51¶¯Âþ

Sustainability Certificate (Graduate)

Enhance your understanding of how environmental challenges amplify inequality and why it is crucial to involve affected communities when developing solutions with the Graduate Certificate in Sustainability at 51¶¯Âþ. A collaboration between 51¶¯Âþ’s and , this four-course graduate certificate program provides you with the necessary knowledge, skills and competencies to embark on a career as a sustainability professional.  

Sustainability science is a multidisciplinary field that merges natural and social sciences and explores how humans interact with the environment on local and global scales. Sustainability science professionals tackle urgent environmental issues like climate change, biodiversity loss, clean energy adoption and building resilient cities.

Program Outcomes

As a student in the Sustainability Certificate, you’ll strengthen your communication skills across social and natural sciences while learning how to engage in policy arenas, communicate with nonscientists and acquire specific tools to build more sustainable futures.  

The Sustainability Graduate Certificate program is ideal for nonmatriculated environmental professionals seeking to advance their knowledge in sustainability topics, as well as current graduate students at 51¶¯Âþ from across the university in fields such as biology, environmental science, environmental studies, geography and sociology.  

Sustainability Professional Science Master’s Program 

This graduate certificate program is designed to complement 51¶¯Âþ’s Professional Science Master’s (PSM) in Sustainability and can serve as a gateway into the program. Students in the program can transfer all 12 or 13 credits into the Sustainability PSM program if they apply to the PSM before completing their fourth and final course in the certificate.

Program Format & Curriculum 

Students in the Graduate Certificate in Sustainability will take a transdisciplinary introductory seminar (three credits) and three professional skills courses (nine–10 credits). Courses you are likely to take to complete the program could include the following.  

• Fundamentals of Sustainability Science and Environmental Justice 

• Communicating Science to a Broader Audience/Non-scientists 

• Environmental Impact Assessment  

• Field methods in Environmental Justice 

Learn more about the Sustainability Certificate program curriculum.

Careers

Students gain advanced skill sets that are in high demand by a wide variety of employers. Graduates will be prepared to work in fields such as 

• community engagement, political organizing, policymaking and climate resilience planning to benefit marginalized communities who disproportionately bear the burdens of climate change;  

• environmental consultants and policymakers, political advisors, and sustainability managers in the industry;  

• GIS specialists at environmental nonprofits, environmental consulting, city or state agencies;  

• policymaking and consulting on alternative energy production, storage and planning;  

• researchers and program directors in fields working towards equitable economic and environmental futures for people living in and around cities; and 

• resource management and conservation with the federal or local government or nongovernmental organizations.Ìý

Tuition & Fees

Tuition rates are set annually by the university and are affected by multiple factors, including program degree level (undergraduate or graduate), course load (full- or part-time), in-state or out-of-state residency, and more. These tuition costs apply to the 2023–2024 academic year.Ìý

Pennsylvania resident: $1,053.00 per credit 
Out-of-state: $1,449.00 per credit 

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