Letter from the Interim Director
Dear Prospective Graduate Student,
The master's degree program at the Bard Center for Environmental Policy was founded to train innovative environmental leaders to craft good public policy. At BCEP we believe that to write effective policy, a decision maker should synthesize knowledge from science, economics, politics, and law. We believe that social responsibility and ethical concerns must play a role in sustainable development. We believe that environmental planning should include the voices of the general public and be tailored to address the needs of local communities. And last, we believe good policy will emerge only from cooperative endeavors and clear communication between all environmental practitioners.
These principles are expressed throughout the Center's unique curriculum. The course work in each class follows the same themes progressively during the year, allowing students to integrate knowledge from different academic disciplines. All classes stress empirical-based inquiry, essential to the development of skills in critical thinking and reasoning. The required full-time internship enables students to work in a professional setting. Students who wish to pursue further training can apply for joint programs with Pace University Law School, The Master of Arts in Teaching Program at Bard College, and the Peace Corps.
The world population is transforming the environment at an unprecedented rate. We face critical global issues, such as climate change, that demand interdisciplinary and collaborative solutions. Our goal at the Bard Center for Environmental Policy is to educate decision makers to create these solutions.
We hope you can join us.
Mara A. Ranville, Ph.D.
Interim Director
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