About the Water Policy Certificate
Water is a fundamental theme in the Western United States and other arid regions around the world. More recently, even wet areas have come to face similar problems of water scarcity and conflict, due to growing demands and competition for water. How people use and manage water is the core concern of water policy. Although the scientific and technical aspects of water issues are essential, the social and political elements are now a more significant challenge.
The University of Arizona has responded to the growing interest in water policy by establishing a new Graduate Certificate in Water Policy. The Certificate builds on the world-renowned expertise of University of Arizona faculty and programs.
The University of Arizona Graduate Certificate in Water Policy is for working professionals who want to build their expertise in water policy and University of Arizona students enrolled in a graduate degree program.
Contact Us
Have questions and want to learn more about the Water Policy Certificate? Contact:
Adriana Zuniga-Teran
Email: aazuniga@arizona.edu
Phone: (520) 626-5314
Program Requirements
To earn the Water Policy Certificate, students must complete a 12-unit program of study that includes core courses and thematic courses. Much of the course-work emphasizes local and regional water policy issues in Arizona and the Southwestern US. However, students can also focus on broader national and international affairs.
Core courses focus on fundamental aspects of water law, policy, and economics. Thematic courses include a wide variety of specific topics and disciplines so that students can customize a program to meet their particular interests. Each student must have their courses approved by the Faculty Coordinator.
NOTE: Courses are subject to change as several curriculum shifts are expected in the near future. Last updated – September 2024.
Core Courses
GEOG/LAW 596I – Comparative and International Water Policy (3 credits) (semester varies).
This course examines major issues in comparative and international water policy, including water markets, privatization, dams and river basin management, environmental flows, social equity, and water governance. The course is interdisciplinary and builds on law, geography, political economy, and institutional economics. Professor: Carl Bauer
GEOG/HWR/LAW/PLNN/ENV/SWES 596B - Water Policy in Arizona and Semi-Arid Regions (3 credits) Spring.
This course focuses on current Arizona water policy from a multi-disciplinary perspective. Through readings, research, discussion and presentations, the student is exposed to current water resource issues facing Arizona and other parts of the West and policies to address them. Professor: Sharon Megdal
LAW 641 - Water Law (3 credits) Fall.
Emphasis on state and federal laws that govern rights to surface and ground water throughout the country; additional understandings developed around social, political, economic and environmental aspects that intersect with water law doctrines. Professor: Stephanie Stern.
RNR 596W – Water, Society & Policy (1 credit) Fall; or RNR 696W – Water in Arid Lands (1 credit) Spring.
This course is designed to introduce students to the various ways that water science, societal forces, and public policy intersect and to familiarize students with the various units on campus addressing complex interdisciplinary water management questions. Professor: Gregg Garfin
GEOG 696O - Adaptation & Resilience in Water Resources Systems (3 credits) Spring – odd years.
Climate change, urban growth, energy demand, and global food trade alter water in coupled human-natural systems. This seminar addresses adaptation and resilience using material on river basins, aquifers, infrastructure, policy, and institutions. Professor: Adriana Zuniga-Teran
LAW 669 - Environmental Law (3 credits) Fall. A survey course covering major environmental statutes and common law doctrines. Topics include the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, National Environmental Policy Act, CERCLA, regulatory takings, standing in environmental cases, the law of nuisance, and the public trust doctrine. Professor: Stephanie Stern
GEOG 696J – Water Resource Geography (3 credits) Spring – next offered 2026.
Based on the exchange of scholarly information, usually in a small group setting, this course examines contemporary developments in water resources geography. The selected topics rotate according to the interests of the faculty convener and the graduate student enrollees. Typical topics include water issues in the Western U.S., comparative and international water policy, arid lands, border regions, a warming world, groundwater management, water and urban growth, energy-water linkages, water rights, markets, and transfers, and public and cultural perceptions of water. The scope of work shall consist of research by course registrants, with the exchange of the results of such research through discussion, reports, and/or papers. Professor:Andrea Gerlak – please speak with instructor before committing to this class.
PA 620A – Collaborative Governance Theory, Research and Practice (3 credits) 7.5 weeks online. Fall. The aim of this online course is to provide you with a grounding in collaborative governance: the underlying theories that support it; what we know from research about how it works (and does not); and what we can learn from practice to inform your own professional work. You will be asked to critique the use of collaborative governance in different case studies, apply principles of practice to simulated contexts, and develop alternative collaborative approaches to hypothetical or contemporary governance challenges. Mastery of this material is essential for progress to the subsequent course requirements for the concentration, minor or graduate certificate in collaborative governance. Professor: Gemma Smith.
Thematic courses related to environmental policy
(students must choose from this list if their major is not related to policy)
WSM 562 - Watershed Management (3 credits) Spring.
Evaluating hydrologic impacts of management activities on watersheds to include silviculture, range, mining, and recreation use. Professor: Shang Gao
HWRS 543A – Risk Assessment for Environmental Systems (3 credits) Fall.
A course that examines the integration of scientific analysis and decision making. The primary example will be based on contaminant hydrogeology. Students will represent stakeholder interests in a water-resources negotiation with increasing consideration of data quality and risk tolerance. Graduate-level requirements include a written review of the course material and a summary of the findings across all stakeholder positions. Professor: Paul Winter – check with instructor about pre reqs
PA 581 Environmental Policy (3 credits) alt Spring.
Role of government in management of energy, natural resources and environment; process and policy alternatives; special attention to the Southwest. Graduate-level requirements include additional readings and a substantial research paper of at least 25 pages in length. Professor:Liz Baldwin
LAW 669A – Law and Policy of New Environmental Research.
