Environmental issues are among the most profound challenges of the 21st century. The widespread degradation of the earth’s air, water, land and diversity of species undermines the quality of life for many on earth, and threatens, in the extreme, the organic infrastructure of all life. American University’s Global Environmental Politics program cultivates an understanding of the bio-physical dimensions of environmental issues as well as the socio-economic and political processes that shape the relationship between human beings and the natural environment.

Washington, D.C. is home to more institutions of environmental policymaking than anywhere in the world, offering an enormous wealth of opportunities at nongovernmental organizations, U.S. government agencies, and multilateral institutions. The MA program in Global Environmental Policy places students in the heart of this activity and equips graduates to engage in the policymaking process and develop policy-formulation skills for an increasingly complex, threatened, and interdependent world. Whether you choose to make a career in Washington, elsewhere in the U.S., or overseas, your years of study in the Capital will provide essential insights into the interactions of profoundly influential institutions and how they shape the world in which we live.

The Global Environmental Politics program is one of eight housed within American University’s distinguished School of International Service. Our focus on the global context of environmental politics and policy-making is one of our great strengths. Another is the program’s unique blend of flexibility and rigor, which permits students to tailor the course of study according to personal interests and career goals, while ensuring that they are equipped with the essential analytical tools of the profession. Finally, the relatively small size of the program is an asset permitting close interaction with faculty and fellow students.

Degree Requirements: MA in Global Environmental Politics

Degree Requirements: MA in Natural Resources and Sustainable Development