Twin Cities campus

This is archival data. This system was retired as of August 21, 2023 and the information on this page has not been updated since then. For current information, visit catalogs.umn.edu.

 
Twin Cities Campus

Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy M.S.

HHH Administration
Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs
Link to a list of faculty for this program.
Contact Information
Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota, 301 19th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55455 (612-624-3800; fax: 612-626-0002)
Email: hhhadmit@umn.edu
Website: http://www.hhh.umn.edu
  • Program Type: Master's
  • Requirements for this program are current for Fall 2014
  • Length of program in credits: 36
  • This program does not require summer semesters for timely completion.
  • Degree: Master of Science
Along with the program-specific requirements listed below, please read the General Information section of this website for requirements that apply to all major fields.
The M.S. in science, technology, and environmental policy (STEP) provides students with an understanding of the role of science and technology in society, including food and agriculture, the economy, energy and the environment, security, health, and education; the impact of science and technology on the political and economic relationships within and among nations; and the analysis and design of policies for appropriate promotion and regulation of science and technology regionally, nationally, and internationally. The program educates students with natural and social science backgrounds to assume roles in public policy development.
Program Delivery
  • via classroom (the majority of instruction is face-to-face)
Prerequisites for Admission
The preferred undergraduate GPA for admittance to the program is 3.00.
A four-year bachelor's degree from an accredited U.S. university or foreign equivalent at time of enrollment.
Other requirements to be completed before admission:
A grade of B or better in introductory microeconomics is required. At least one course in political science (that analyzes political institutions) is strongly recommended. At least one semester of calculus is required. A degree or advanced-level coursework in the natural or engineering sciences is expected. Students who have not taken introductory statistics prior to admission must take PA 5031, above the 36 credits required for the degree. Competence in MS Excel and Word is strongly recommended.
Special Application Requirements:
A complete application will include a University of Minnesota application, personal statement, resume or C.V., transcripts, GRE scores, TOEFL scores (if applicable), at least three letters of recommendation, and an optional diversity statement.
Applicants must submit their test score(s) from the following:
  • GRE
International applicants must submit score(s) from one of the following tests:
  • TOEFL
    • Internet Based - Total Score: 100
    • Paper Based - Total Score: 700
  • IELTS
    • Total Score: 7.0
Key to test abbreviations (GRE, TOEFL, IELTS).
For an online application or for more information about graduate education admissions, see the General Information section of this website.
Program Requirements
Plan A: Plan A requires 20 major credits, 6 credits outside the major, and 10 thesis credits. The final exam is oral.
Plan B: Plan B requires 30 major credits and 6 credits outside the major. The final exam is oral.
This program may be completed with a minor.
Use of 4xxx courses towards program requirements is not permitted.
A minimum GPA of 2.80 is required for students to remain in good standing.
At least 1 semesters must be completed before filing a Degree Program Form.
Students should take 6 credits to complement their previous training: appropriate courses in natural or engineering science or its history or philosophy for those with social science backgrounds; appropriate courses in the social sciences for those with natural or engineering science backgrounds. Elective credits are chosen in consultation with the student's adviser. Students who have not taken prior coursework in statistics must demonstrate to their advisers that they have adequate preparation in statistics or must take Empirical Analysis I (PA 5031). PA 5031 does not count toward fulfilling the 36-credit minimum requirement.
Required Core Courses
PA 5012 - The Politics of Public Affairs (3.0 cr)
PA 5021 - Microeconomics for Policy Analysis (3.0 cr)
PA 5002 - Introduction to Policy Analysis (1.5 cr)
PA 5711 - Science, Technology & Environmental Policy (3.0 cr)
PA 5722 - Economics of Environmental Policy (3.0 cr)
PA 5715 - Deliberating Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy (1.5 cr)
At least one of the following:
PA 5723 - Water Policy (3.0 cr)
or PA 5721 -  Energy Systems and Policy (3.0 cr)
or PA 5731 - Emerging Sciences and Technologies: Policy, Ethics and Law (3.0 cr)
or PA 5741 - Risk, Resilience and Decision Making (1.5 cr)
or PA 5751 - Addressing Climate and Energy Challenges at the Local Scale (3.0 cr)
Methods Courses
PA 5032 - Applied Regression (2.0 cr)
or PA 5044 - Applied Regression, Accelerated (2.0 cr)
PA 5033 - Multivariate Techniques (2.0 cr)
or PA 5041 - Qualitative Methods for Policy Analysts (4.0 cr)
Plan B Paper or Plan A Thesis
Electives
Electives to bring total credits to at least 40.
Joint- or Dual-degree Coursework:
Joint Degree Program in Law, Health, and the Life Sciences (M.S.-S.T.E.P./J.D.) Students may take a total of 24 credits in common among the academic programs.
 
