Curriculum

Curriculum

A minimum of 38 credits is required to receive a Master of Arts in Sustainable Communities (culminating with a capstone project) or a Master of Science in Sustainable Communities (culminating with a thesis).

Requirements and electives:

  • Core courses (13-16 credits)

  • Required courses (12-16 credits)

  • Sustainability electives (6-8 credits)

  • Thesis or capstone project (4 credits)

Core courses (13-16 credits)

Students are required to take four core courses and repeat SUST 530 each semester they are enrolled in the program. Courses in this area introduce the three pillars of sustainability: environmental policy, economic development and social equity. Students will explore the interactions between these principles, basic ecology and environmental science, local and organizational governance, and concepts of sustainability to think critically across complex, interconnected systems.

  • SUST 500: Sustainable Communities I (4 credits)

  • SUST 510: Sustainable Communities II (4 credits)

  • SUST 520: Research Methods (4 credits)

  • SUST 530: Sustainability Colloquium (1 credit, must be repeated each semester the student is enrolled in the program)

Required courses (12-16 credits)

Sustainability is more than just environmental protection; it includes social equity as well. These required courses are designed to provide each student with a well-rounded perspective that is necessary in the field of sustainability today.

  • One from Environmental Policy course list (3-4 credits)

  • One from Economic Development course list (3-4 credits)

  • One from Social Equity course list (3-4 credits)

  • One from Advanced Methods course list (3-4 credits)

Sustainability electives (6-8 credits)

At least two courses as electives related to area(s) of interest.

Culminating Project

During your final two semesters, you will take SUST 588 Professional Writing Seminar I and SUST 589 Professional Writing Seminar II. During these 2 two-credit workshops, you will develop, research, and write a final project on a topic of your choosing. Under the guidance of the professor, you will use this project to dig deeper into a sustainability subject that interests you and that you can use to demonstrate the knowledge and skills you acquired during the program.