Graduate Certificate in Applied Sustainability

Contact

Enrique R. Silva, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Applied Social Sciences
808 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02215
617-358-3264
ersilva@bu.edu

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.

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 corresponding department approval, students pursuing or planning to pursue master’s degrees in computer science or administrative studies may apply certificate credits toward their degree.

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 AD 620 Law, Regulation, and Sustainability
  • MET CS 504 Green Information Technology
  • MET UA 515 History and Theory of Urban Planning
  • MET UA 617 Human and Ecological Systems: Living Systems Theory and Application

Note: If a required course is not offered within the academic year (Fall, Spring, and Summer Sessions), students may request to take a replacement course. The request must be permitted, reviewed, and approved by the program coordinator in conjunction with representatives of the participating MET academic departments.