Natural Resources and Sustainable Development

The Master of Arts Dual degree Programme in Natural Resources and Sustainable Development programme allows participants to learn about environmental and development policies and practices from the perspectives of both the South and the North, and from both local and global view points. American University's School of International Service in Washington, D.C. contributes with its strengths in international relations, environmental policy, and economics, while the University for Peace provides unparalleled opportunities for participants to gain from courses and practical experiences in sustainable development and natural resources management.

Applicants must hold an accredited bachelor's degree or equivalent, with a cumulative grade point average of at least at 3.3 on a 4.0 scale. Successful applicants have substantive social science and natural resources coursework/experience relevant to international studies. English proficiency is a must, and basic Spanish conversational skills are required. International experience is considered an advantage. Selected candidates will have demonstrated a clear and concrete commitment towards community oriented development work in the natural resources and environmental sectors, as well as a convincing vision of the role of this programme in their future career.

Admission is handled by American University. Accordingly, all candidates must follow the procedures listed at: http://www.american.edu/sis/admissions/graduate/requirements.htm. Once the admission applications are complete, applicants are evaluated by faculty at both universities. The admission letter is sent to successful applicants by both universities.

To apply on-line, click at: http://www.american.edu/sis/admissions/graduate/process.htm.

To receive additional information about the admission process, send a request to:

American University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action university. The University for Peace accepts participants from all parts of the world, regardless of sex, creed, race, political affiliation, or nationality.

The 45 credits dual-campus programme takes place over four course semesters (20 months). participants spend their first semester at American University learning the foundations of sustainable development policy both inside the classroom, and within the Washington, D.C. policy community. They spend the next two semesters at the University for Peace studying sustainable development practices in natural resources management, sustainable tourism, or coastal management, with visits to many examples in Costa Rica. They also learn essential skills in project design and evaluation, environmental assessment, and conflict management. In between the two course semesters at UPEACE, the participants carry out an internship through which they are immersed into a local, non-governmental, government, or international organization. In addition to its intrinsic learning goals, the internship serves as a spring board for accessing attractive job opportunities. For their final semester, the participants return to American University to write a substantial research paper, participate in an integrative seminar that exposes participants to professional policymaking opportunities in D.C., and complete their final courses.

While at UPEACE the required courses are:

PCS-6000 - Introduction to Peace and Conflict Studies (3 credits). Collegiate course by UPEACE resident faculty.
NRD-6020 - Introduction to Research Methods I and II (3 credits). Prof. Robert Fletcher
NRD-6040 - Ecological Foundations for Sustainable Land Use (3 credits) Prof. Eric Fuchs
NRD-6080 - Internship (3 credits). Assigned advisor

Elective courses at UPEACE may include:
NRSD participants may choose no less than 12 credits from the courses listed below, up-to 6 of which can be substituted by courses from other departments.

NRD-6020 - System Thinking (1 credit) Prof. Rolain Borel
NRD-6024 - Strategic Planning, and Project Cycle (3 credits) Prof. Juergen Carls et al.
NRD-6027 or NRD-6028 - Fundraising for Sustainable Development (1 credit) Prof. Juergen Carls
NRD-6050 - Agriculture, Natural Resources and Sustainable Development (3 credits) Prof. Guntra Aistara
NRD-6051 - Measuring Sustainability (1 credit) Prof. Jan Breitling
NRD-6060 - Environmental Conflicts Management (2 credits) Prof. Rolain Borel
NRD-6075 - Forestry, Forests and Poverty (3 credits) Prof. Jan Breitling
NRD-6081 - San José Environmental Seminar (1 credit) Prof. Jan Breitling
NRD-6083 - Natural Resources Management Field Course (3 credits)Prof. Jan Breitling & Prof. Robert Fletcher
NRD-6092 - Management of Coastal Resources (3 credits) Prof. Marco Quesada
NRD-6093 - Sustainable Tourism (3 credits) Prof. Robert Fletcher

ESP-6010 - Introduction to Environmental Security (3 credits). Prof. Mahmoud Hamid.
ESP-6040 - Demographic Change, Migration and Conflict (2 credits). Prof. Tom Deligiannis.
ESP-6045 - Skills for Non-Profit Leadership (1 credit). Prof. Mohit Mukherjee.
ESP-6051 - Environmental Justice and Social Movements (2 credits). Prof. Guntra Aistara.
ESP-6060 - Water, Security and Peace (3 credits). Prof. Mahmoud Hamid.
ESP-6070 - Disaster Risk Reduction at the Local Level (3 credits). Prof. Rolain Borel et al.
ESP-6071 - Urban Environmental Security (2 credits). Prof. Mahmoud Hamid.
ESP-6090 - Hunger, Famine and Food Security (3 credits). Prof. Reg Noble.
ESP-6100 - Environmental Security Assessment (3 credits). Prof. Jeffrey Stark & Prof. Katsuaki Terasawa.
ESP-6120 - Human Vulnerability and Climate Change (2 credits). Prof. Mike Brklacich.
ESP-6140 - Environmental Conflict Management (3 credits). Prof. Rolain Borel.
ESP-6150 - Environmental Governance (1 credit). Prof. Mirian Vilela.

For complete course descriptions, course calendar and information about the prefessors, please follow this link: http://www.upeace.org/academic/calendar/

For a list of the courses offered at American University, please follow the link of the School of International Service.

participants who have successfully completed this program receive an MA in International Affairs from American University and an MA in Natural Resources and Sustainable Development from the University for Peace. They are able to articulate and critique key theoretical and conceptual dimensions related to environment and development, the prevention of conflict, and peace-building. In particular they are able to formulate policies to advance sustainable development at the local, regional, and global levels, to facilitate international cooperation in the design of sustainable development and environment policy, and to generate strategies for environmental conflict management. They are also likely to become smart and well informed activists in development and environment matters, in favour of more vulnerable groups, and to be promoters of change in their society back home. In addition, most of the graduates will have acquired a working command of Spanish through their field work with local partners.

Graduates of the NRSD programme are likely to be employed by international and national environmental and development agencies and NGO's, working in close contact with local organizations, as well as for environmental and policy making institutions. Others are likely to pursue a higher education degree.

Here are some examples of the professional involvement of some of our NRSD graduates:

• ACDI/VOCA, Food Security Analyst, Mickey Leland International Hunger Fellow, Congressional Hunger Center. ACDI/VOCA works on agricultural development around the world, focusing on farmer cooperatives to develop their agribusiness capacity to sell their farm products, among other services. Our graduate is a Senior Project Coordinator for a project in the Philippines that helps cocoa farmers to increase production, improve quality, and expand their marketing of their cocoa for sale domestically and worldwide.
• Center for Resource Solutions (CRS), Program Associate, working with renewable energy and climate policy. CRS brings forth expert responses to climate change issues with the speed and effectiveness necessary to provide real-time solutions.
• Environmental Working Group, Director of Grant and Project Management.
• Millennium Challenge Corporation, Deputy Resident Country Director - Honduras, United States Embassy.
• Conservation international, Program Management and Planning Department, in charge of developing a new assessment/evaluation process for the regional programs as a basis for strategic planning.
• Trees for the Future (www.plant-trees.org), Africa and Caribbean Program Coordinator -- Community-based agroforestry in Africa and Haiti.
• EPA, Environmental Protection Specialist. International environmental policy work, coordination of USG work for international accords on chemicals management, mercury, PFC's, etc.