Inequality 1
Public Participation 0
Building a Professional Identity 0
Quantitative Analysis 2
Subtotal 11 credits

Spring

Class Credits
Environmental Economics 3
Clinic or Externship 4-6
Fundamentals of Climate Change 2
Negotiation & Consensus Building 0
Subtotal 9-11 credits

Summer

Class Credits
Policy Design 3
Elective 3
Elective 2
Elective 2
Elective 1-2
Elective 1-2
Subtotal 12-14 credits

August

Class Credits
Introduction to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 0
Subtotal 0 credits

Fall

Class Credits
Legislation/Regulation Survey 3
Intro to Policy Research & Writing 3
Fundamentals of Environmental Justice 2
Structural Inequality 1
Building a Professional Identity 0
Public Participation 0
Elective 2-3
Subtotal 11-12 credits

Spring

Class Credits
Environmental Economics 3
Thesis Seminar I 3
Fundamentals of Climate Change 2
Elective 2-3
Negotiation & Consensus Building 0
Subtotal 10-11 credits

Summer

Class Credits
Quantitative Analysis 2
Policy Design 3
Thesis Seminar II 1
Elective 2
Elective 2
Elective 2
Elective 1-2
Elective 1-2
Subtotal 12-14 credits

Year 1, Fall Term 1

Class Credits
Intro to Policy Research and Writing 3
Subtotal 3 credits

Year 1, Fall Term 2

Class Credits
Legislation/Regulation Survey 3
Subtotal 3 credits

Year 1, Spring Term 1

Class Credits
Fundamentals of Climate Change 2
Structural Inequality 1
Subtotal 3 credits

Year 1, Spring Term 2

Class Credits
Quantitative Analysis 2
Fundamentals of Environmental Justice 2
Subtotal 4 credits

Year 1, Summer Term 1

Class Credits
Environmental Economics 3
Introduction to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 0
Professionalism 0
Subtotal 3 credits

Year 1, Summer Term 2

Class Credits
Policy Design 3
Public Participation 0
Negotiation & Consensus Building 0
Subtotal 3 credits

Year 2, Fall Terms 1 and 2

Class Credits
Elective 6
Subtotal 6 credits

Year 2, Spring Term 1

Class Credits
Elective 3
Subtotal 3 credits

Year 2, Spring Term 2

Class Credits
Elective 3
Subtotal 3 credits

Year 2, Summer Term 1

Class Credits
Elective 3
Subtotal 3 credits

Year 1, Fall Term 1

Class Credits
Intro to Policy Research and Writing 3
Subtotal 3 credits

Year 1, Fall Term 2

Class Credits
Legislation/Regulation Survey 3
Subtotal 3 credits

Year 1, Spring Term 1

Class Credits
Fundamentals of Climate Change 2
Structural Inequality 1
Subtotal 3 credits

Year 1, Spring Term 2

Class Credits
Quantitative Analysis 2
Fundamentals of Environmental Justice 2
Subtotal 4 credits

Year 1, Summer Term 1

Class Credits
Environmental Economics 3
Introduction to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 0
Professionalism 0
Subtotal 3 credits

Year 1, Summer Term 2

Class Credits
Policy Design 3
Public Participation 0
Negotiation & Consensus Building 0
Subtotal 3 credits

Year 2, Fall Term 1 & 2

Class Credits
Elective 6
Subtotal 6 credits

Year 2, Spring Term 1

Class Credits
Elective 3
Subtotal 3 credits

Year 2, Spring Term 2

Class Credits
Elective 3
Subtotal 3 credits

Year 2, Summer Term 1

Class Credits
Elective 3
Subtotal 3 credits

Maverick Lloyd School for the Environment graduates are the leaders, policymakers, and professionals our communities and our world most desperately need. Environment and climate-related positions held by recent master’s graduates include:

  • Community Development Specialist at Central Alabama Regional Planning Commission
  • Energy and Water Specialist at Climate Resolve
  • Associate at Rocky Mountain Institute
  • Research Manager at Connecticut Roundtable on Climate and Jobs
  • Environmental Protection Specialist for the Federal Highway Administration
  • Environmental and Climate Policy Specialist at the VT Agency of Transportation
  • Associate at the Clark Group, an environmental policy and communications consulting firm
  • Director of Legislative Affairs, Savion, LLC, an energy firm
  • Environmental Consultant at Forest Ecosystem Monitoring Cooperative

Degree Details

How To Apply

Tuition and Fees

Deadlines

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Online Learning