Master of Public Administration in Environmental Science and Policy Graduates Are Working as Environmental Professionals

Since the program’s inception in 2002, 137 people have graduated from the Master of Public Administration in Environmental Science and Policy sponsored by the School of International and Public Affairs and the Earth Institute at Columbia University. These graduates have entered into a diverse range of professions within the environmental policy field in non-profit, government, and private sectors. MPA Environmental Science and Policy graduates have applied their decision-making and policy skills to address environmental, resource, and global change issues such as air, water, climate, food and agriculture, transportation, and waste management to name just a few. Graduates are working as consultants, environmental protection and restoration specialists, directors of environmental services, environmental and public health advisors, policy analysts, teachers, researchers, and environmental biologists and engineers.

In a survey of our 137 graduates, 100 responded, giving us a good idea of what the graduates of the MPA Environmental Science and Policy are now doing. Of these 100 graduates, 92% are currently working professionally, while 8 percent have chosen to continue their education. Forty-two percent of those who responded to the survey that are working professionally are working for government agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency, the United Nations Development Program, the United States Department of Agriculture, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, among many other national and international agencies. In fact, several graduates are Presidential Management Fellows. This is a nationwide competitive fellowship that selects well-qualified individuals committed to careers in the analysis and management of public policies and programs.

Thirty percent of MPA Environmental Science and Policy graduates that responded to the survey are working in the private sector, both in the United States and internationally with firms such as AIG Environmental, Booz Allen Hamilton, Clipper Windpower, Inc., EcoSecurities Ltd., Price Waterhouse Coopers and others. Twenty-five percent of the graduates who responded to the survey and are working professionally are working for non-profit, research or international organizations including: Pro-Natura International, the Environmental Law and Policy Center, the International Institute for Climate Prediction, the New York City Audubon Society, and TransFair USA, a fair trade certification agency. Graduates are also working at an array of environmental conservation groups such as the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy, the Conservation Fund, Water Conservation Alliance of Southern Arizona, and Reef Protection International. Several graduates are working for research or educational institutions, in the United States, Kuwait, and Germany. In addition, one graduate is self- employed, working in the area of communications.

Nearly 6 percent of the MPA in Environmental Science and Policy graduates who responded to the survey are continuing their education, pursing PhDs in a variety of subjects from marine biology, to engineering as well as two students who are pursuing law degrees. These graduates are studying at Columbia University, CUNY, the University of Delaware, the University of Vermont, the University of Kyushu, School of Law, and the University of Colorado Law School.

MPA-ESP graduates are living in 24 different US states and in the District of Columbia. Sixty-five percent of US based graduates live on the East Coast while 17 percent live in the West, 8.5 percent in the Southwest, 8.5 percent in the Midwest, and 1 percent in the Pacific Region. Nearly 9.5 percent of all graduates live outside the United States. Thirteen of the survey respondents live outside of the United States in eleven different countries: China, France, Germany, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Mexico, Russia, Tanzania, and Ukraine. In fact, 3 graduates reside in Japan.

Places of Employment:

Government
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR); Cabinet Office, Government of Japan; China State Environmental Protection Administration, Department of International Cooperation, Division of International Conventions and Organizations City of Flint, MI; Water Pollution Control Facility; DEP Climate Change Task Force; Economic and Ecological Development for Post-Chernobyl, Western CIS and Caucasus Regional Bureau for Europe and the CIS (RBEC) United Nations; Environmental Protection Agency: Office of Prevention and Pesticides, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response and the CFO Office; Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC); Florida Department of Environmental Protection; Florida FWC; Lawrence Township Health Department; Los Angeles Unified School District, Office of Environmental Health and Safety; Maricopa County Department of Public Health Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan Patent Office; National Aeronautics and Space Administration; National Cancer Institute; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, and NOAA/NJDEP; National Parks Service; Ngezi Conservation and Management Project, Pemba, Zanzibar, Tanzania; New York City Department of Parks and Recreation; New York City Teaching Fellow; Office of Emergency Management; Olympia School District; Puget Sound Parks Development; SGT, Inc. – NASA-GISS; United Nations Development Programme: Energy and Environment Group; US Department of Agriculture, Office of Budget and Program; US Department of State; US Senate Subcommittee on Oceans, Fisheries, and Coast Guard (Democratic Staff); Volpe Center, part of the FHWA Department of Transportation; Macias, Gini, and Company

Private Sector
Agrarian Research & Management Co. Ltd; AIG Environmental; Aspen Environmental Group; Bell Canada; Biomass; Booz Allen Hamilton; CH2M HILL; Clipper Windpower, Inc.; EcoSecurities Ltd.; Environmental & Engineering Consulting Firm; Geomega Inc.; Horizon Wind Energy; ICF Consulting; Innovest Strategic Value Advisors; International Society for Astrological Research; Martin and Wood Water Consultants, Inc.; Michael Baker Corporation, Price Waterhouse Coopers; Salym Petroleum Development, Shell EP, Russia; Smith & Carson, Inc.; SRA International, Inc.; Texas Instruments; The Environmental Company, Inc.; UBS Financial Services

Non-Profit
Bronx River Alliance; Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy; The Campaign; Chagrin River Land Conservancy; COAST; Community Conservation Network, Inc.; Conservation Fund; The Earth Institute at Columbia University; Environmental Law and Policy Center; Greenbelt Alliance; Homes for the Homeless/The Institute for Children and Poverty; International Research Institute for Climate Prediction; Kuwait University; Natural Resources Defense Council; New York City Audubon Society; Pro-Natura International: Carbon Credit Capital and the Centre for International Networking on Carbon Sequestration and Biomass Energy; Reef Protection International; Student Conservation Association, Mt. Hood National Forest; Technical University, Munich; TransFair USA; Water Conservation Alliance of Southern Arizona; Waterkeeper Alliance; Wildlife Conservation Society

Continuing Education
The City University of New York; Columbia University; University of Delaware; University of Vermont, The University of Kyushu, School of Law; University of Colorado Law School.