Academic and Training Program Hub

The Center for Climatic Research focuses on interdisciplinary research regarding the Earth’s climate system, including the causes and impacts of historical, ongoing, and projected climate variability and change, with geographic focuses that span from local to global scale. The center’s diverse activities and societal contributions include the training of students and postdoctoral researchers as the next generation of climate scientists, development of guidance for state government and regional stakeholders regarding climate change impacts and adaptation, and advancement of scientific understanding of the coupled Earth system.

UEPP students also have access to several minors, specializations, and certificates with the department and college that can cater to their particular interests and expand their skills.

Our MA is a College of the Environment master’s degree with specializations in Urban Planning, Environmental Policy, and Energy Policy.

While completing foundational courses, students work with faculty and staff to develop a program of study that best engages their interests. Students can tailor a unique learning path, choosing from an array of courses taught on campus. They can also complete one or more of minors that compliment the major, strengthening student learning in each area. The following examples illustrate course selections that enable students to strengthen their program of study with a concentration or minor.

WWU's College of the Environment's B.A. in Urban Planning and Sustainable Development (UPSD) Program is nationally accredited through the Planning Accreditation Board. The Urban Planning and Sustainable Development major emphasizes an interdisciplinary approach to solving urban problems that face communities. The program emphasizes a concern for progressive change through the planning of equitable, healthful, livable, diverse, and sustainable communities for present and future generations. The curriculum combines urban planning, sustainable design, policy and environmental science to provide students with an understanding of the linkages between urban and the multidimensional problems in urban development. Our program aspires to serve diverse communities and we encourage students with a breadth of backgrounds and life experiences to apply.The program prepares students with the knowledge and skills needed to make positive changes towards a socially and environmentally just world. Graduates are prepared for professional careers in planning agencies, consulting firms, and nonprofit organizations at the local, state, and federal levels of government, as well as advanced graduate study.

The department of Urban and Environmental Planning and Policy (UEPP) specializes in quality education, applied research, and community engagement that connect knowledge and action to address two of today’s major imperatives: Environmental Justice & Sustainability and Equity & Opportunity for All.Urban and Environmental Planning and Policy programs prepare students to become leaders in their fields. The Department is home to three specialized and professional programs that, collectively, reflect a comprehensive and multi-disciplinary approach to planning and policy for communities, cities, and environments.This major supports students in exploring how stakeholders attempt to regulate pollution, manage (for the long-term) natural resources, protect natural spaces, and counter environmental disturbances. It emphasizes an interdisciplinary approach to solving urban problems that face communities. Students can choose an emphasis: Climate/Energy, Land Use, and Food Security.

The EDGE Center is committed to conducting and communicating science that reduces the burden of environmentally-related diseases through science translation into policy and practice. We use cutting edge molecular and systems biology to explore how the interactions of genetics, epigenetics and environmental factors contribute to diseases of public health importance. In particular, we are at the forefront of research into molecular signatures (biomarkers) associated with toxicant exposure. Our work to uncover important genetic, epigenetic and environmental contributions to chronic diseases can help improve prevention, early diagnosis, and the development of effective treatments. Such developments will substantially reduce the social burden and health care costs associated with sickness and early death caused by diseases like cancer, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, liver disease, kidney disease, metabolic disorders like diabetes, chronic neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's and developmental and reproductive disorders.

Launched in the 2025 calendar year, the Faculty Fellowship Program builds upon the successful model of our Research Fellowship Program to provide one year of funding to annual cohorts of faculty across our Consortium, as well as training in actionable science principles and practices.This “last-mile” program supports the translation of new research that may be aligned with the actionable science priorities of the NW CASC, but is not yet in a format easily applied to decision-making. The Faculty Fellowship Program will support participants in collaborating effectively with resource managers to co-produce translational products (e.g., tools, databases, protocols, workshops) derived from recent research to make it readily accessible and useful to decision-makers.While actionable science is most reliably achieved through engagement with intended users from project inception, this program offers an on-ramp to co-production for faculty in need of the collaborative and technical skills required, while producing useful products to inform the adaptation decisions of Northwest resource managers.