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Cornell University

Cornell Brooks Public Policy

ESP Curriculum

Woman studying on laptop at a outdoor bench, flower garden in the background

Built for what comes next in environmental leadership, the Brooks School’s MS in Environmental and Sustainability Policy (ESP) prepares you to shape solutions in a rapidly changing world. The curriculum blends rigorous training in economics, law, data analytics, and environmental policy with leadership and management skills.

Our 40-credit, 12-month program emphasizes engaged learning, ensuring students apply what they learn in real-world contexts. Faculty expertise, a close-knit learning community, and connections with practitioners prepare graduates to become policy experts and global leaders who can address the urgent environmental challenges of our time.

Course Load

Summer Session: 6 credits
Fall Semester: 15 credits
Winter Session: 3 credits
Spring Semester: 16 credits
Total: 40 Credits

Topical Areas

  • Environmental law, regulation, and ethics
  • Policy communication for sustainability
  • Statistics and data analysis for public policy
  • Environmental economics and international policy
  • Environmental justice and equity
  • Political analysis and governance
  • Managing and leading organizations

Engaged Learning Capstone

In the culminating capstone experience, students apply skills and concepts from the core curriculum to a project with an external policy partner organization. Projects address strategic priorities in sustainability and environmental policy and are guided by faculty and executives-in-residence.