MEM/MF + MPP

MP Options for Nicholas School/Sanford Concurrent Degree Students

Option One: Two Separate MPs

Nicholas School MP

Participate in the MEM MP process and enroll in up to 6 MP credits (ENVIRON 899). Depending on the concentration, MPP students may choose to participate in either the 3- semester MP, beginning spring semester of their second year, or the 2-Semester MP, beginning in at the start of their third year. Students spending the 2nd year at Sanford will need to initiate the MEM MP while at Sanford.

Sanford MP

Participate in the MPP MP process and enroll in PUBPOL 807 and PUBPOL 808 in 3rd year (6 credits). Choose a Sanford MP topic (client-based or quantitative) and secure a Sanford advisor by beginning of fall semester of 3rd year (or earlier). Students spending the second year in the Nicholas School may need to start finding a Sanford MP topic and advisor in late spring while at the Nicholas School.

Option Two: One Combined MP

Complete a MP that satisfies all the MP requirements of both the Nicholas School and Sanford.

  • Nicholas School – must be a project for a client or faculty-supported applied research project. The final project must demonstrate new knowledge and analytical skills (quantitative or qualitative) from the MEM program and have a strong environmental component.
  • Sanford – must be a project for a client or a project based on quantitative methods that may or may not have an actual client. Hybrids of these project types are also possible.
Schedule and MP Credit for Option Two

Spring semester in 2nd year (whether at Sanford or the Nicholas School that year):

  • Identify a topic and obtain both a Nicholas School advisor and Sanford advisor early in the semester. A single Nicholas School or Sanford faculty member with a joint or secondary appointment in the other school could fill both roles.
  • By end of the semester, prepare a proposal (preliminary for the purposes of the Sanford School) and obtain approval of the Nicholas advisor, the Sanford advisor, and the client, if applicable.

Fall and spring semesters in 3rd year:

  • Register for PUBPOL 807 in fall semester (3 credits), form MPP MP advisory committee and conduct proposal review meeting with Sanford advisory committee as early in the fall semester as possible. Follow Sanford fall and spring MP guidelines.
  • Present MP orally in the Nicholas School April MP symposium. MP must be accepted by both the Nicholas School and Sanford to graduate. Enroll in a total of 3 Nicholas School MP credits (ENVIRON 899) spring semester.
Course Credits for Option Two

The MP contributes 4 out of 36 Nicholas School credits (3 ENVIRON 899 MP credits, 1 program area ENVIRON 898 program area seminar credit); the remaining 32 are coursework.

The MP contributes 3 out of 39 Sanford credits (3 credits for PUBPOL 807); the remaining 36 are coursework. Students will not register for PUBPOL 808 in spring of third year.