To achieve this goal, supplemental course work in applied mathematics, aquatic chemistry, geochemistry, earth processes, and civil and systems engineering are strongly encouraged. The goal of the Systems and Economics program is to develop competence in the modeling and analysis of public policy alternatives. To achieve this goal, students typically emphasize either economics or systems analysis. Those emphasizing economics would undertake specialized training in resource economics, microeconomic theory, the economics of law, public finance, and econometrics. Specific applications in the area of public economics include the economics of public works, water pricing, and water demand forecasting.
Applications also emphasize electric rate making and public utility financing.
Students emphasizing systems analysis would undertake specialized training in the mathematics of optimization, including linear and nonlinear programming, integer programming, dynamic programming, multiobjective programming, and stochastic programming. Specific application settings in the environmental systems area include water resources systems engineering, water quality management models, air pollution management models, and energy facility siting. While course work provides an underpinning in theory, student and faculty research emphasizes the practical, real-world application. Students are trained to approach as yet undeveloped problem settings and abstract from these the essential features to build a model and analyze alternative strategies. Although students are expected to be conversant with economic theory and optimization theory, the approach is frankly practical and applied.