Graduate Program Mission

We seek to cultivate an appreciation and enhanced understanding of ecological and social processes and values aimed at maintaining the integrity of natural systems and achieving a sustainable human community in harmony with the natural environment. We pursue this goal through synergistic approaches of generating and broadly disseminating knowledge and by challenging students, through their scholarship, to become innovative, environmentally responsible, and accountable leaders. Our emphasis on the integration of natural science and cultural perspectives reflects the interdisciplinary context in which ecosystem management, resource planning, and environmental concerns must be addressed.

Graduate Program Learning Outcomes

All graduate students in the Rubenstein School will:

Design and execute original and ethical research to address fundamental challenges in the environment and natural resources;

Apply mastery of theory and knowledge at an advanced level consistent with the highest standards of their concentration;

Develop skills in oral and written communication to present work and publish in the field;

Engage in practices that support their professional aspirations; 

Apply and personalize an analysis of power and privilege in the context of their unique work;

Identify the societal relevance of their unique work as it relates to contemporary social-ecological systems.

PhD students in the Rubenstein School will also:

Develop effective teaching practices and an understanding of pedagogy in higher education.