T he University of Maryland College of Life Sciences and the School of Public Policy have created the Joint Master's in Public Policy and Conservation Biology Program (MPP-MS) that enables graduate students to obtain both a Master of Science in Sustainable Development & Conservation Biology (MS) and a Master of Public Policy (MPP) degree (with a specialization in Environmental Policy) in an integrated, more attractive format.

As environmental problems become more scientifically and politically complex, employers and researchers in the environmental policy field are increasingly looking to hire graduates who are well-grounded in the natural and life sciences; the workings of the public, private and non-profit sectors, and the use of key policy analysis tools and concepts.

The program will produce a cadre of graduates better able to tackle today's environmental dilemmas, and is expected to draw top students from around the country and continue to build the University of Maryland's reputation in the environmental arena.

The School of Public Policy's Environmental Policy Specialization was ranked in the top 10 by U. S. News & World Report.