Water Resources Law, Management and Policy Option (M.S.)
Master of Science. Major in Water Resources - Law, Management, and Policy Option.
Entry Requirements
A background in government, public policy, or management is required for admission to the Water Resources M.S. in the Law, Management, and Policy Option Area. Students without an undergraduate degree in political science, public policy, government, or a related field, or students entering the concurrent J.D. program, may be granted provisional admission, but they are required to complete coursework (in addition to standard program and option area requirements) that demonstrates a minimum level of competency. This should include:
- American Government (6 credits at the 400 level)
- Public Policy (6 credits at the 400 level) or
Both requirements above may be met by taking equivalent law courses including:
- Constitutional Law and similar classes as approved by the Major Professor (12 credits at the 500 or 900 level).
- Other relevant completed courses (or professional experience), subject to approval of the Water Resources Program curriculum committee.
Common Courses
Degree programs are required to fulfill a set of common courses, applicable to all three Water Resources Option Areas. This includes the following courses:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| WR 501 | Seminar | 1 |
| WR 506 | Interdisciplinary Methods in Water Resources | 2 |
| Total Hours | 3 | |
Core Courses
All students in the Water Resources Law, Management & Policy Option Area are required to complete:
- Research or Analytical Methods (3 credits, determined in consultation with committee)
The student and committee select the appropriate mix of Law, Management, and Policy courses from the following list. Law students are encouraged to take non-law courses. Non-law students are encouraged to take courses from at least two disciplines. Students are required to take 6 credits from the following:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| LAW 9380 | Intl Environ & Water Law | 3 |
| LAW 9390 | Law, Science, & Environment | 2 |
| LAW 9420 | Water Law of the American West | 3 |
| LAW 9470 | Environmental Law | 3 |
| LAW 9480 | Public Lands and Resources Law | 3 |
| NRS 555 | Human Dimensions of Natural Resources | 3 |
| NRS 588 | NEPA in Policy and Practice | 3 |
| WR 552 | Water Economics and Policy Analysis | 3 |
Elective Courses
The thesis degree consists of at least 30 graduate credits, including at least 6 credits and a maximum of 10 credits of thesis (WR 500) and a minimum of 24 credits of coursework. The non-thesis option requires at least 30 graduate credits, including a minimum of 3 credits of WR 599 (Non-thesis Master’s Research) and 27 credits of course work.
At least one elective course should be in either the Engineering & Science or Science & Management Option Areas. A core course may be considered an elective course once the core requirements are satisfied. A detailed list of elective courses for this option area is provided in the Graduate Handbook on the Water Resources Program web site.
- Students will understand the diverse philosophical bases of different disciplines and work effectively in interdisciplinary teams to solve complex interdisciplinary water resources challenges.
- Students will gain knowledge of fundamental tenets and the interfaces between water resources law, management, and policy.
- Students develop the breadth and depth of disciplinary understanding and critical thinking to contribute to the design, data collection, and analysis of an original water resources research project.
- Students will develop written and oral communication skills to engage professional peers in a concise, factually accurate, mechanically correct, and engaging manner.