Department of Environment and Development
The Department of Environment and Development (DED) focuses on analyzing environmental issues from a social justice perspective. We emphasize deep critical analysis to ensure that we address the root causes of environment and development challenges and to guarantee that solutions discussed are rooted in equity, justice, intersectionality and human and nature rights.
Our approach to analysis is grounded in political ecology, an interdisciplinary perspective that highlights the importance of political economic structures and inequity in access to resources as key drivers in environmental conflicts and environmental change. In our classrooms, we link theory to practice.
We have a diversity of guest speakers and field visits within our unique location in Costa Rica to situate our learning in on the ground realities. Our professors come from both inside and outside of academia. Our invited professors are a mix of international academic experts, Indigenous leaders, practitioners, and activists.
Lastly, we include perspectives of a diversity of sectors (state, company, and community organizations), to ensure solutions analyzed are in-line with complex global realities.
https://upeace.org/department-of-environment-and-development/
Environment, Development and peace
The Master of Arts Degree in Environment, Development, and Peace (EDP) provides comprehensive training in issues of sustainable development, environmental governance, natural resource management, and environmental conflicts from both ecological and social justice perspectives. It encompasses a broad range of subjects and themes, including Food Systems, Water Management, Indigenous perspectives Forestry, Coastal Resources, Climate Justice, Urban Sustainability, Gender, and Social Movements. The programme focuses on the human dimensions of the environment-development nexus, highlighting the connections between local perspectives and broader processes at the national, regional and global levels and emphasizing the importance of political economic structures and inequity as a key driver in environmental conflict and global environmental change. The programme prepares students for a wide range of careers in both environmental and development policy and programming in the public, private, and non-profit sectors.”
In our programme, you will learn contemporary frameworks and tools to analyze and address key sustainability issues from a social & environmental justice perspective. You will become skilled researchers and communicators on environmental and development challenges and solutions. Specific skills include: 1) critical social justice analyses of environmental topics, 2) social research methodologies (including critical approaches to research, feminist, Indigenous, decolonizing), 3) data analysis, 4) applied research and publication skills, 5) gender analyses and more. Furthermore, you will build large international networks of collaborators to help you further your professional goals.
Ecology and Society
The Master of Science Degree in Ecology and Society (ES) has been designed in response to the currently recognized global need for Master’s-level trained Ecologists to address local to international level environmental issues. Students will gain the knowledge and skills to characterize, understand, restore, manage and maintain the planet’s ecosystems, and determine the correlations between healthy, sustained habitats and the ecosystem services they provide to benefit society and the rest of the biosphere, all while being able to explain/describe these concepts from the scientific, quantitative, societal, political, temporal and spatial perspectives, all of which are required of the next generation of fully engaged Ecologists.
Natural Resources and Sustainable development
What are the root causes of environmental degradation and poverty? The dual-degree M.A. programme in Natural Resources and Sustainable Development (NRSD) 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.
The NRSD programme, offered by the Department of Environment, Development, and Health within the School of International Service at American University in Washington, D.C., is a dual M.A. degree programme. Students have the unique opportunity to study at both American University and the University for Peace (UPEACE), earning degrees from both institutions.
At UPEACE, NRSD students will take courses within two programmes (M.Sc. in Ecology and Society and M.A. in Environment, Development and Peace). Our courses provide comprehensive training in issues of sustainable development, environmental governance, natural resource management, and environmental conflicts from both ecological and social justice perspectives. It encompasses a broad range of subjects and themes, including Food Systems, Water Management, Indigenous Perspectives on Environment & Development, Forestry, Coastal Resources, Climate Justice, Urban Sustainability, and Gender. The programme focuses on the human dimensions of the environment-development nexus, highlighting the connections between local perspectives and broader processes at the national, regional and global levels and emphasizing the importance of political economic structures and inequity as a key driver in environmental conflict and global environmental change. The programme prepares students for a wide range of careers in both environmental and development policy and programming in the public, private, and non-profit sectors.
In our programme, you will learn contemporary frameworks and tools to analyze and address key sustainability issues from a social & environmental justice perspective. You will become skilled researchers and communicators on environmental and development challenges and solutions. Specific skills include: 1) critical social justice analyses of environmental topics, 2) social research methodologies, 3) data analysis, 4) applied research and publication skills, 5) gender analyses, 6) applied ecological research methods, 7) the application of sustainability frameworks, and more. Furthermore, you will build international networks of collaborators to help you further your professional goals.
Programme 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.