U.S. Academic Programs in Ecological Economics
Programs on ecological economics may be linked here upon request. Please send requests to Karin Limburg.
Boston University, Center for Energy and Environmental Studies
Programs in the Center for Energy and Environmental Studies are innovative, interdisciplinary, and problem-oriented. They emphasize the significance of scientific research and quantitative analysis in decision-making and prepare students for positions in government, industry, academic, and nonprofit organizations.
Center at CMU on Climate Decision
How much will global temperatures rise in the next 50 years? What about sea level? Will there be more tropical storms and habitat loss? Climate researchers have been tackling these questions for decades now, but the uncertainty in climate change remains, and is likely to remain even with more research. If policy makers are to do anything about global warming, they will have to make decisions now, in spite of the uncertainty. At the Climate Decision Making Center, researchers are studying the limits in our understanding of climate change and its impacts. They are developing and demonstrating methods to characterize these irreducible uncertainties, focusing on uncertainties about climate and technologies for mitigation. They will also create, illustrate and evaluate decision strategies and tools for policy makers that incorporate such uncertainties. The center's research focuses on the real-world problems of the following stakeholder groups:
- Insurance managers who face financial risks from climate change and low-carbon technologies.
- Forest, fisheries and ecosystem managers in the Pacific Northwest and Canada.
- Arctic-region decision makers trying to balance cultural lifestyles with modern economic development.
- Electric utility managers facing large capital-investment decisions in the face of climate rise.
In addition, the center will advance the current understanding of the new low or zero-carbon energy technologies that may be required by climate policy.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy New York
The RPI program grants a Ph.D. in ecological economics, which is offered through the Department of Economics. A professional masters degree in Ecological Economics, Values, and Policy is also offered jointly by the Economics and the Science & Technology Studies Departments at RPI. For more information on this program visit their website.
State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry
The Forest and Natural Resources Faculty offers Master's and Ph.D. degrees in both environmental and ecological economics. Visit the website. Other faculties are also involved.
University of California at Berkeley,
Energy and Resources Graduate Group
This trans-disciplinary degree program shares the philosophy of ecological economics. Although no special degree program in ecological economics is offered, students interested in this field can build a program to suit their needs.
University of California at Santa Barbara
The Department of Economics and the Donald Bren School have developed an innovative, interdisciplinary doctoral program in Economics and Environmental Science (EES). Our EES program provides for rigorous training and research in both economics and in one of four areas of environmental science: climate, conservation biology/applied ecology, hydrology, or marine science. Development of the program has been made possible through a grant from the National Science Foundation. Competition for merit-based, multi-year fellowships to the program is open to U. S. citizens and permanent residents. Information on our program can be found at the Department of Economics and Environmental Science or by contacting: eesinfo@bren.ucsb.edu.
University of Maryland
The University of Maryland offers a certificate program on ecological economics. Based at the School of Public Affairs, it is coordinated by Matthias Ruth and Herman Daly.
University of Minnesota, Duluth
A masters program in Ecology, Economics and Ethics at the University of Minnesota, Duluth began accepting Students in the Fall of 2001. For more information on this program, contact Mike Mageau at the Institute for a Sustainable Future in Duluth.
University of Vermont
Gund Institute for Ecological Economics at the University of Vermont The Gund Institute pursues integrated research, education, design, and leadership in the transdisciplinary field of ecological economics. The University of Vermont offers a Certificate in Graduate Studies in Ecological Economics as well as MS and PhD degrees. For more information visit the Gund Institute.
