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group of students in the rainforest of Costa Rica while doing their year abroad at the University for Peace
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Sustainability, justice & peace: A different vision for the planet

What are the root causes of environmental degradation and poverty? The dual-degree Natural Resources and Sustainable Development (NRSD) program builds on your passion for social justice and ecological sustainability. It provides you with the knowledge and skills needed to work in government, environmental NGOs, or sustainable development organizations around the world. Our interdisciplinary perspective highlights inequalities in access to resources, which are key drivers of environmental conflicts and global environmental changes. Offered at American University by the Department of Environment, Development, & Health in the School of International Service, the NRSD program is a dual MA degree program through which students study at and receive degrees from both AU and the United Nations-affiliated University for Peace (UPeace) in Costa Rica. Program graduates will have the knowledge and skills to manage eco-development issues in a global context and build ties that bridge the Global North and Global South. Our graduates are visionary leaders in stewarding the Earth for the benefit of all.

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The NRSD degree requires 37 credit hours, which can be completed full-time over four semesters. Alternatively, it it can be completed part-time during the American University period and full-time while at the United Nations-affiliated University of Peace (UPeace), outside San José, Costa Rica.

In the fall, you take core courses at American University. In January, you join U-Peace. There you'll be immersed in sustainable development theory and practice for two semesters of electives targeted to your main interests, such as courses in Indigenous Perspectives on Environment and Development and field courses in development challenges. The summer is then devoted to professional experience, elective coursework for expedited completion of degree, employment, or travel. The final semester at AU includes two electives and a substantial research project (SRP) or practicum. While most begin in the fall semester, students may also elect to begin their degrees in the spring or summer, or undertake the DC and Costa Rica semesters in a different order.

The core of the NRSD experience is the chance to engage in the classroom and beyond, at the center of US policy and in a developing country that is a model of sustainability. This is a decidedly different experience from what any US-only program can offer.

Explore degree flexibility options

Full degree and admission requirements

NRSD faculty have a wide array of research interests and contribute to scholarly and policy debates through essays in popular media outlets, academic articles, and full-length books. They speak and present their work at regional, national, and international conferences. Nearly 20 core, adjunct, and associate professors at SIS, in addition to a faculty of scholar-practitioners at UPeace, make the NRSD degree one of the strongest of its kind anywhere in the world.

Faculty devote full attention to master's students in the NRSD degree program; doors are rarely closed, and professors often find ways to involve students in their work. Small class sizes mean students develop relationships with their professors that lead to mentorship, friendship, and academic collaboration.

For students interested in studying environmental protection and international development in both the Global South and the Global North, NRSD offers a dual-degree in partnership with the United Nations-mandated University for Peace in Costa Rica. You'll earn an MA in International Affairs from American University, a top-10 international affairs school located at the heart of environmental politics and policy in Washington, DC, and an MA in Natural Resources and Sustainable Development from the University for Peace. Located in a nature reserve in the mountains above Ciudad Colon, about 30 minutes from San José, UPeace is a small, graduate-level, English-language university with students and faculty from all over the world.

The Natural Resources and Sustainable Development (NRSD) degree is housed within the Global Environmental Politics Program at the School of International Service. Students pursuing their MA in Natural Resources and Sustainable Development collaborate and work closely with students pursuing the MA in Global Environmental Policy, NRSD’s sister degree.

Celebrating Twenty Years of NRSD

SIS faculty, students, and alumni share reflections in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Natural Resources and Sustainable Development (NRSD) program.

Striving to Conserve Working Lands

Jes Walton, SIS/MA '14

Comm. and Development Manager, Central Colorado Conservancy

I capture stories at the intersection of rural livelihoods and conservation.

At the Central Colorado Conservancy, we conserve and protect working lands to ensure they stay in agriculture but also serve wildlife and local water needs. There are both social and environmental aspects to this work, and the NRSD program very much focused on those two elements. The diverse perspectives that I was exposed to in my coursework and interactions with students and teachers now serve me in this role, as I work with community members from different backgrounds.

Frequently Asked Questions

Most students in the dual-degree MA in International Affairs: NRSD degree program begin the program in the Fall semester; however, it is possible to start in the Spring.

Application deadlines for the NRSD program are as follows:

  • Fall semester: Still accepting Master's program applications for Fall 2026.
  • Spring semester: October 1

Required application materials

Missed a deadline but still interested in applying? Email the SIS Graduate Admissions office.

NRSD graduates work in a wide range of settings, including government agencies, non-governmental organizations, consulting firms, the private sector, activist networks, think tanks, universities, and community groups. Our extensive alumni network is eager to help new graduates find positions.

Recent NRSD graduates have found jobs at employers including National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Farm to School Network, Afristar Foundation, and UN World Food Programme. Within six months of graduation, 89% of graduates are working or continuing graduate studies.

Looking for more information or help? SIS has a dedicated career development center to assist current students and alumni.

Classes at UPEACE are offered in English, as students come from all over the world. However, the better your Spanish, the more you will get from your experiences in Central America. If you are a beginner, you should start working on your Spanish as soon as you decide to join the NRSD program, even if on line. Once you are at UPEACE, you will have free mandatory language classes with the amazing Roxana Cordero (who has taught NRSD students for many years), unless you are already fluent. You will also be able to live with a host family if you wish.

The School of International Service offers merit-based aid in the form of scholarships and fellowships at the time of admission. All NRSD students receive a small merit award.

Financial aid information for prospective students

Natural Resources and Sustainable Development students may choose to research other relevant fellowship opportunities.

Need-based aid is available through AU Central Office and generally takes the form of a federal low-interest loan package.

Federal loan and work study information for graduate students

Still have questions? Send us an email with program-specific questions at [email protected].