A problem-solving approach to issues involving renewable and fixed natural resources.
The Bachelor of Science program in Environmental Economics and Policy in the Rausser College of Natural Resources focuses on economics and the political institutions that affect the development and management of natural resources and the environment. The program takes a problem-solving approach to issues involving renewable and fixed natural resources, and requires students to create their own area of concentration in natural resource analysis and policy.
Based on a foundation in micro-economic theory and the economics of resources and the environment, the EEP major allows for flexibility to combine interests in economics, policy, domestic or international development, and law. The major is offered by the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics.
Highlights
- Get involved with Berkeley Environmental Economics and Policy Students.
- Participate in undergraduate research.
- Challenge yourself with an EEP Honors Thesis.
Curriculum
Lower division requirements for the Environmental Economics and Policy major focus on microeconomics, calculus, and statistics. Upper division requirements are drawn from the many EEP courses offered by the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics.
The EEP major is structured to ensure that students obtain a sufficient background in the natural and physical sciences. It also supplies training in basic mathematics, statistics, econometrics, and economics to be able to approach resource-related issues in an effective and practical manner.
Undergraduates applying for the major program should be strong in mathematics and have an interest in statistics and mathematical modeling.
Learn more at nature.berkeley.edu/advising/majors/environmental-economics-and-policy
About ARE
UC Berkeley's Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics is the world's top-ranked program in agricultural and resource economics. Our faculty and graduate students produce cutting-edge research on global food production, nutrition and health, development economics, climate change, environmental economics, applied econometrics, policy evaluation, energy economics, natural resource economics, and international trade. Our faculty are active researchers and many have been elected as fellows of leading professional organizations.
Declaring the Major
First-year and transfer students accepted to UC Berkeley and who selected Environmental Economics and Policy on their undergraduate admissions application will be admitted directly to the Rausser College of Natural Resources and the EEP major (no declaration required).
If you are currently a Rausser student and wish to declare a new major within the college, you must meet with the advisor for your intended major after completing the requirements to declare. If you are a UC Berkeley student in another college, you must meet the requirements to change into Rausser and declare a new major.
Students who graduate from the Environmental Economics and Policy program are prepared to undertake a career in public or private agencies engaged in the planning or management of natural resources, or enter graduate school for further study in such fields as agricultural and resource economics, economics, law, public policy, or resources administration.
UC Berkeley offers a number of career resources for students studying Environmental Economics and Policy. Rausser College partners with Berkeley Career Engagement to help students access resources, events, and professional opportunities related to their studies. Additionally, Berkeley Career Engagement provides career counseling, professional and graduate school advising, job and internship listings, and events such as career and graduate school fairs.
Employment
Alumni find employment in a variety of fields and industries after graduation. Examples include:
- Accountant
- Auditor
- Business Management Specialist
- Consultant
- Environmental Broker
- Environmental Specialist
- Environmental Technician
- Financial Analyst
- Marketing Associate
- Policy Coordinator
- Postgraduate Researcher
- Research Analyst
- Science Assistant
- Teacher
Graduate Study
Alumni pursue graduate education to gain more depth of knowledge in their field as well as prepare for jobs that require advanced degrees. Examples include:
- Agricultural Economics
- City and Regional Planning
- Climate Solutions
- Economics
- Energy and Environmental Management
- Environmental Policy
- Law
- Public Administration
- Public Policy
- Transportation Engineering
- Urban Planning and Development
Magaly, class of 2025
Magaly Santos graduated with a BS in Environmental Economics and Policy with minors in Food Systems and GIST. A highlight of her Rausser experience was travel to Mexico City and Oaxaca to learn about agriculture, water management, and how rural communities adapt to climate change and preserve their cultural heritage.
“As a Mexican-American, first-generation, low-income student in academia, I never imagined I would have the chance to study abroad….This experience allowed me to further connect my research on groundwater and agriculture to my identity, and to identify ways in which I can contribute to research and movements abroad.”
First Year
Plan Your Studies
- Familiarize yourself with the EEP major; check out the Major Snapshot and Sample Degree Plans.
- Meet with your college advisor to discuss your academic plans.
- Begin lower division electives and breadth as well as requirements in calculus; enroll in NATRES 76 How to Be a Rausser CNR Scientist.
- Join Berkeley Connect for 1:1 mentoring and to meet peers with shared interests.
- Discover new interests in a Freshman Seminar, Berkeley Changemaker, or DeCal course.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Explore the Rausser Student Resource Center and Virtual Bulletin Board.
- Join a Rausser student group like BEEPS.
- Visit Berkeley Discovery to get started with research, entrepreneurship, public service, and creative projects.
