Problems of environmental degradation are often conceptualized in terms of collective action dilemmas, and imply an increased demand for coordination and steering by public authorities. Social science is struggling with understanding how attitudes to collective action dilemmas and state intervention actually are formed. In the literature on environmental attitude formation, education is often claimed to be an important factor. For example it is argued that people with university degrees develop certain values essential for beliefs about personal responsibility and concern for the environment and also analytical skills that are important in understanding complex issues such as climate change. Still there are a number of questions unanswered. For example, we know little about the effects of different educational programs.

In this study we present a unique panel dataset based on students from Swedish universities, where we are able to capture the effects of studying economics, law and political science on attitude formation. There are a number of hypotheses that have been highlighted in previous literature that are tested in our study. Economics students are claimed to develop less cooperative attitudes due to the exposure to rational choice theory. Students in economics are also argued to develop more pro-market values which in turn are argued to affect their attitudes toward different kinds of proenvironmental policy tools. Students in political science are claimed to develop certain participatory norms, more trust in political institutions and also trust in people in general. Trust is often claimed to be an essential component in collective action. There is a deficit of studies regarding law students’ values and attitudes related to environmental problems but there are indications that their propensity to participate in pro bono work decreases during education, which has been interpreted as a weakening of altruistic values and a strengthening of self-achievement values.

Helliwell, J. F. and R. D. Putnam (2007). "Education and Social Capital." Eastern Economic Journal 33(1). Kollmuss, Anja, and Julian Agyeman. "Mind the gap: why do people act environmentally and what are the barriers to pro-environmental behavior?." Environmental education research 8.3 (2002): 239-260. Sunshine Hillygus, D. (2005). "The MISSING LINK: Exploring the Relationship Between Higher Education and Political Engagement." Political Behavior 27(1): 25-47.