Policy, Planning, Law and Society

The PPLS track focuses on developing understanding and problem-solving skills relevant to the interaction between human and natural systems.

"What makes PPLS unique is learning to effect the environment through policy, planning, and influencing human behavior." —Prof. Kristen Nelson 

A Faculty Perspective

A Student's Perspective

Students study concepts, issues, and problem solving approaches that address the policy, legal, economic, political, planning, and social aspects of environment and natural resource management. This study includes ethics and conflict management, and emphasizes an interdisciplinary approach for examining problems and developing effective and innovative solutions. Problems considered include sustainable land use planning, resource conservation and management, law, and environmental protection at a range of political levels and spatial scales.

Students will learn how to integrate knowledge from the physical, biological, and social sciences in order to develop policy and planning alternatives and appropriate strategies to provide solutions to complex problems. Students can also develop a specialized background in environmental law, policy analysis, planning, and conflict management.

Sample Four-Year Plan

The sample plan below shows you one of several possible ways to complete this degree. Use Graduation Planner to make your customized plan, and work with your academic adviser to ensure that you are on track to graduate on time.

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First Year

First Year

Fall Semester

ESPM 1001 Freshmen Orientation to Environmental Sciences, Policy, and Management (1 credit)
ESPM 1011 Issues in the Environment (3 credits)
Freshman Composition (4 credits)
Freshman Seminar (3 credits)
CHEM 1015 Introductory Chemistry: Lecture (3 credits)
CHEM 1017 Introductory Chemistry: Laboratory (1 credit)

(15 credits total)

Spring Semester

ESPM 2021 Environmental Sciences: Integrated Problem Solving (3 credits)
COMM 1101 Introduction to Public Speaking (3 credits)
BIOL 1001 Introductory Biology: Evolutionary and Ecological Perspectives (4 credits)
LE (Arts/Humanities) (3 credits)
Elective (2 credits)

(15 credits total)

Second Year

Second Year

Fall Semester

ESPM 3251 Natural Resources in Sustainable International Development (3 credits)
ESPM 3271 Environmental Policy, Law, and Human Behavior (3 credits)
FNRM 3131 Geographical Information Systems (GIS) for Natural Resources (4 credits)
LE (Writing Intensive - Lower Division) (3 credits)
LE (Literature) (3 credits)

(16 credits total)

Spring Semester

ESPM 3012 Statistical Methods for Environmental Scientists and Managers (4 credits)
ESPM 3241W Natural Resource and Environmental Policy (3 credits)
ESPM 3261 Economics and Natural Resources Management (4 credits)
ESPM 3575 Wetlands (3 credits)

(14 credits total)

Summer Semester

FNRM 2101 Identifying Forest Plants (1 credit)
FNRM 2104 Measuring Forest Resources (1 credit)

(2 credits total)

Third Year

Third Year

Fall Semester

ESPM 3000 Seminar on Current Issues for ESPM (1 credit)
ESPM 3603 Environmental Life Cycle Analysis (3 credits)
SOIL 2125 Basic Soil Science (4 credits)
FNRM 2102 Northern Forests Field Ecology (2 credits)
LE (Historical Perspectives) (3 credits)
Elective (2 credits)

(15 credits total)

Spring Semester

ESPM 3202W Environmental Conflict Management, Leadership, and Planning (3 credits)
ESPM 3211 Survey, Measurement, and Modeling for Environmental Analysis (3 credits)
ESPM 4256 Natural Resource Law and the Management of Public Lands and Waters (3 credits)
Elective (3 credits)
Elective (3 credits)

(15 credits total)

Fourth Year

Fourth Year

Fall Semester

ESPM 4041W - Problem Solving for Environmental Change (4 credits)
Upper Division Writing Intensive within the Major - ESPM 4041W
ESPM 3245 - Sustainable Land Use Planning and Policy (3 credits)
ESPM 4242 - Methods for Environmental and Natural Resource Policy Analysis (3 credits)
Elective (4 credits)

(14 credits total)

Spring Semester

Elective (4 credits)
Elective (4 credits)
Elective (3 credits)
Elective (3 credits)

(14 credits total)