Education

Charlotte Funk (CAS’12) (from left), Angela Park (CAS’13), Poorva Bhade (CAS’13), and Crystal Choe (CAS’12) take core samples from trees along Bay State Road to measure tree ring width. The students in the Biology of Global Change course are hoping to learn how climate has affected the trees’ growth. Photo by Cydney Scott

Students at Boston University have diverse educational opportunities related to sustainability in undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and special degree programs offered through 11 of Boston University’s 17 schools and colleges. These opportunities include a broad range of courses on topics such as sustainable energy, climate change, and environmental history, and degree programs that prepare students for careers and graduate schools in fields related to sustainability.

Courses

There are 114 sustainability courses and 123 courses that include sustainability offered at Boston University. These courses are catalogued using the definitions developed by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability for Higher Education and are distinguishable by the leaf to the left of each course listed:

• Climate Change
• Ecology
• Energy
• Environmental Policy
• Monitoring, Modeling and Assessment
• Public Health
• Society
• Sustainable Development
• Earth & Environmental Sciences

For detailed descriptions, refer to the University Class Schedule on StudentLink.

Sustainability courses concentrate on the concept of sustainability, including its social, economic, and environmental dimensions, or examine an issue or topic using sustainability as a lens.

Include sustainability incorporate sustainability as a distinct course component or module or concentrate on a single sustainability principle or issue.

Certificate Programs

College of Engineering

• Graduate Certificate in Energy & Sustainability

Metropolitan College

• Graduate Certificate in Applied Sustainability

Degree Programs

College of Arts and Sciences

Department of Earth and Environment

• Bachelor of Arts in Geophysics & Planetary Sciences
• Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Analysis & Policy
• Bachelor of Arts in Earth and Environmental Sciences
• Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Earth Science
• Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Science
• Bachelor of Arts in Geography with a Specialization in Human Geography

• Undergraduate Minor in Earth and Environmental Sciences
• Undergraduate Minor in Environmental Analysis & Policy
• Undergraduate Minor in Sustainable Energy
• Undergraduate Minor in Environmental Remote Sensing and GIS

• BA/MA in Remote Sensing and Geospatial Sciences
• BA/MA in Energy and Environment

• Master of Arts in Energy & Environment
• Master of Arts in Remote Sensing & Geospatial Sciences
• Master of Arts in Preservation Studies
• Master of Arts in Geography

• Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) in Geography
• Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) in Earth Sciences
• Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) in Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution

Department of International Relations

• Bachelor of Arts in International Relations – Environment and Development Track
• Master of Arts in International Relations & Environmental Policy
• Master of Arts in Global Development Economics
• Master of Arts in Global Development Policy

Department of Biology

• Bachelor of Arts in Biology – Ecology & Conservation Biology Specialization
• Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) in Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution

Boston University Marine Program (BUMP)

• Bachelor of Arts in Marine Science

School of Public Health

Department of Environmental Health

• Functional Concentration in Environmental Health available when pursuing a Master of Arts in Public Health
• Certificate in Environmental Hazard Assessment available when pursuing a Master of Arts in Public Health
• Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) in Environmental Health

College of Engineering

• Concentration in Energy Technologies available when studying towards a Bachelor of Arts in Engineering

Department of Mechanical Engineering

• Thermofluid Sciences, Energy and Sustainability Graduate Research Focus

Division of Materials Science and Engineering

• Materials for Energy and Environment Graduate Research Focus

Study Abroad Programs

Washington, DC Internship Program

Students live and work as an intern in the policy-making atmosphere of the nation’s capital for a semester through the Washington, D.C., Internship Program. Students take courses in policy-making that give them an insider’s look at how policies are formulated in the federal government. Possible internships with congressional committees, the executive branch, or non-profit groups provide practical experience.

Ecuador Quito Tropical Ecology Program