- Find support from the Student Learning Center and Biology Scholars Program.
- Learn how to prepare for office hours and build relationships with faculty.
- Live and learn in the Global Environment Theme House.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Visit UHS Career Counseling and Berkeley Career Engagement.
- Start exploring career paths for the major; check out the EEP Career Snapshot and ARE website.
- Begin making a plan to get career ready.
- Create or update your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- Start using Handshake to connect with career events and opportunities.
Second Year
Plan Your Studies
- Focus on lower division electives and breadth; complete requirements in principles of microeconomics, statistics and intermediate microeconomics (core course).
- Continue exploring with a Sophomore Seminar or Big Ideas course.
- Look into study abroad and learning a foreign language; see options in Economics and Environmental Sciences abroad.
- Enrich your studies with a certificate or minor such as CalTeach or Public Policy.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Attend events hosted by Rausser, ARE and the Center for Effective Global Action.
- Develop your skills in the Berkeley Student Leadership Academy.
- Explore research opportunities from Rausser, ARE, and OURS; apply to SPUR or URAP to work on a faculty project.
- Browse programs from the Student Environmental Resource Center.
- Connect with student resources from the Berkeley Climate Change Network.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Meet with a BCE career educator to discuss career options and goals.
- Build your network and explore career fields via job shadowing and informational interviews.
- Pursue an internship to build skills and explore fields; look into the Rausser Summer Internship Grant.
- Browse graduate school resources from the Graduate Division and BCE.
Third Year
Plan Your Studies
- Take an upper division quantitative methods course and ENVECON electives; enroll in lower/upper division electives as well as a core course in environmental or natural resource economics.
- Review your degree progress with your college advisor.
- Spend a term off-campus with UCDC or a field program at Gump Station or UC Nature reserve.
- Consider the EEP Senior Thesis or Rausser College Honors Program; look into Haas Scholars.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Welcome new students to Berkeley as a Golden Bear Orientation Leader.
- Help other students as a Rausser Peer Advisor or Transfer Student Center Leader.
- Check out the Public Service Internship, College Corps, and Haas Public Service Leaders Program.
- Address real-world problems in the Fung Fellowship or Big Ideas Contest.
- Get involved with the Lawrence Hall of Science or Berkeley Natural History Museums.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Speak with faculty, advisors, and career educators about post-graduate options.
- Join a professional association such as Berkeley Model United Nations.
- Interested in public service careers? Look into the John Gardner Fellowship, Huntington Award, and Truman Scholarship.
- Connect with alumni groups like Rausser Alumni.
Fourth Year
Plan Your Studies
- Finish all requirements for upper division ENVECON electives as well as lower/upper division electives.
- Enroll in ENVECON 195 if doing the EEP Senior Thesis; join a thesis writing workshop at the Student Learning Center.
- Complete any remaining degree requirements and prepare for graduation.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Interested in teaching? Give it a try by facilitating your own DeCal course.
- Submit a course research project for the Library Prize, American Cultures Student Prize, or other awards.
- Present at a Rausser Research Showcase or outside conference with the Conference Travel Grant.
- Get published! Submit your work to Perennial or the Berkeley Economic Review.
- Pursue a special project after graduation with the Stronach Prize.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Check in with a BCE career educator.
- Apply to graduate school or post-graduate programs.
- Meet employers at info sessions, on-campus recruiting, and career fairs like the Nonprofit, Environment and Public Service Career Fair.
- Utilize job search tools from BCE and apply for job opportunities.
- Learn about alumni career services.
Summer
- Make progress on degree requirements with a Summer Sessions course like ENVECON 105 or C176.
- Go abroad through UCEAP or Berkeley Study Abroad.
- Join the AEA Summer Training and Scholarship Program if considering a PhD in Economics.
- Conduct research with support from SPUR or UC Nature.
- Pursue a summer minor or certificate such as Data Science, Journalism, or Sustainable Business and Policy.
- Consider a summer internship with Cal in the Capital, Cal in Sacramento, or Berkeley Global Internships.
- Apply to the GiGS program to learn about graduate school.
First Semester
Plan Your Studies
- Get your bearings with L&S 198 Transitioning to Cal.
- Familiarize yourself with the EEP major; check out the Major Snapshot and Sample Degree Plans.
- Meet with your college advisor to discuss your academic plans.
- Begin upper division coursework in intermediate microeconomics (core course), quantitative methods, and ENVECON electives.
- Join Berkeley Connect for 1:1 mentoring and to meet peers with shared interests.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Explore the Rausser Student Resource Center and Virtual Bulletin Board.
