
People, Equity, and the Environment Specialization
The purpose of this specialization is to give today's professional environmental managers a range of theoretical, conceptual, and methodological skills necessary for understanding how to critique, improve and implement models of environmental management that address historically engrained challenges.
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For the reasons above, this specialization expands beyond ahistorical and technical training by focusing students on historical processes, power dynamics and changing societal values. We believe that any solution to global environmental problems must consider issues of social equity and human well-being, in addition to environmental sustainability.
Note that a capstone course used to fulfill the MEM capstone requirement cannot also be used toward fulfilling an MEM Specialization requirement; a capstone course taken once cannot be used to fulfill multiple requirements. Learn more about YSE capstone courses by visiting the MEM Capstone page.
Program Courses
Core
Two core courses required. Choose one course from Group A and one course from Group B.Those students who matriculated to the program prior to Fall 2021 may follow the requirement for their entering class of 2 required core courses: ENV 826 & ENV 759.
Group A
Course | Fall 2023 | Spring 2024 | Fall 2024 | Spring 2025 |
ENV 759 Power, Knowledge, and the Environment: Social Science |
Dove M 1:00-3:50 |
Dove | ||
ENV 839 Power in Conservation |
Carpenter W 1:00-3:50 |
Carpenter |
Group B
Course | Fall 2023 | Spring 2024 | Fall 2024 | Spring 2025 |
ENV 631 Poverty, Environment and Inequality |
Taylor Tu 1:00-3:50 |
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ENV 642 Environmental Justice/Climate Justice |
Torres M,W 10:30-11:50 |
Torres |
Elective
Students must take 3 courses from the "Social Sciences and Humanities" and at least 1 course from the "Ecological Sciences"Social Science Perspectives
Humanities: History, Religion and Ethics
Course | Fall 2023 | Spring 2024 | Fall 2024 | Spring 2025 |
ENV 637 A Toolkit for Communicating Environmental Science |
Mooney M 9:00-11:50 |
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ENV 775 Federal Indian Law |
Torres M,W 1:35-3:00 |
Tentative |
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ENV 959 Clinic in Climate Justice, Climate Policy, the Law, and Public Health |
Faculty Th 1:00-2:50 |
Faculty Tu 3:00-4:50 |
Faculty Tentative |
Tentative |
ENV 970 Environmental Protection Clinic Policy and Advocacy (Follows Law School Calendar) |
Kysar Tu 12:10-2:00 |
Kysar Tu 12:10-2:00 |
Kysar Tentative |
Tentative |
Ecological and Conservation Science
Course | Fall 2023 | Spring 2024 | Fall 2024 | Spring 2025 |
ENV 602 Ecosystems and Landscapes |
Bradford M,W 9:00-10:20 |
Bradford | ||
ENV 629 North American Drylands: Ecology and Land Use |
Lauenroth Tu,Th 9:00-10:20 |
Lauenroth |
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ENV 630 The Physical Science of Climate Change |
Raymond Tu,Th 10:30-11:50 |
Raymond |
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ENV 659 The Practice of Silviculture: Principles in Applied Forest Ecology (Friday field trips) |
Ashton M,W 8:30-10:20 |
Ashton |
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ENV 660 Forest Dynamics |
Duguid Tu,Th 10:30-11:50 |
Duguid | ||
ENV 677 Ecological Restoration |
Duguid Tu,Th 10:30-11:50 |
Duguid |
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ENV 725 Water, Energy, and Food Interconnections in a Changing Climate |
Saiers |
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ENV 745 Global Human-Wildlife Interactions |
Harris M,W 2:30-3:45 |
Harris | ||
ENV 963 Case Studies in Water Management: Conflict and Cooperation |
Anisfeld Th 2:30-5:20 |
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ENV 966 Sustainability Implementation: Change Management in Institutional Settings |
Smiley Smith Th 1:00-3:50 |
Smiley Smith |

Learning Community
There is a corresponding “Learning Community” for each specialization, where anyone interested in the topic can find related news, spotlights, colleagues, and events.
Faculty Coordinator
