Learn about this major

If you are passionate about solving environmental challenges through leadership, communication, and advocacy, the environmental policy and decision making major offers one of the best paths in Ohio for you begin your conservation journey.
Environmental Policy and Decision Making Curriculum
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What You’ll Learn

This major empowers you to understand the systems—natural, social, and political—that shape our world. You’ll explore how decisions are made, how policies are formed, and how people can be inspired to take action for the planet. Courses include:

  • Environment and Natural Resources Policy
  • Psychology of Environmental Problems
  • Environmental Law and Legal Process
  • Global Climate Change: Causes and Consequences
  • Local Peoples and International Conservation 

Choose your Specialization

Customize your academic journey by focusing on one of these areas in the environmental policy and decision making major:

1 Communication and Behavior Change

Use the power of storytelling and communications strategies to shift public attitudes and inspire sustainable action. You’ll be equipped to lead outreach campaigns, design education programs, and translate science into meaningful messages.

2 Environmental and Social Justice

Champion equity and inclusion in environmental decision-making. This track prepares you to work with communities, advocate for fair access to resources, and address the root causes of environmental disparities.

3 Policy and Governance

Shape the policies that protect our environment. You’ll learn how science informs legislation, how governments implement change, and how to evaluate the long-term success of environmental policies.
Two student on lawn looking at tablet.

“The School of Environment and Natural Resources makes Ohio State University seem like a much smaller school and sets you up with a community early on. There are also a lot of interdisciplinary classes you can take, which opens you up to new concepts and ideas.”

Eleanor Goodell
EPDM Ambassador
Meet our EPDM Students

Career Outcomes

Turn your passion into policy. 93.5% of our graduates are taking their skills to the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, or enrolling in graduate school, within six months of graduation, with an average starting salary of $50,000. Recent job outcomes include:

  • Legislative aid—Ohio House of Representatives
  • Environmental policy fellow – Ohio Environmental Council
  • Staff assistant—U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources
  • Environmental compliance specialist—Speedway
  • Science and technical communications specialist—Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
  • Sustainability specialist—LyondellBasell

Why Choose Environmental Policy at Ohio State?

As an environmental policy and decision making student at Ohio State, you’ll have the opportunity to work with world-renowned faculty to study how society addresses environmental change and challenges right here in Columbus, across the state of Ohio, and around the world. Explore our hands-on learning opportunities for environmental policy and decision making students:

Students in New Zealand posing in front of lake

Global Education

Participate in study abroad trips led by SENR faculty to explore conservation problem-solving at an international scale.
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The United States Capitol Building in Washington, DC

WAIP

The Washington Academic Internship Program (WAIP) gives undergraduate students of all majors the opportunity to live, learn, and intern in Washington, D.C. for a semester.
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Internships

As an SENR student, you are strongly encouraged to participate in internships to turn your knowledge from class into experience. The SENR Career Services team is here to help you find the right opportunity.
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Ready to shape your future and the planet’s? Whether you’re a high school student, a current Buckeye exploring majors, or currently a student at another institution, we’re here to help you take the next step.