Introduction
Students in the University of California, Santa Cruz's Coastal Science and Policy Program (CSP) will develop a range of skills, interdisciplinary knowledge, and transdisciplinary approaches pertinent to creating real-world solutions to current and emerging concerns for coastal sustainability. At the core of the program, students will take courses focused on understanding and applying concepts of sustainability that include environmental, social, economic and legal dimensions. In addition, students will participate in communication, technical, and leadership skill development workshops and seminars. With this backbone, students will participate in solutions-based courses, a summer placement, and a capstone project executed in one-on-one collaboration with partners in business, governmental agencies and non-governmental organizations. With this combination of focused courses, skill set development, and practical experience, graduates will be well prepared and highly competitive for the diverse job opportunities in the growing fields of coastal science and policy. Although the focus of most material will be coastal or marine, the principles and practices learned by the students will be applicable in any geographical location or sector.
The program will focus on practical training to provide integrated solutions to social and ecological challenges via three interconnected nodes that leverage UCSC’s existing leadership in coastal sustainability:
- Conserving biodiversity, ecosystem processes, and human well-being,
- Mitigating hazards to nature and society, and fostering societal adaptation, and
- Maintaining security of marine, terrestrial, and freshwater food, water, and energy systems.
Preparation for Graduate Work in Coastal Science and Policy
Students admitted to the Master of Science (M.S.) in Coastal Science and Policy program will have completed a bachelor’s degree at a four-year university in a field relevant to coastal sustainability. Relevant fields are diverse and include the natural sciences (e.g., biology, earth sciences, chemistry, oceanography), social sciences (e.g., economics or business, human ecology, political science, sociology), interdisciplinary programs (e.g., environmental studies and sciences) and engineering. Specific additional requirements prior to admission, regardless of undergraduate major and/or minors, include at least one course each in writing, and statistics, as well as at least one course each in at least two of three emphasis areas: biological sciences, physical sciences, and the social sciences, including policy and economics. We anticipate that competitive applicants to the program will have additional experience, through some combination of coursework, internships, jobs and research, in the environmental field.