Introduction

Students in the University of California, Santa Cruz's Coastal Science and Policy Program (CSP) will develop a range of skills, interdisciplinary knowledge, and pragmatic approaches to become more effective leaders at solving coastal sustainability challenges, from watersheds to the open ocean. We offer in-depth interaction with faculty members, professionals and practitioners for small cohorts of diverse students hailing from California, additional U.S. states and other nations. In year one of the two-year master's degree program, students take courses on concepts and approaches from the natural and social sciences,  including biophysical, ecological, social, economic, policy, leadership, and communication dimensions. The first year also entails a guided, strategic process for each student to develop their second-year capstone project and to identify capstone partner organizations from the non-governmental, government or private sectors. Students additionally participate in workshops to strengthen communication, technical, and leadership skills and in seminars with diverse leaders to build their professional networks. In the second year, each student embeds with their selected partner organization to conduct the solutions-focused capstone project and participates weekly in a video-link capstone seminar. Students also use a summer placement (between years one and two) to gain training in specific skills or to start the capstone project. At the end of the second year, students present their capstone deliverables in writing and via an oral public presentation. With the combination of focused courses, skill set development, and practical experience, graduates will be well prepared and highly competitive for the diverse job opportunities in the growing fields of coastal science and policy. Although the focus of most material will be coastal or marine, the principles and practices learned by the students will be applicable in any geographical location or sector.

The program will focus on practical training to provide integrated solutions to social and ecological challenges via three interconnected nodes that leverage UCSC’s existing leadership in coastal sustainability:

• Conserving biodiversity, ecosystem processes, and human well-being,
• Mitigating hazards to nature and society and fostering societal adaptation, and
• Maintaining security of marine, terrestrial, and freshwater food, water, and energy systems.

Preparation for Graduate Work in Coastal Science and Policy

Students admitted to the Master of Science (M.S.) in Coastal Science and Policy Program will have completed a bachelor’s degree at a four-year university in a field relevant to coastal sustainability. Relevant fields are diverse and include the natural sciences (e.g., biology, earth sciences, chemistry, oceanography), social sciences (e.g., economics or business, human ecology, political science, sociology), interdisciplinary programs (e.g., environmental studies and sciences) and engineering. Specific additional requirements prior to admission, regardless of undergraduate major and/or minors, include at least one course each in writing and statistics; as well as, at least one course each in at least two of three emphasis areas: biological sciences, physical sciences, and the social sciences, including policy and economics. We anticipate that competitive applicants to the program will have additional experience, such as a combination of coursework, internships, jobs and research, in the environmental field.