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PA 5012 - The Politics of Public Affairs
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
Politics is how we make collective decisions about matters of shared consequence. This course examines politics and introduces students to key concepts and skills needed for effective political analysis. The central themes of the course focus on power; institutions and organizations; discourse; and citizenship.
PA 5021 - Microeconomics for Policy Analysis
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall
Introduction to tools useful for public policy. Intermediate microeconomics.
PA 5002 - Introduction to Policy Analysis
Credits: 1.5 [max 1.5]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
Process of public policy analysis from problem structuring to communication of findings. Commonly used analytical methods. Alternative models of analytical problem resolution.
PA 5711 - Science, Technology & Environmental Policy
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Typically offered: Every Fall
Interplay of science, technology, the environment, and society. Approaches from across the social sciences will cover how science and technology can create new environmental pressures as well as policy challenges in a range of spheres from climate change to systems of intellectual property and international development.
PA 5722 - Economics of Environmental Policy
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Typically offered: Every Fall
Introduction to economic principles and methods as they apply to environmental issues such as climate change, biodiversity conservation, and water quality. Course will cover benefit-cost analysis, methods of environmental valuation, as well as critiques of market-based solutions to environmental challenges.
PA 5715 - Deliberating Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy
Credits: 1.5 [max 6.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Periodic Fall & Spring
Exploration of the conceptual and ethical dimensions of science, technology, and environmental policy. Discussion-based course with rotating topics.
PA 5723 - Water Policy
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Course Equivalencies: PA 5723/WRS 5101
Typically offered: Every Spring
Socio-cultural, legal, and economic forces that affect water resource use. Water quality, Clean Water Act contrasted with international laws, roles of State and Local agencies. Water supply, drought, flooding, drainage, irrigation, storage. Sulfide mining, Line 3, hypoxia, wildfire, climate, snowpack, extreme events, China south-to-north transfer, CEC?s, AIS, Aral Sea, CAFOs, and more.
PA 5721 - Energy Systems and Policy
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Typically offered: Every Fall
Impact of energy production/consumption choices on environmental quality, sustainable development, and other economic/social goals. Emphasizes public policy choices for energy/environment, linkages between them.
PA 5731 - Emerging Sciences and Technologies: Policy, Ethics and Law
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Typically offered: Periodic Fall & Spring
This interdisciplinary course will examine issues at the nexus of public policy, ethics, law, and emerging sciences and technologies (ES&T) including nanotechnology, genetic and biomedical engineering, synthetic biology, and artificial intelligence. Topics we will explore include the role of science and technology as both a tool for and the subject of policy and law; the policy, ethical, economic, and legal implications of ES&T research and development; environmental and human health risk analysis and regulation (e.g., EPA, FDA, OSHA, and state and local regulatory mechanisms); intellectual property issues; liability issues; and global impacts. Topics will be approached from the perspective of different stakeholders (e.g., federal agencies, industry, academic researchers, the environment, international organizations, and the public) and in the context of different application areas (e.g., drugs, devices, food, agriculture, energy, environmental remediation) using a variety of interdisciplinary approaches. Students with a broad range of interests are encouraged to enroll.
PA 5741 - Risk, Resilience and Decision Making
Credits: 1.5 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: OPT No Aud
Typically offered: Every Spring
Interplay between risk analysis, decision making, and policy in the context of new and emerging technologies, environmental and human well-being, risk and resilience. Assessment methods; risk management processes, issues and methods; role/treatment of uncertainty; factors in decision making; risk-based rule making; public values; risk communication and perception. Scientific, technical, social, political, and ethical issues. prereq: Grad student or instr consent
PA 5751 - Addressing Climate and Energy Challenges at the Local Scale
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Spring
Examine energy and climate innovations at local and community scales. Understand how to implement local policies, projects, and programs with a diverse set of perspectives on energy issues. Develop professional and analytical skills that support solutions to energy and climate challenges.
PA 5032 - Applied Regression
Credits: 2.0 [max 2.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Spring
Bivariate/multivariate models of regression analysis, assumptions behind them. Problems using these models when such assumptions are not met.
PA 5044 - Applied Regression, Accelerated
Credits: 2.0 [max 2.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Spring
Bivariate/multivariate models used in regression analysis, including assumptions behind them/problems that arise when assumptions are not met. Course covers similar topics as PA 5032 but delves deeper into theory/application of methods. prereq: Students who register for PA 5044 must take PA 5044 and PA 5033 in the same semester. The same grade will be issued for PA 5044 and PA 5033 after PA 5033 is completed.
PA 5033 - Multivariate Techniques
Credits: 2.0 [max 2.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Spring
Use of bivariate and multivariate statistical approaches for analyzing and evaluating public affairs issues and the assumptions behind the analytical approaches. Designed to help students read, understand, interpret, use, and evaluate empirical work used in social sciences by policy analysts and policy makers. prereq: Students who register for PA 5033 must take PA 5044 and PA 5033 in the same semester. The same grade will be issued for PA 5044 and PA 5033 after PA 5033 is completed.
PA 5041 - Qualitative Methods for Policy Analysts
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
Qualitative analysis techniques, examples of application. Meet with researcher. Hands-on experience in designing, gathering, analyzing data.