Training the sustainability professionals of the future
Catalog Year: 2021-2022
The MA in interdisciplinary studies is for students who seek a master's degree that integrates knowledge from several disciplines. It addresses the rapidly evolving demand for unique graduate study by promoting advanced scholarship that transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries. Students can pursue one of the following structured interdisciplinary concentrations and also have the opportunity to design an individualized concentration to meet the special needs of their careers.
The MAIS in Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in Energy and Sustainability is a Green Leaf program.
The University Catalog is the authoritative source for information on program requirements and courses. The Schedule of Classes is the authoritative source for information on classes scheduled for this semester. See the Schedule for the most up-to-date information and see Patriot web to register for classes. Requirements may be different for earlier catalog years. See the University Catalog archives.
Total credits: 36
This is a Green Leaf program.
The Green Leaf status for this program applies only to the concentration in Energy and Sustainability.
Students should be aware of the specific policies associated with this program, located on the Admissions & Policies tab.
Students pursuing this degree must successfully complete 36 credits of graduate coursework in one of the concentrations which follow. Students must submit a curriculum worksheet that has been approved by their concentration head and the director. All students complete their work in the program with a project or thesis.
This concentration is designed for students interested in careers in energy and sustainability-related positions in the public, private, or non-profit sectors, including law, national and international policy, media, government, and business. As one of the University's Green Leaf academic programs, the concentration in energy and sustainability focuses on finding ways to meet present needs for energy and material goods without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. A sustainability education lies at the intersection of environmental science, engineering, economics, business, public policy, social justice, and many other areas. Energy required to fuel all of these endeavors is a crucial component of sustainability.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MAIS 696 | MAIS ProSeminar | 1 |
| Total Credits | 1 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| EVPP 533 | Energy Policy | 3 |
| GGS 507 | Geographic Approaches for Sustainable Development | 3 |
| Natural Science Course | ||
| PHYS 581 | Topics in Renewable Energy | 3 |
| or GEOL 521 | Geology of Energy Resources | |
| Total Credits | 9 | |
Students choose from the following courses or other relevant courses chosen in consultation with an advisor.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select two courses from the following: | 6 | |
|
BIOD 760
|
National Security Technology and Policy | |
| Special Topics in Economics 1 | ||
| Selected Topics in Environmental Science (take 3 credits) 2 | ||
| Corporate Environmental Management and Policy | ||
| Environmental Policy | ||
| Economics of Human/Environment Interactions | ||
| Topics in Policy and Government (when topic involves environmental or sustainability policy) | ||
| Topics in Public Policy 3 | ||
| Total Credits | 6 | |
| 1 |
When the topic involves environmental or sustainability policy. |
| 2 |
When the topic involves energy or sustainability policy. |
| 3 |
When the topic involves environmental or sustainability issues. |
Students choose from the following courses or other relevant courses chosen in consultation with an advisor.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select two courses from the following: | 6 | |
| Climate Change and Sustainability Communication Campaigns | ||
| Problems in American History 1 | ||
| Special Topics in Economics 2 | ||
| Contemporary Issues in Social Justice Human Rights | ||
| International Environmental Politics | ||
| Environmental Ethics | ||
| Religion and the Natural Environment | ||
| Total Credits | 6 | |
| 1 |
When the topic involves environmental or sustainability issues. |
| 2 |
When the topic involves environmental or sustainability policy. |
Students choose from the following courses or other relevant courses chosen in consultation with an advisor.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select one from the following: | 3-4 | |
|
CEIE 601
|
Infrastructure Modeling | |
| Corporate Environmental Management and Policy | ||
| Ecosystem Analysis and Modeling | ||
| Directed Studies in Environmental Science and Public Policy (take 3 credits) | ||
| Total Credits | 3-4 | |
Students choose from the following courses or other relevant courses chosen in consultation with an advisor.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select one from the following: | 3 | |
| Scientific Basis of Climate Change | ||
| Fundamentals of Ecology | ||
| Applied Ecology and Ecosystem Management | ||
| Total Credits | 3 | |
Students who wish to take MAIS 798 Interdisciplinary Studies Project for their capstone research experience will take one course (3 credits) of electives from courses listed below or other relevant course chosen in consultation with an advisor. They may also fulfill this requirement with experiential learning. Students who wish to take MAIS 799 Interdisciplinary Studies Thesis will not take an elective course or pursue experiential learning credits.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select 0-3 credits from the following: | 0-3 | |
|
BIOD 760
|
National Security Technology and Policy | |
|
CEIE 601
|
Infrastructure Modeling | |
|
CEIE 664
|
Transportation Engineering and the Environment | |
| Scientific Basis of Climate Change | ||
| Climate Change and Sustainability Communication Campaigns | ||
| Special Topics in Economics 1 | ||
| Selected Topics in Environmental Science (take 3 credits) 1 | ||
| Fundamentals of Ecology | ||
| Corporate Environmental Management and Policy | ||
| Environmental Policy | ||
| Ecosystem Analysis and Modeling | ||
| Applied Ecology and Ecosystem Management | ||
| Directed Studies in Environmental Science and Public Policy (take 3 credits) | ||
| Geology of Energy Resources | ||
| Economics of Human/Environment Interactions | ||
| Problems in American History 2 | ||
| Contemporary Issues in Social Justice Human Rights | ||
| International Environmental Politics | ||
| Experiential Learning | ||
| Environmental Ethics | ||
|
PHYS 581
|
Topics in Renewable Energy | |
| Topics in Public Policy 2 | ||
| Transportation Economics | ||
| Religion and the Natural Environment | ||
| Total Credits | 0-3 | |
| 1 |
When the topic involves environmental or sustainability policy. |
| 2 |
When the topic involves environmental or sustainability issues. |
| 3 |
Students may fulfill their elective credits with experiential learning. Experiential learning opportunities can include internships, service-learning, consulting projects, and field studies or research (including overseas). Because the intention is to develop and apply newly acquired skills, students may not use work done previously or their current employment to fulfill this requirement. All experiential learning projects must be approved by the social entrepreneurship concentration head the semester before registering for the course. |
Students choose one of the following courses or other relevant courses in consultation with an advisor.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select one course from the following: | 3 | |
|
BINF 690
|
Numerical Methods for Bioinformatics | |
| Qualitative Research Methods for Environmental Scientists | ||
| Ecosystem Analysis and Modeling | ||
| Multivariate Data Analysis for Ecology and Environmental Science | ||
| Interdisciplinary Research Methods | ||
|
OR 682
|
Computational Methods in Engineering and Statistics | |
| Introductory Data Analysis for Policy and Government | ||
| Topics in Public Policy 1 | ||
| Methods and Logic of Social Inquiry | ||
| Total Credits | 3 | |
| 1 |
When topic is Analytical Methods for Science, Technology and Innovation Policy. |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MAIS 797 | Interdisciplinary Studies Proposal | 1 |
| Total Credits | 1 | |
Students who wish to do a project in lieu of a thesis will take 1 credit of MAIS 798 Interdisciplinary Studies Project and an additional 3 credit elective course from the courses listed under the electives requirement. Students who choose to write a thesis will take 4 credits of MAIS 799 Interdisciplinary Studies Thesis and no additional electives.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Zero to three credits of electives | 0-3 | |
| Select one from the following: | 1-4 | |
| Interdisciplinary Studies Project (take 1 credit) | ||
| Interdisciplinary Studies Thesis (take 4 credits) | ||
| Total Credits | 4 | |