- Join a Rausser student group like BEEPS.
- Visit Berkeley Discovery to get started with research, entrepreneurship, public service, and creative projects.
- Find support from the Student Learning Center and Biology Scholars Program.
- Learn how to prepare for office hours and build relationships with faculty.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Visit UHS Career Counseling and Berkeley Career Engagement.
- Start exploring career paths for the major; check out the EEP Career Snapshot and ARE website.
- Create or update your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- Use Handshake to start connecting with career events and opportunities.
- Meet with a BCE career educator to discuss career options and goals.
Second Semester
Plan Your Studies
- Enroll in a core course in environmental or natural resource economics, upper division ENVECON elective, and lower/upper division electives.
- Look into study abroad and learning a foreign language; see options in Economics and Environmental Sciences abroad.
- Enrich your studies with a certificate or minor such as CalTeach or Public Policy.
- Consider the EEP Senior Thesis or Rausser College Honors Program; look into Haas Scholars.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Attend events hosted by Rausser, ARE and the Center for Effective Global Action.
- Check out the Public Service Internship, College Corps, and Haas Public Service Leaders Program.
- Explore research opportunities from Rausser, ARE, and OURS; apply to SPUR or URAP to work on a faculty project.
- Browse programs from the Student Environmental Resource Center.
- Connect with student resources from the Berkeley Climate Change Network.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Build your network and explore career fields via job shadowing and informational interviews.
- Pursue an internship to build skills and explore fields; look into the Rausser Summer Internship Grant.
- Browse graduate school resources from the Graduate Division and BCE.
- Speak with faculty, advisors, and career educators about post-graduate options.
Third Semester
Plan Your Studies
- Continue with ENVECON electives and lower/upper division electives.
- Review your degree progress with your college advisor.
- Spend a term off-campus with UCDC or a field program at Gump Station or UC Nature reserve.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Welcome new students to Berkeley as a Golden Bear Orientation Leader.
- Help other students as a Rausser Peer Advisor.
- Develop your skills in the Berkeley Student Leadership Academy.
- Address real-world problems in the Fung Fellowship or Big Ideas Contest.
- Get involved with the Lawrence Hall of Science or Berkeley Natural History Museums.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Check in with a BCE career educator.
- Join a professional association such as Berkeley Model United Nations.
- Interested in public service careers? Look into the John Gardner Fellowship, Huntington Award, and Truman Scholarship.
- Apply to graduate school or post-graduate programs.
- Connect with alumni groups like Rausser Alumni.
Fourth Semester
Plan Your Studies
- Finish all requirements for upper division ENVECON electives as well as lower/upper division electives.
- Enroll in ENVECON 195 if doing the EEP Senior Thesis; join a thesis writing workshop at the Student Learning Center.
- Complete any remaining degree requirements and prepare for graduation.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Interested in teaching? Give it a try by facilitating your own DeCal course.
- Submit a course research project for the Library Prize, American Cultures Student Prize, or other awards.
- Present at a Rausser Research Showcase or outside conference with the Conference Travel Grant.
- Get published! Submit your work to Perennial or the Berkeley Economic Review.
- Pursue a special project after graduation with the Stronach Prize.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Meet employers at info sessions, on-campus recruiting, and career fairs like the Nonprofit, Environment and Public Service Career Fair.
- Utilize job search tools from BCE and apply for job opportunities.
- Learn about alumni career services.
Summer
- Make progress on degree requirements with a Summer Sessions course like ENVECON C176.
- Go abroad through UCEAP or Berkeley Study Abroad.
- Join the AEA Summer Training and Scholarship Program if considering a PhD in Economics.
- Conduct research with support from SPUR or UC Nature.
- Pursue a summer minor or certificate such as Data Science, Journalism, or Sustainable Business and Policy.
- Consider a summer internship with Cal in the Capital, Cal in Sacramento, or Berkeley Global Internships.
- Apply to the GiGS program to learn about graduate school.
Undergraduate Advising
Have questions about Environmental Economics and Policy or the Rausser College of Natural Resources?
Rausser College provides undergraduate advising to prospective and current undergraduate students. College Advisors are available on a drop-in and appointment basis to assist students with course enrollment and academic planning, explain college and university policies and procedures, and connect students to faculty and other campus student resources. Peer Advising Leaders are trained in understanding college and University requirements, policies, and procedures, and offer personal viewpoints and experiences to current and prospective students.
Advising services are available in 260 Mulford Hall in the Office of Instruction and Student Affairs. For advising hours and contacts, visit nature.berkeley.edu/advising/undergraduate-advising or email advising.rcnr@berkeley.edu.
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