Environmental Systems and Policy

The major Environmental Systems and Policy focuses on the science and skills needed for effective environmental policy analysis, which aims to predict, and later evaluate the environmental, economic, and social consequences of alternative approaches to solve current environmental policy problems, and contribute to effective decision-​making. Courses focus on a theoretical understanding of political systems and alternative policy approaches, practical experience at ex ante and ex post policy evaluation, and development of practical management and decision-​support skills. The major complements an in-​depth understanding of environmental natural science gained during the Bachelor’s programme, and supplemented in a well-​chosen minor or set of electives.

Interests/ Prerequisites

• Environmental economics
• Environmental politics, governance, and law
• Numerical and statistical analysis (e.g., with R, Python, MatLab)

Education and Learning objectives

• The Education is provided by the institute for Environmental Decisions
  
• Understanding of alternative policy approaches to environmental problem areas, including climate change, biodiversity protection, natural resource management, and air and water pollution
• Competence at evaluating sources of political conflict with respect to environmental policy problems
• Competence at undertaking quantitative policy analysis, predicting and evaluating the consequences of alternative approaches
• Competence working within public and private agencies, where environmental goals exist among others

Possible careers

• Government policy analyst (e.g. Federal Office of the Environment, city or cantonal offices)
• Analyst or project developer in private industry (e.g. electric supply company, consulting firm)
• Program manager in NGO (e.g. WWF)