Environmental Economics and Urban Planning

Interdisciplinary M.S. Degree in Environmental Economics and Urban Planning

Critical environmental challenges face cities today, such as sustainability, climate change, energy efficiency, transportation, land use, and sprawl. To be an advocate for environmental issues, you need to have the quantitative and data skills to be able to effectively evaluate existing and future programs and policies. In this joint degree program, you will develop a quantitative and analytical skill set along with the professional planning credentials to address real-world environmental and urban challenges.

Bridging the Gap

"Building on previous work experience, I determined that when discussing urban and environmental planning, it is impossible to exclude the importance of economics from many policy decisions. I often noticed that economists and policy planners/politicians had a limited understanding of each other’s fields and I saw this duel degree as an excellent opportunity to bridge that gap."

Matthew Amato, Current Student

The objective of the Environmental Economics and Urban Planning interdisciplinary degree program is to provide students interested in developing interdisciplinary solutions to modern day environmental challenges with both the professional credentials of an urban planner and the training and mindset of an economist. As a graduate of this program, you will have greater job market prospects as both a professional urban planner and an economist.

What is a joint degree?

A joint degree consists of one master's degree awarded by two graduate departments. The degree combines courses in the Department of Economics with those in the Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning (UEP) to provide students with the tools to understand and analyze this broad perspective on environmental economics and urban planning.

What Our Students Say About UEP

Learn more on the UEP website

Related Programs

• M.S. in Economics
• Ph.D. in Economics and Public Policy
• M.A. in Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning

This joint degree consists of one master's degree awarded by two graduate departments when a student meets the core master's requirements of both departments. This program takes two years to complete, or the completion of 14 credits.

Economics Requirements

The economics requirements consist of a core of four required courses, and two elective courses to be selected from a list of approved courses. The core courses provide tools in statistics, econometrics, and microeconomic theory that can be applied to a wide variety of problems. The elective courses provide an introduction to the use of these tools in particular areas of economics.

UEP Requirements

The UEP requirements consist of a core of three required courses, four elective courses, a noncredit internship, and a thesis or capstone exam. The choice of electives, internship, and thesis or capstone exam is dependent on the interests of the student and will be chosen in consultation with his/her advisor.

Thesis/Capstone Requirements

This program requires the completion of a thesis or capstone project. The thesis requires that students conduct a research project that applies the knowledge and skills that they have developed during their course of study, while the capstone represents an exam format that tests students on their expertise in a select few subject areas. For additional detail on the content of the capstone/thesis requirements, please consult with the UEP office.

Learn more on the UEP website 

Application Deadline

Fall: January 15
Round 2 for Fall Enrollment: May 15

Applicants must meet all application guidelines and deadlines set forth by the individual academic departments. Applications are evaluated by both departments using the same criteria that are applied to applicants of the M.A. degree in UEP and the M.S. degree in economics. An applicant will be accepted into the program only if he/she is accepted by both the UEP and economics departments. Applicants who are accepted into only one program can choose to enroll in the graduate degree program in that department.

Application Requirements: 

> Application Fee
> Resume/CV
> Personal Statement 

- Please address interest in interdisciplinary programs

> Official GRE scores 

- GRE scores are not required for current Tufts undergraduates.

> Official TOEFL or IELTS, if applicable
> Transcripts
> Three Letters of Recommendation

For more information, contact the program directors in the Department of Economics or Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning.

Department of Economics
617.627.3560
Professor Jeff Zabel, Graduate Program Director

Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning
617.627.3394
Associate Professor Mary Davis, Chair