Program Details: International Environmental Policy
The Middlebury Institute Master of Arts in International Environmental Policy (IEP) is designed to prepare you for a rewarding career with some of the most prestigious environmental organizations around the world—in government, business, and nonprofit sectors.
Why the Institute: Professional experience before you graduate
My name is Melis Okter, I was an International Environmental Policy student at the Middlebury Institute. I am currently an environmental scientist and coastal planner at Dudek, in their Oakland office, and what I mainly focus on is sea level rise policy.
I was studying science-based stuff in my undergrad and I had this moment when I felt like there was a lot of science going on but there wasn’t so much of the implementation. So I took a shift from looking at science-based PhD programs to more practical masters or PhD programs and I came across the Middlebury Institute and the IEP program had a really good intersect of science and policy.
That was the best part of it because if you don’t have a lot of job experience, you can focus on what you did in your class; not what you learned, but how you implemented what you were learning. Several of our classes, we had to write vulnerability assessment, or go out and do some sort of fieldwork that we translate into a policy. And those were directly applicable tools that I was able to show people while I was applying to jobs: ”Hey look, I’m on the younger end of the spectrum. I don’t have a whole lot of job experience, but this is how I know how to do a lot of this stuff.”
I don’t think there’s any contaminated sites, but I just wanted to make sure there’s someone confirming that.
The Middlebury Institute offers you a lot of flexibility to form what you’re most interested in and we have access to some great positions around Monterey. We have NOAA right by us, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the Big Sur Land Trust and they all know our professors really well. So our professors are always looking to get their students these great positions and they get to know what you’re interested in to give you job opportunities while you’re there.
I think I valued most just how much the faculty cares about their students and really wants to see them succeed. Jason Scorse, the director of the IEP program actually sent me this job position. So I think a lot of them are really invested in their students post-graduation. In my undergrad, I went to UC San Diego, so it’s huge, and I don’t think I had a single professor that I interfaced with very often. So coming from a big school, I think the small campus in a small town with a really small program was really beneficial.
Learning Goals
Our curriculum is designed around a distinct set of Learning Goals to give you the skills to address and help solve today’s complex environmental challenges.
Learn from the Experts
Watch recordings of online discussions with Middlebury Institute experts on a wide range of topics.
- Professor Lyuba Zarsky is spearheading research on new approaches to climate resilient coastal infrastructure. In this online discussion, she outlines and assesses initiatives by city governments, community groups, and businesses to increase resilience through investment and governance strategies. Watch the video.
- Dr. Jason Scorse, chair of the International Environmental Policy program and director of the Center for the Blue Economy, uses recent investigations into the impact popular surfing locations have on local economies as a window into the value of economizing our natural resources in service of their protection. Watch the video.
Careers and Internships
Students gain professional experience through internships, prestigious fellowships, and other real-world, immersive programs.
Our graduates work with some of the most prestigious organizations around the world. Learn how they are thriving in their careers.
Tuition and Fees
Visit our tuition and fees page for detailed information.