At the interface of watersheds and the open ocean

The Coastal Science and Policy Program (CSP) at the University of California Santa Cruz offers a two-year Master of Science and a Ph.D. Designated Emphasis. These degrees prepare rising leaders from diverse backgrounds to identify, innovate and advance scalable and socially just solutions to coastal sustainability challenges. The program emphasizes collaborations with practitioners, in real-world settings, working to solve some of today’s most wicked social-environmental problems from watersheds to the open ocean.

The Masters of Science in Coastal Science and Policy is structured differently than many traditional masters of science programs to provide students with exceptional real-world experience to elevate their careers. Year 1 of the program is based at the UC Santa Cruz campus taking an interdisciplinary set of courses and seminars designed to understand scientific and policy dimensions of coastal sustainability and climate resilience. Students build leadership, innovation, communication, and networking skills to leverage change on coastal and ocean issues. In the summer following the first year and during the second year of the program, students work full time with a practitioner partner to undertake an individual capstone project to address a specific problem or opportunity. Each student and their practitioner partner, along with a faculty advisor, co-design the capstone project to address an opportunity of keen interest to the student and that addresses a direct need of the partner organization. Our combination of training and experience-based learning prepares students for impactful careers applying multifaceted approaches to advance sustainable and productive ecosystems, coastal and watershed communities, industries and institutions. Graduates of this program will help ensure that innovative interdisciplinary knowledge and diverse insights inform real-world solutions and create measurable and scalable change.

The program provides exceptional investment in its students including:

• Small cohorts to facilitate personalized mentoring and community cohesion
• Intensive co-mentoring by program faculty and practitioner partners
• Career development staff, resources and network of potential employers
• Need-based financial support for one to two years

The program seeks national and international individuals with demonstrated experience and passion for coastal science and policy who seek to become the next generation of coastal science and policy leaders:

• Dive into the curriculum
• Meet current students
• Hear from alumni
• Learn how & when to apply