University of California, Berkeley
AC-4: Graduate Program

With its four-decade his­tory of trans­for­ma­tive teach­ing and research, the Energy and Resources Group (ERG) has reframed eco­log­i­cal and social prob­lems in terms that bor­row from, and yet can be under­stood across, many tra­di­tion­ally sep­a­rate dis­ci­pli­nary cul­tures. The ERG model com­bines a rig­or­ous core cur­riculum, a shared learn­ing environment, and the free­dom to access the entire Berke­ley fac­ulty. The core cur­ricu­lum pro­vides stu­dents with relevant ana­lyt­i­cal tools from ecol­ogy, eco­nom­ics, engi­neer­ing and the social sci­ences. ERG research is strongly evidence-based and hypothesis-driven; its inter­dis­ci­pli­nary culture equally encourages student‐ and faculty‐led research. The value of such a cul­ture is hard to quan­tify: it has evolved through the commitment to systemic thinking, and the vision of a just and sustainable planet, over generations of ERGies.

There is simply no better place to pursue advanced training on the challenges and opportunities facing our environment than here. UC Berkeley was ranked the top university in Environment/Ecology by the U.S. News & World Report’s inaugural international rankings in 2014, and our department has ranked #1 in Environmental Sciences by the annual QS World University Rankings by Subject four years in a row. Our graduate programs offer a chance to work with award-winning faculty in climate science, biodiversity, environmental policy, land use, and community outreach – and to prepare for exciting careers addressing the complex environmental problems we face.

MS students in the Environmental Health Sciences division are trained to make research and technical contributions to the field of environmental health science. EHS offers an MS degree in Environmental Health Sciences and Global Health and Environment. The EHS MS educational objectives are to develop an understanding of the human health impacts of physical, biological, and chemical agents in the environment and workplace and to explore the means of their recognition and control.

Agricultural & Resource Economics https://are.berkeley.edu/graduate-program Civil and Environmental Engineering https://www.ce.berkeley.edu/grad/programs Conservation and Resource Studies https://nature.berkeley.edu/advising/majors/conservation-and-resource-studies Development Practice https://mdp.berkeley.edu/ Earth and Planetary Science http://eps.berkeley.edu/graduate-students Energy, Civil Infrastructure and Climate http://www.ce.berkeley.edu/grad/degrees/requirements/ecic Environmental Engineering http://www.ce.berkeley.edu/grad/degrees/requirements/env Environmental Law http://www.law.berkeley.edu/148.htm Environmental Planning http://laep.ced.berkeley.edu/programs/mla/envplan Forestry http://ourenvironment.berkeley.edu/graduate-programs/degrees/master-of-forestry/ Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning http://laep.ced.berkeley.edu/programs/phd Range Management http://ourenvironment.berkeley.edu/graduate-programs/degrees/ms-range-management/ Human Geography https://geography.berkeley.edu/geography-studies/human-geography Environmental Science, Policy & Management https://ourenvironment.berkeley.edu/graduate-programs/degrees/the-phd-program Urban Design https://ced.berkeley.edu/academics/urban-design/

Berkeley Law was one of the first major law schools to enter the field of environmental law, and our program remains as strong as ever today. Our Environmental Law Program offers students opportunities to take a broad range of courses in the environmental and energy field and to engage in cutting-edge research and writing. It also offers the chance to explore interdisciplinary perspectives on the environment, to obtain vital practical experience, and to connect with the dynamic and cutting edge Bay Area environmental law community. In addition to its curricular offerings, the Environmental Law Program offers students opportunities to engage in interdisciplinary research with faculty and staff through the Center for Law, Energy & the Environment (CLEE). CLEE works to develop smart, practical solutions to critical environmental and energy challenges including climate change, renewable energy, sustainable water, and healthy oceans.

The Energy Institute at Haas brings together research and curricular programs on energy business, policy, and technology commercialization. Our goal is to bridge the gap between the frontiers of economic and scientific energy research and the marketplace. Specifically, the institute: Trains the business and policy leaders of tomorrow to understand the market, policy, and technological challenges of the energy industries. Strives to ensure that energy and environmental policy is based on sound economic and business principles, backed by rigorous empirical evidence and the frontiers of economic research. Works with scientists to commercialize promising energy technologies, being mindful of the unique scientific and policy issues they will confront.

Geographic information science and technology, along with geostatistics and analysis of satellite imagery, have emerged as major cross-disciplinary tools used in academic research, industrial applications, and public policy analysis. This is especially true on the Berkeley campus. Students, faculty and staff across campus are using these technologies to understand how plants and animals might respond to climate change, how the built environment might influence public health, and how land use is changing in the tropics. Adding these skills to your undergraduate or graduate program can help you get a job, or can help you delve into new areas of research. We built this website to provide access to the many distributed GIS opportunities on the Berkeley campus. A great place for GIS on campus is the Geospatial Innovation Facility (GIF) at UC Berkeley‘sCollege of Natural Resources. The GIF provides leadership and training across a broad array of integrated mapping technologies. These technologies include Remote Sensing, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Global Positioning Systems (GPS), and modeling. The GIF offers innovative geospatial approaches to environmental research projects and grant opportunities. You can take short workshops on a range of topics, rent GPS equipment, get GIS consulting, and go to Geolunch events.

Agriculture and Resource Policy https://are.berkeley.edu/about/research-areas/agricultural-and-resource-policy Designated Emphasis in Science and Technology Studies https://ourenvironment.berkeley.edu/graduate-programs/degrees/the-phd-program/phd-designated-emphasis-in-science-technology-studies Development Economics https://are.berkeley.edu/about/research-areas/development-economics Environmental and Energy Economics https://are.berkeley.edu/about/research-areas/environmental-and-energy-economics Global Urban Humanities http://globalurbanhumanities.berkeley.edu/academic-program Sustainability Certificate Program at the Energy and Resources Group https://erg.berkeley.edu/academics/summer-only-minor/

Information about degree programs, certificates and designated emphases was gathered through publicly available sources provided by each of the departments and programs websites.