Program dates: July 11 – July 25, 2026

• Move-in: July 11
• Orientation: July 12
• Move-out: July 25

Application dates are available on the Application Information page.

Policymakers around the world are confronted daily with the challenge of addressing a wide range of environmental concerns such as adapting to the impacts of climate change, eliminating micro-plastics in our oceans and rivers, providing clean drinking water for communities and protecting threatened and endangered species from extinction. Fortunately, they possess numerous policy tools that can be used to manage these issues including enacting new legal requirements, implementing voluntary compliance programs, and establishing market-based regulatory systems. In this program, students will learn about current environmental problems and explore potential solutions from a policy and regulatory perspective. The program is designed to encourage critical thinking, debate, and discussion. Case studies and presentations by expert guest speakers will play a central role and will assist students in understanding the “real world” implications of policy choices. Additionally, the program will utilize field trips as a means to provide a “hands on” experience and appreciation for how policy decisions are implemented in the field. There are no pre-requisites for this program and students with a variety of academic interests and backgrounds across the social sciences and humanities; sciences and the arts are both welcomed and encouraged to join. 

Features 

Learning objectives and student outcomes 

• Students will complete a capstone project involving the research and preparation of a PowerPoint presentation on a policy recommendation about an environmental topic to be supplied. Students will work in a group of five for the purposes of this project. Student groups will then present their presentations and recommendations to the class as a whole.
• Students will be able to identify a range of current environmental issues and be able to provide a general explanation of the threats these issues pose to the environment and public health.
• Students will develop an understanding of the legal and regulatory frameworks that are currently used to address major environmental issues and emerging contaminants of concern. 
• Students will learn about the policy-making process and the role that policymakers play in crafting solutions to eliminate, minimize, or mitigate the impacts of a wide range of environmental concerns.
• Students will achieve an understanding of the roles and responsibilities of government regulators, non-governmental organizations, and private sector actors.
• Students will learn about the careers that are available for environmental professionals and the resources available to members of the public who want to make a difference in protecting the environment. 

Lectures 

There will be daily lecturers on a range of environmental topics including, but not limited to the existing US regulatory tools being used to address: 

• Regulation of air pollution to address issues such as climate change
• Remediating contaminated properties
• Regulation of emerging contaminants of concern (e.g., micro-plastics and PFAS)  
• Protection of surface waters from pollution sources (e.g., municipal wastewater discharges)
• Role of renewable energy sources (e.g., wind power), in controlling environmental pollution
• Process by which clean drinking water is regulated and supplied 
• Environmental issues that impact overburdened communities (e.g., lead-contaminated drinking water and air pollution)

Classes will be taught by Penn faculty with the assistance of teaching fellows. As previously noted, expert guest speakers and field trips will play a central role for the program.

Students will participate in class activities and small group discussions. Students will have access to Penn’s Van Pelt Library and other University resources, including the program’s Canvas website for additional content and homework assignments. 

Technology statement 

Students are required to bring their laptops or tablets to the program for in-class work and must have administrative access to make changes to the computer system and install applications.