Water Resources Law, Management and Policy Option (Ph.D.)
Doctor of Philosophy. Major in Water Resources - Law, Management and Policy Option.
Common Courses
Students in both M.S. and Ph.D. degree programs are required to fulfill a set of common courses, applicable to all three Water Resources Option Areas.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| WR 501 | Seminar | 1-16 |
| WR 506 | Interdisciplinary Methods in Water Resources | 2 |
| Select one 500-level Elective course 1 | 3 | |
- 1
(Or 900- level in LAW) in an option area outside the main option area (3 credits for Ph.D. only).
Entry Requirements
A background in government, public policy, or management is required for M.S. and Ph.D. admission to the Law, Management, and Policy Option Area. Students without an undergraduate degree in Political Science, Public Policy, Government, or entering the concurrent J.D. program, or related field 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 Civil Procedure (12 credits at the 900 level, as approved by major advisor)
- Subject to approval of the Water Resources Program curriculum committee, other relevant completed courses (or professional experience) may be substituted to meet these requirements.
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. M.S. students are required to take 6 credits, and Ph.D. students 9 credits from the following (6 or 9 credits):
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| AGEC 577 | 3 | |
| NRS 573 | 3 | |
| LAW 942 | (Max 2 credits) | 1-2 |
| LAW 946 | 2 | |
| LAW 947 | 3 | |
| LAW 951 | 3 |
Elective Courses
As noted under Common Courses for Ph.D. only, an elective course must be in either 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 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 will independently synthesize key knowledge gaps to conceptualize, develop, and implement a novel disciplinary and/or interdisciplinary water resources research project.
- Students will develop written and oral communication skills to engage professional peers and the public in a concise, factually accurate, mechanically correct, and engaging manner.