Overview
The Master of Professional Science (MPS) in Climate and Society (CS) emphasizes the relationship between weather, climate and societal impacts and responses. This program provides advanced training for individuals seeking careers in government, insurance, energy, and a number of other weather-impacted industries. Students in this track are fluent in the fundamentals of business and management, science-society interactions, and the physical and social sciences.
Admission Requirements
- Open to all undergraduate majors. Previous coursework in science or policy strongly recommended.
Note to students: Deficiencies in required coursework may be considered on a case by case basis for otherwise highly qualified students or those demonstrating experience with these skills.
All application requirements are available here.
Curriculum Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ATM 651 | Introduction to Atmospheric Dynamics | 3 |
| or ATM 614 | Introduction to Weather and Climate | |
| ATM 653 | Climate Change | 3 |
| EVR 660 & EVR 661 | Introduction to Marine Geographic Information Systems and Introduction to Marine Geographic Information Systems - Laboratory | 3 |
| GEG 648 | Climate Change and Public Health (or ELECTIVE) | 3 |
| EVR 662 | Intermediate Spatial Analysis (or ELECTIVE) | 3 |
| RSM 620 | Climate and Society | 3 |
| ATM 765 | General Circulation of the Atmosphere (or ELECTIVE) | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| ATM 805 | MPS Internship 1 | 2-6 |
| Total Credit Hours | 30 | |
- 1
Enrollment in 2 - 6 internship credits required during a student's time in MPS. Completion of less than 2 internship credits must be approved by MPS Director. Students may enroll in more than 6 internship credits with the approval of the Program Director. Typically 2 semesters are needed to complete all aspects of the internship phase of MPS.
Elective Options
Students may substitute elective coursework for one or more of the above courses with the consent of their faculty advisor. Below are a few examples of courses past students in this program used as electives.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ATM 765 | General Circulation of the Atmosphere | 3 |
| EVR 603 | Interdisciplinary Environmental Research: Introduction to the Why and the How | 3 |
| EVR 610 | Environmental Planning and the Environmental Impact Statement | 3 |
| EVR 620 | Environmental Law and Policy | 3 |
| EVR 624 | Statistics and Data Analysis for Environmental Science and Policy | 3 |
| EVR 635 | Oceans of Thought: Exploring Marine and Environmental Literature | 3 |
| MGS 776 | Paleoclimatology | 3 |
| RSM 616 | Florida Topics in Environmental Law Policy | 3 |
| ECS 603 | Interdisciplinary Environmental Methods | 3 |
| ARC 639 | Adaptation to Climate Change | 3 |
| EPH 633 | Policy Management of the Health Effects of Climate | 3 |
| EPH 640 | Urban Environment and Public Health | 3 |
| EPH 646 | Climate and Health | 3 |
| EPH 727 | Climate, Environment, and Health: Data Integration and Management | 3 |
| GEG 648 | Climate Change and Public Health | 3 |
Suggested Plan of Study
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
| ATM 651 or 614 | Introduction to Atmospheric Dynamics or Introduction to Weather and Climate | 3 |
| ATM 653 | Climate Change | 3 |
| GEG 648 | Climate Change and Public Health | 3 |
| EVR 660 & EVR 661 | Introduction to Marine Geographic Information Systems and Introduction to Marine Geographic Information Systems - Laboratory 1 | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 12 | |
| Spring | ||
| EVR 662 | Intermediate Spatial Analysis * | 3 |
| RSM 620 | Climate and Society | 3 |
| ATM 765 | General Circulation of the Atmosphere * | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 12 | |
| Summer | ||
| ATM 805 | MPS Internship 2 | 2-6 |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 30 | |
- *
or Elective
- 1
Can be taken in Fall or Spring
- 2
Enrollment in 2 - 6 internship credits required during a student's time in MPS. Completion of less than 2 internship credits must be approved by MPS Director. Students may enroll in more than 6 internship credits with the approval of the Program Director. Typically 2 semesters are needed to complete all aspects of the internship phase of MPS.
Mission
The mission of the Master of Professional Science (MPS) in Climate and Society (CS) is to draw on UM’s breadth and depth in interdisciplinary climatological and meteorological research, addressing risk management in the human health, fisheries, agriculture, water management, natural hazards, and coastal zone sectors. Faculty from RSMAS, Miller School of Medicine, and Geography contribute to the climate and society theme with their analysis of both climate trends and hazards, while faculty at the Schools of Law, Architecture, and the College of Engineering focus on the legal, material, and aesthetic aspects of the built environment that influence the mitigation of vulnerability and development of more resilient urban systems. Within this realm, students in the CS track understand important scientific and socioeconomic challenges, both in terms of urban planning and management of financial risks, resulting from natural and anthropogenic climate change, rising sea levels, and extreme weather events.
Goals
The goal of the Climate and Society (CS) track is to provide students with an understanding of how social vulnerability, mitigation strategies, and adaptive capacity in the face of climate change are strongly mediated by legal, socioeconomic, policy, psychological, epidemiological and cultural factors, including housing and construction codes, environmental risk perception, and health management/delivery. Interdisciplinary studies provide students with advanced training in the analysis of both climate trends and hazards, and application of the legal, material, and aesthetic aspects of the built environment that influence the mitigation of vulnerability and development of more resilient urban systems.
Student Learning Outcomes
- Students will be able to understand and assess financial consequences resulting from natural and anthropogenic climate change, rising sea levels, and extreme weather events.
- Students will demonstrate professionalism in all aspects of field and lab work during their internships.
- Students will submit a written, final report and deliver a final presentation based on the work completed in their internship.