This course will explore the law and policy implications of cutting edge environmental research. The course will consist of essentially two parts: the presentation of on-going environmental research across a broad selection of disciplines, and an in-depth examination of the law and policy implications of this research. Each class period will consist of both parts. The first part will consist of one of the monthly Environmental Breakfast Club presentations by University of Arizona faculty members. The second part of each class will resemble a seminar in which the professor will lead the class in a discussion of the law and policy implications of the research with the help of related assigned readings.
LAW 696I – International Environmental Law (3 credits) Fall and Spring.
The development and exchange of scholarly information, usually in a small group setting. The scope of work shall consist of research by course registrants, with the exchange of the results of such research through discussion, reports, and/or papers.
LAW 669 – Environmental Law (3 credits) Fall.
No course description available
Water thematic courses NOT related to environmental policy
(students may choose from this list if their major is related to policy)
ENVS 554 - Water Harvesting (3 credits) Spring.
Course focuses on water harvesting principles and techniques. Students will learn how to apply concepts at their own residences and participate in applying them on the UA campus. Graduate- level requirements include working with other graduate students to evaluate water harvesting practices on campus. Two examples of good & poor water harvesting on campus plus two sites that might be considered for future harvesting must be surveyed with results posted on website. Professor: Grant (Bailie) McCormick
WFSC 571 - Stream Ecology (3 credits) Fall.
This course will examine the structure and function of stream ecosystems with emphasis on the interaction of physical and biotic elements of streams in arid regions. We will examine the role of natural and anthropogenic stressors in shaping aquatic assemblages in streams. Quantification of impairment of stream structure and function requires a thorough understanding of fundamental ecological concepts of natural streams; this will be a major focus. Also, students will learn to use current methods to assess stream condition and signs of impairment. Graduate-level requirements include additional essay questions on exams and graduate student must meet with the instructors to discuss selected research articles. Presentations will be longer than undergraduates. Professor: Michael Bogan
WSM 560A - Watershed Hydrology (3 credits) Fall even years - pre req recommended: calculus and physics but not required
Application of fundamental principles to quantifying the basic hydrologic processes occurring on watersheds. Professor:Jia Hu
HWRS 528 - Fundamentals: Systems Approach to Hydrologic Modeling (3 credits) Spring -must have programming background, some background or knowledge in basic statistics, and taken through calculus I. Introduction to the language, methods, and tools of systems analysis and computer-based modeling, and their application to the science, risk assessment, management, and planning aspects of hydrology and water resources. Professor: Hoshin Gupta
HWRS 549 - Statistical Hydrology (3 credits) Fall – check with instructor about pre reqs
Application of statistics and probability to uncertainty in the description, measurement, and analysis of hydrologic variables and processes, including extreme events, error models, simulation, sampling. Graduate-level requirements include an in-depth simulation project. Professor: Larry Winter
HWRS 518 - Fundamentals of Subsurface Hydrology (3 credits) Fall (offered even years only starting in 2026) - pre-requisites CE 218 Fluid Mechanics & GEOS 251 Physical Geology, or equivalent Survey of physical, mathematical, geologic, and engineering concepts fundamental to subsurface hydrologic processes. Professor: Tian-Chyi Yeh
HWRS 519 - Fundamentals of Surface Water Hydrology (3 credits) Spring - pre-requisites CE 218 Fluid Mechanics and SIE 305 Intro to Probability & Statistics, or equivalent Survey of main topics in surface water hydrology: hydrometeorology, evaporation, rainfall-runoff, statistical and probabilistic methods, unit hydrograph method, and flood routing. Professor: Peter Troch
AREC 579 – Economic Analysis of Water, Food & Environmental Policies (3 credits) Spring
This course focuses on economic methods for designing and evaluating water, food and environmental policies. Topics include optimizing water as an input in producing food, energy, recreation, and other ecosystem services; water & environmental issues in food production; pricing and conservation incentives; managing shortage risks; and economic tools for addressing conflicts over water, food and the environment. Interactive seminar-style course. Graduate students must complete a class project, including a paper and presentation. Interactive seminar-style course; regular attendance essential. Calculus proficiency is required. Professor: April Athnos
WSM 568 - Wildland Water Quality (3 credits) Spring
Introduction to water quality and its influences in natural environments. Interactions with land management and relationships to the larger issues of environmental quality. Graduate-level requirements include a class report and presentation on a negotiated topic of interest. Professor: David Quanrud
HWRS 517A – Fundamentals of Water Quality (3 credits) Spring of odd years only starting in 2027 —pre req General Chem 151 and 152, and GEOS 251 Physical Geology
Introduction to chemical processes affecting the behavior of major and minor chemical species in the aquatic environment. Physical, equilibrium, inorganic/organic, and analytical principles as applied to natural waters. Graduate requirements include writing a review paper and oral presentation, differential problem sets for homework and exams. Professor:Jennifer McIntosh
WSM/HWRS 573 – Hydrology for Water Resources Management (3 credits) Fall—online course, regular academic session.
This course will develop the students’ understanding of the hydrologic cycle, its constituent parts on the hydrologic cycle. It will then expose students to various ways in which human management influences the hydrologic cycle and ways in which the hydrologic cycle controls water resources management. Professor: Shang Gao
ABE/CE 555 - Soil and Water Resources Engineering (3 credits) Fall.
Introduction to soil and water relationships, irrigation systems, irrigation water supply, and irrigation management; basic designs. Professor: Muluneh Yitayew