Environmental Security and Peace

The Master of Arts Degree Programme in Environmental Security and Peace allows participants to analyze the impacts of environmental stress and climate change on human livelihoods, health and fulfilment of basic needs, and on the sustainability and resilience of fragile ecosystems. It also enhances their capacity to design policies that reduce the threats to peace arising from climate change, environmental degradation, and growing competition for resources.

Successful candidates for this programme have typically obtained high qualifications in an accredited bachelor's degree programme in the social sciences (anthropology, geography, political sciences, and similar degrees), environmental sciences, or in some combination of the above. Preferably, they possess 3-4 years or more of relevant experience in fields related to the programme. English proficiency is a must, while some proficiency in Spanish is preferable because of the many field activities of this programme in Costa Rica. Selected candidates will have demonstrated a very clear motivation towards the analysis or management of environmental issues that affect the livelihood and security of people, communities or countries, as well as a convincing vision of the role of this programme in their future career.

The 40 credits programme takes place over two course semesters, between August of one year and May of the following year, followed by a 2-3 months internship or independent study project, for a total duration of 11 months. After several foundational courses in Peace and Conflict Studies, Environment Security, and Research Methods, the participants delve deeper into their specialization topics, such as Water Security, Environment Justice and Social Movements, Environmental Security Assessment, and Urban Security, among many other course opportunities (see list below). Towards the end of the first semester, with the guidance of their academic advisor, the participants will have identified their internship or independent study topic, for which they prepare a full proposal due in the course of the second semester. The Independent Study is a comprehensive desk study research on a subject that closely matches the student's career interests. The Internship is an opportunity for the participants to get professionally immersed into a local, non-governmental, government, or international organization and additionally serves as a spring board for accessing attractive job opportunities. The final Independent Study or Internship report marks the end of the programme.

The required courses are:

PCS-6000 - Introduction to Peace and Conflict Studies (3 credits). Collegiate course by UPEACE resident faculty.
ESP-6010 - Introduction to Environmental Security (3 credits). Prof. Mahmoud Hamid.
ESP-6020 - Introduction to Research Methods I and II (3 credits). Prof. Marteen Kapelle
ESP-7100 - Independent Study (8 credits). Assigned advisor
or
ESP-7200 - Internship (8 credits). Assigned advisor.

Elective courses may include:

ESP participants may chose any of the courses listed below, 12 credits of which need to be from the courses with the ESP code. The remaining 11 required credits may be either from the ESP or NRD codes or up to 6 credit courses from other departments.

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.

NRD-6020 - System Thinking (1 credit). Rolain Borel
NRD-6024 - Strategic Planning and Project Management (3 credits). Prof. Juergen Carls et al.
NRD-6050 - Agriculture, Natural Resources and Sustainable Development (2 credits). Prof. Guntra Aistara
NRD-6051 - Measuring Sustainability (1 credit). Prof. Jan Breitling
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.
NRD-6092 - Coastal Management (3 credits). Prof. Marco Quesada.

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

participants who have completed this programme are able to articulate and critique key theoretical and conceptual dimensions related to environmental security, including the relationships between environmental security, development, prevention of conflict, and peace-building. They are also able to apply quantitative and qualitative methodologies to analyze the scientific, ecological, political, economic, social, and cultural dimensions of key environmental security issues. Eventually, they can identify and evaluate management options, supportive institutional, legal and policy regimes, governance reforms, and other appropriate measures to strengthen environmental security at various scales. They are also likely to become smart and well informed activists in development/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 ESP 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 our ESP graduates:

• A Czech graduate is working for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and temporarily relocated as a diplomatic posting in Kinshasa, attending many high-level issues in several DRC regions.
  
• A Peruvian graduate has been hired by the IFC as an Operations Analyst for the Latin America and the Caribbean Office for Advisory Services, located in Lima.
• A graduate from Ghana is a Project Leader at the WWF-West Africa Regional Programme Office in Accra.
• A Canadian graduate is the Senior Project Manager in the climate action program for the Government of British Columbia, Canada where he is involved in initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions produced by the transportation sector. He comments the following: “The education I received at UPEACE prepared me very well for my current role. My employer viewed my degree favorably and I regularly apply knowledge I gained at UPEACE in my work. The skills I developed at UPEACE have enabled me to effectively work on a variety of leading-edge initiatives to quantify and reduce emissions from the transport sector, develop and implement climate change policy, and liaise with stakeholders.”
• A graduate from Kenya has just obtained an internship position with an NGO in Geneva called the South Centre that represents the global south on many issues ranging from poverty alleviation to debt relief to climate change and environmental protection.
• A US graduate, after working for several years for the Earth Charter Initiative, is now the Fellows Network Coordinator at the Donella Meadows Sustainability Institute.