Affiliation: The Truman Institute
Description
The Sustainability and Environmental Studies certificate is intended for those individuals who want an improved knowledge of the relationship of the environment and environmental policies to their business or future career, those who seek work in developing or implementing environmental policies for business or government, or for those who possess a strong personal interest in global ecological relationships and how their roles as workers, consumers, leaders, and everyday citizens interact with our global commons. Courses are offered in an eight- or ten-week format and are taught entirely online.
The Sustainability and Environmental Studies Certificate is a great alternative to a full-fledged degree in environmental studies for those who could benefit from a greater understanding of the scientific, economic, policy, and regulatory environment of sustainability.
The program meets a special need for working professionals who may wish to acquire skills in the area of sustainability to better position themselves in the workplace but who lack the time or the financial resources to commit to a full Master’s program at the present time. Such training is particularly well-timed to respond to government initiatives to stimulate the development of “Green Industries” and to encourage appropriate workforce development in response to the state of the current economy.
Beyond the individual benefits, this certificate affords businesses an opportunity to obtain continuing education for their employees in an area that could have tangible effects on the corporate bottom line.
Objectives
Students completing the Sustainability and Environmental Studies Certificate:
- grasp the fundamental scientific concepts that inform our understanding of sustainability;
- explore the social conditions and motivations that frame the interaction of humans with their environment;
- appreciate the policy framework and political environment in which environmental policy is enacted;
- analyze and evaluate the economic motivations for developing sustainable practices and the consequences of adopting or not adopting them;
- learn to apply their learning in practical contexts by developing an understanding of how sustainable practices can influence the bottom line and how doing business sustainably can have concrete, constructive impacts on their workplace, their company, and the local, national, and international economy.
Admission Requirements
To be considered for admission, students must meet the following requirements:
- Students must complete an application for Graduate Studies as a Graduate Certificate Student.
- Students must possess a baccalaureate degree from an accredited post-secondary institution (or its international equivalent).
- Preferential acceptance is given to students with at least a 3.0 cumulative undergraduate GPA or who demonstrate sufficient professional experience to prepare them for the proposed field of study. Students who have received less than a 2.75 undergraduate GPA may not be eligible for admission. Certificate applicants with significant professional preparation but a lower GPA should consult the Graduate office and/or their proposed respective program to assess whether they are sufficiently prepared to apply.
- Applicants are encouraged to submit a copy of undergraduate and/or graduate transcripts to demonstrate sufficient preparation at the time of application. Students may not enroll beyond their second course without providing an official transcript.
- Assessment and enforcement of student qualifications is at the discretion of the Graduate Dean or his or her designee.
Admission of Senior Undergraduates
Students who are seniors in their last actual year of enrollment may enroll for up to two courses in the Sustainability and Environmental Studies Certificate provided that they first apply and receive acceptance to the certificate program. The intent behind this special opportunity is to make it possible for an undergraduate student, making good progress on his or her undergraduate degree, to enroll in two graduate courses during their senior year and complete coursework for the graduate certificate within two months after graduating (typically during the Summer Session). Students may not use this option to take certificate courses as electives. Graduate courses are billed at the graduate tuition rate, separate from a student’s normal undergraduate bill.
Graduation Requirements
- Students must complete all requirements of the certificate, including required courses, assignments, and activities.
- Students must take the required two courses and then select two additional courses from the prescribed list.
- Students must earn at least a 3.0 GPA for courses in the certificate program to receive the certificate. Courses in other certificates or other Truman degree programs do not count toward this calculation.
- Grades of D or F are considered to be non-passing grades. Students may earn only one C as part of a certificate program. Students earning a D, F, or more than one C, are ineligible to earn a certificate. Students may request to retake courses toward completion of the certificate at the discretion of the Graduate Dean.
- Students must be continuously enrolled (excluding summer and interim terms) in at least one course per semester and must complete the certificate within six years of the date of admission or matriculation in the first course, which ever comes later. Students may petition the Graduate Dean for a leave of absence, or an extension, should extenuating circumstances warrant.
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