Degrees in Cleaner Production and Pollution Prevention

The Department of Work Environment offers a master’s degree and a doctoral degree in Cleaner Production and Pollution Prevention. Credit requirements for all Master of Science Programs is now 36 credits (down from 45).

Cleaner Production and Pollution Prevention offer new directions for reducing environmental and occupational health risks by redesigning production systems or reformulating commercial products with the objective of prevention or minimization of short and long term risks to humans and the environment. Cleaner production applies to both products and processes. Cleaner products are those designed to reduce impacts throughout their entire life cycle, from raw material extraction to ultimate disposal of the product and packaging. Cleaner production processes conserve raw material and energy, eliminate toxic materials and reduce the generation of wastes and emissions.

Students in this concentration will be prepared for new positions in private firms and governments promoting preventive strategies towards risk reduction.

Degrees

Master's Degree in Cleaner Production and Pollution Prevention

All Cleaner Production and Pollution Prevention students must take the Work Environment Core (15 credits) as well as 15 credits of concentration courses and six elective credits.

Doctoral Degree in Cleaner Production and Pollution Prevention

Examples of areas of research in Cleaner Production include: sustainable product design and integrated product policy, green chemistry, product take back (extended producer responsibility), ecological taxes, materials policy, indicators of sustainability for the workplace and general environment, environmental management systems, sustainable consumption patterns, and integration of occupational health and pollution prevention.

Faculty

Michael Ellenbecker, Ken Geiser, Charles Levenstein, Rafael Moure-Eraso, Margaret Quinn, Cora Roelofs, Joel Tickner