Degree Options The Earth System Science and Policy program at UND offers 3 degrees. All cross traditional boundaries and assist students to tailor the programs to their particular needs. Engagement with stakeholders, be they individuals or organizations of individuals and from government, private industry, or public interest sectors, is central to the program. The 3 degrees are:   •   Master of Environmental Management. A professional degree, likely but not exclusively terminal, providing a comprehensive knowledge of the principles of environmental and natural resource management. Graduates will have contributed significantly to a group project, either at the University or during an internship elsewhere, that addresses an actual environmental problem. Written and oral reports of results from the project are required.   •   Master of Science. For those primarily interested in the science of Earth’s systems, as well as how that science can be integrated into programs of action that lead toward sustainability. A thesis is required. The MS degree prepares students either for entry or re-entry into the workforce, or for admission to a PhD program.   •   Doctor of Philosophy. A degree for original, high-quality research that assesses, mitigates, manages, reduces, or prevents a present or future environmental problem. Graduates will be innovative researchers and problem-solvers, prepared for the academic, industry, or government sectors. A dissertation and its defense are required.