Courses of Study 2013-2014 
    
    Mar 29, 2024  
Courses of Study 2013-2014 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

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NTRES 4300 - Environmental Policy Processes


Spring. 3 credits. Letter grades only.

Course fee: approximately $675 for lodging and use of facilities at the Wolpe Cornell Center in Washington, D.C. Permission of instructor required. Enrollment limited to: junior, senior, or grad student standing; admission by special application process only. Applications available by contacting msb336@cornell.edu or at www.cals.cornell.edu/cals/dnr/undergraduate/courses/4300.cfm. Completed applications will be due Oct. 16, 2013. When approved, you will receive a permission code to enroll. Course begins with three evening sessions in fall semester beginning approximately November 1. You will spend January 2-11, 2014 at the Cornell Center in Washington, D.C. Significant independent research and four 2-hour evening sessions follow in Spring semester.

B. L. Bedford, C. E. Kraft.

This course provides students an intensive field-based exploration of the federal environmental policy process and an overview of how policy issues move onto the federal agenda and through the federal policy-making process.  It focuses on defining environmental policy problems and understanding the interrelated set of phases, actors, institutions, and constraints that typically comprise the policy cycle. Case studies provide in-depth examples and allow students to discuss the policy process with policy makers as guest panelists. Research topic requires conducting several independent interviews with Washington experts, preparation of two short and one long policy brief based on the interviews and additional research, and an oral presentation.


Outcome 1: Students will be able to define what constitutes an environmental policy issue and describe in-depth the various phases of the typical policy cycle.

Outcome 2: Students will be able to critically discuss and analyze the ways in which significant actors, institutions, and constraints combine and interact to influence policy decisions.

Outcome 3: Students will apply this knowledge to the analysis and discussion of specific case studies involving environmental policy issues.

Outcome 4: Students will gain experience communicating in oral and written formats with various policy actors associated with their selected policy topic and with specific case studies.

Outcome 5: Students will gain fluency with the language of policy analysis and with the legitimate sources on which to base an unbiased environmental policy analysis.

Outcome 6: Students will gain experience in evaluating, synthesizing, and organizing various source materials, including interviews with policy actors, into three policy briefs and an oral and written presentation of a specific environmental policy issue.



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