Undergraduate Certificate in Sustainability

This certificate program offers a combination of courses that will prepare you for a career in environmental and sustainability education, advocacy, and management. Governments, private businesses, and special interest organizations will need your skills and perspective to sustain and improve both current and future conditions for life on earth.

The environmental and sustainability management certificate program:

  • Offers a well-rounded, interdisciplinary approach.
  • Gets you involved in relevant civic engagement opportunities in the Southern Indiana - Louisville metropolitan region.
  • Benefits students in any discipline who are interested in environmental issues.
  • Enhances the liberal arts experience with courses in the social sciences, humanities, natural sciences, education, and business.

Related Degrees

Certificate Information

15-16 Credits
Minimum cumulative G.P.A. of 2.0
In-Person

For more information specific to you and your situation, meet with your academic advisor and find your ideal pathway to complete your degree on time.

All courses listed below require a grade of C or better.  All courses have 3 credit hours unless otherwise noted.

Bulletin

Primary Courses
All courses required

Secondary Courses
Complete one course from each discipline

  • Environmental Science
  • Social Sustainability
  • Economic Sustainability

Specialization Area
Choose one area and complete a minimum of 8 credit hours in that area

  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Social Sustainability
  • Economic Sustainability
  • Internship - A maximum of 2 credits of Internship may be applied toward the specialization area

All courses are 3 credit hours require a minimum grade of a C unless otherwise noted.

Complete each of the following.

  • PHYS-P 120 - Energy & Technology
  • PHIL-P 237 - Environmental Ethics
  • SOC-S 309 - The Community

All courses are 3 credit hours require a minimum grade of a C unless otherwise noted.

Environmental Science
Choose one

  • EDUC-Q 450 & 550 - Science Technology & Society in a Changing World
  • BIOL-L 200 - Environmental Biology

Social Sustainability
Choose one

  • SOC-S 305 - Populations & Human Ecology
  • SOC-S 308 - Global Society

Economic Sustainability
Choose one

  • ECON-E 363 - Environmental & Natural Resources
  • POLS-Y 376 - International Political Economy

All courses are 3 credit hours require a minimum grade of a C unless otherwise noted.

  • BIOL-L 303 - Field Biology
  • BIOL-L 343 - Applied Conservation Biology (5 credit hours)
  • BIOL-L 473 - Ecology
  • BIOL-L 474 - Ecology Lab (2 credit hours)
  • BIOL-L 579 - Community Ecology
  • CHEM-C 303 - Environmental Chemistry
  • CHEM-C 305 - Environmental Chemistry Seminar (1 credit hour)
  • CHEM-C 318 - Spectrochemistry & Separations
  • CHEM-C 333 - Experimental Environmental Chemistry (2 credit hours)
  • GEOG-G 213 - Introduction to Economic Geography
  • GEOG-G 307 - Biogeography
  • GEOG-G 315 - Environmental Conservation
  • GEOG-G 338 - Geographic Information Science
  • GEOG-G 432 - Current Issues in Environmental Conservation
  • GEOG-G 438 - Advanced Geographic Information Systems
  • GEOG-G 439 - Seminar in Geographic Information
  • GEOL-G 400 - Energy: Sources and Needs
  • MICR-M 420 - Environmental Microbiology (5-6 credit hours)
  • PHYS-P 310 - Environmental Physics

All courses are 3 credit hours require a minimum grade of a C unless otherwise noted.

  • REL-R 371 - Religion, Ethics, and the Environment
  • POLS-Y 303 - Formation of Public Policy
  • SOC-S 457 - Topics in Psychology: Environmental Psychology & Sustainable Living
  • SOC-S 305 - Populations & Human Ecology
  • SOC-S 308 - Global Society

All courses are 3 credit hours require a minimum grade of a C unless otherwise noted.

  • ECON-E 363 - Environmental & Natural Resources
  • POLS-Y 376 - International Political Economy
  • SOC-S 360 - Topics in Social Policy
  • SOC-S 419 - Social Movements and Collective Action
  • SOC-S 403 - Industry, Labor, & Community

A maximum of 2 credits of Internship may be applied toward specialization area.

  • COAS-S 399 - Internship (1-2 credit hours)

Careers

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), undergraduate certificates are a great way to fast-track your career in an affordable way.

When time and money are a major concern, certificates allow recipients to gain skills in their field of choice in a relatively short period of time, usually less than a year, and for a price that won’t break the bank.

Many of IU Southeast’s certificate programs are stackable – meaning that you can use the credit hours earned for your certificate toward an associate or bachelor degree program.

Your brighter future begins here