Students in the Biophysical and Ecological Economics (BEE) study area develop an understanding of environmental problems and solutions through analyses of the relations between the human economy of goods and services and the biophysical economy of networks of energy and material resource flows.

Drawing on insights from social and physical sciences, BEE helps students to develop critical thinking, intellectual approaches, measurement tools and modeling skills for analyzing increasingly important topics in environment and natural resource science and policy. Specific course work in biophysical and ecological economics is supplemented by course work in ecology, resource management, environmental economics, policy analysis and others.