University of North Carolina, Wilmington
AC-4: Graduate Program

The Master of Science in Environmental Studies is an interdisciplinary graduate degree designed for professionals, practitioners, citizens and students who wish to strengthen their knowledge of the environment.

Choose from five concentrations: Coastal Management, Marine & Coastal Education, Environmental Education & Interpretation, Environmental Conservation & Management, or Individualized Study.

The multidisciplinary nature of this program provides the student with a unique balance of the scientific background necessary for sound environmental decision-making within the context of educational, political, sociological, economic and legal frameworks.

This approach is intended to produce future and current environmental professionals with the broad perspective necessary to be effective leaders in the field.

The Master of Coastal and Ocean Policy (MCOP) is a professional, non-thesis, interdisciplinary degree program that immerses students in a unique curriculum aimed at advancing technical knowledge of coastal and ocean processes and resources as well as the tools and concepts of the policy making.

Through elective choices students develop expertise in specific areas of interest while exploring the role of science and expertise in policy making about the coasts and oceans.

MCOP students come from a wide range of academic and professional backgrounds.

• Graduates from STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering and math) who wish to advance their expertise while also broadening their scope of knowledge to include the social sciences and public policy


• Graduates from social sciences who wish to complement their knowledge base with relevant natural and physical sciences while developing skills in policy analysis


• Those interested in exploring the nexus of science and society at the graduate level as it pertains to coastal and ocean policy and the rapidly growing blue economy

The dual-degree program is offered jointly by the Departments of Environmental Sciences and Public and International Affairs.

Full-time students will earn two degrees – a Master of Science in Environmental Studies (M.S. EVS) and a Master of Public Administration (MPA) – in three years, as opposed to four years if enrolled separately.

This degree option is specifically for students who want to bridge the communication gap between environmental science and public policy.

The concentration incorporates a course called Foundations of Environmental Conservation and Management. Course Description: Policies and processes related to environmental conservation and management are examined within the context of the political, economic, socio-cultural and scientific challenges facing environmental managers today. Both regulatory and non-regulatory approaches to environmental conservation and management are examined within the public and private sectors. Required field trips.This course was identified as sustainability-focused in the Academic Courses credit.

The concentration incorporates a course called Foundations of Coastal Management in addition to the master program's core classes and advisor-approved electives. The course involves interdisciplinary investigation into the relationship between human society and coastal ecosystems, focusing upon the political, economic, socio-cultural and scientific challenges facing coastal managers.

This concentration focuses heavily on understanding global climate change, and the changes to earth processes that we will see as a result. It includes three courses identified as sustainability-focused in the Academic Courses credit: GLY 520 - Global Climate Change, GLY 526 - Geohydrology, GLY 539 - Paleoclimatology