Applied Sustainability
Graduate Certificate Program
The Department of Applied Social Sciences is proud to introduce a new certificate program in Applied Sustainability. All credits earned toward the Graduate Certificate in Applied Sustainability may be applied to the Master of Urban Affairs and Master of City Planning. With the approval of their department, students pursuing or planning to pursue master’s degrees in computer science or administrative studies may apply certificate credits toward their degree.
For more information, contact the Department of Applied Social Sciences, 808 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215; 617-353-3025; fax: 617-358-3595; email dleclair@bu.edu.
Graduate Certificate in Applied Sustainability
Governments, corporations, and entire industries are currently seeking experts who can guide them toward greener practices. There is an increasing demand for individuals who can assess environmental impact, navigate national and international regulations, minimize waste by streamlining IT infrastructure, propose budget-cutting energy strategies, and implement policies that are as financially and politically sound as they are eco-friendly.
The Graduate Certificate in Applied Sustainability is a unique interdisciplinary look at what it takes to make urban and economic development compatible with the natural environment. Taught by Metropolitan College faculty from the departments of Applied Social Sciences, Administrative Sciences, and Computer Science, coursework guides students through the foundations of ecology; current theories of sustainability; methods for optimizing energy and land use; building management techniques; the politics, law, and economics of the global green movement; and the relationship between IT and the consumption of resources.
This certificate is appropriate for individuals currently in roles as sustainability professionals as well as those seeking to enter this expanding and exciting field. Architects, facilities managers, city planners, and IT experts have the opportunity to fill gaps in their existing knowledge, whereas those just beginning careers in these and related fields will gain the foundation to make green thinking central to their work from the outset.
Upon completion, students will be prepared to guide their organizations toward a sustainable future in strategic and competitive ways.
Admissions Information
Official transcripts of previous academic work, two letters of recommendation, personal statement, and résumé are required as part of the application.
Minimum passing grade for a course in the graduate certificate program is B– (2.7), but an average grade of B (3.0) must be maintained to be in good academic standing and satisfy the certificate requirements.
Prerequisites
Applicants to the program are required to have a bachelor’s degree. Some courses may have additional prerequisites.
Curriculum
(Four courses/16 credits)
- MET UA 617 Human and Ecological Systems: Living Systems Theory and Application
- MET UA 515 History and Theory of Urban Planning
- MET AD 620 Law, Regulation, and Sustainability
- MET CS 642 IT for Sustainability
