Program Description Certificate in Sustainability Solutions

Information for this profile was provided by Stephanie Pfirman. Information is also available on the program website.

Program Design & Assessment

Overview

Students with a Certificate in Sustainability Solutions will have the knowledge base and skill sets to bring sustainability solutions to corporate, government, and NGO sectors. This action-oriented certificate complements knowledge-oriented Bachelors, Masters and PhD programs, and will be of particular interest to STEM majors who want to broaden their capacity to effect change.

Design Philosophy

The focus on sustainability competencies in the course sequencing highlights the need to integrate foundational, humanistic, and meta knowledge in co-designing solutions with partners/clients. Foundational knowledge is assembling and making accessible the content necessary for decision-making. Humanistic knowledge spans the context and culture of the specific problem to be addressed, including alignment of values. Meta knowledge is the process by which stakeholders are engaged to move toward action through reviewing and interpreting information, anticipating alternative futures, and designing and communicating strategic approaches including collaboration and partnerships.

Courses and Sequencing

Entry into the degree

Core Courses

1. Foundational Core: Systems Thinking, i.e.
Food System Sustainability
Life Cycle Assessment
Policy and Governance in Sustainable Systems

2. Humanistic Core: Values Thinking (Normative), i.e.
Environmental Ethics & Policy Goals
Human Rights and Sustainability

Equity, Justice and Sustainability

Elective courses and Requirements

3. Meta Elective: Anticipatory/Futures, i.e.
Transformational Sustainability Entrepreneurship
Navigating Futures
Welcome to the Future
Future of Food

4. Meta Elective: Collaborative/Interpersonal, i.e.
Uncertainty and Decision Making
Sustainability Storytelling/Short-form documentary
Advocacy and Strategic Communication Production

5. Meta Elective: Strategic, i.e.
Advanced Sustainability Problem Solving
Strategic Sustainability and Leadership

Other key features of this program:

6. Applied Project: Students design and implement a project that applies sustainability principles and approaches to their chosen career field. Students team up with a company, a government agency, or an NGO to co-develop a real-world sustainability solution.

Supporting Materials

ASU School of Sustainability Final Projects:
https://repository.asu.edu/collections/269