Offered by the School of International Service, the Natural Resources and Sustainable Development specialization is available only through the exchange program with United Nations-affiliated University for Peace, Costa Rica. Students study at and receive degrees from both American University and the University for Peace. The program equips students with the knowledge and skills necessary for managing eco-development issues in a global context and provides them with opportunities to establish ties that bridge the North-South divide. These qualities aid graduates to formulate policies to advance sustainable development at the local, regional, and global levels, to facilitate international cooperation in the design of sustainable development and environment policy, and to generate strategies for environmental conflict management.