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Programs
Degrees and Certificates
Sustainability Studies Online Undergraduate Certificate Program
About the Program Tuition and Fees Accreditation Admissions Plan of Study Financial Aid Testimonials The Certificate in Sustainability Studies provides students with a vigorous, multi-disciplinary introduction to the growing discourse surrounding “sustainability” and sustainable issues. The certificate helps to establish sustainable thinking as a critical methodology which students can apply to their professional and personal lives. With businesses increasingly looking to establish more sustainable practices, a certificate of education in Sustainability Studies could prove a viable employable asset.
Students who complete the Certificate program will emerge with a greater awareness of sustainable issues and the capacity to apply sustainable thinking elsewhere in their lives. They will come to understand the world as a series of dynamic and interrelated and interdependent processes – physical and social – and begin to identify and articulate some of the challenges as well as promises of moving toward a more sustainable world.
Learn more about this program:
To receive more information and connect with the program manager, please click on inquire now to the right.
Sample a Course
Click here for more information on the Sustainability Studies Online Undergraduate Certificate Program. Registration is administered through Professional and Continuing Education at UMass Dartmouth. Payment is due upon registration. Please see Fee Schedule below.
| Type of Fee |
Amount |
| Tuition & Fees per course |
$912 |
| College Fee per semester |
$36-87 (See Course Description) |
| Library Access Fee |
$18 |
| Technology Fee per course |
$150
|
| Registration Fee (per semester) |
$30 (One time per semester) |
| Total for Course |
$1146-$1197 |
Click here to browse our course listings.
* Courses can vary from one to six credits; this total represents a standard 3 credit course The University of Massachusetts is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).
Did you know?
University of Massachusetts has earned several awards for its distance learning programs, faculty and technology including:
- University of Massachusetts Ranked Among Top 28 Best Value in Online Education for Human Services & Psychology Professionals, 2009 by Get Educated
- Ranked Top 10 Online Degrees Colleges- September 2009 (Online Degree Reviews.com)
- UMassOnline Awarded Public Sector of the Year by Mass Technology Leadership Council , 2008
- Most Outstanding Online Teaching and Learning Program, UMass Lowell’s Online Graduate Behavioral Intervention in Autism Program, Sloan Consortium Excellence Awards, 2008
- ‘Excellence in Online Teaching’ Award, Dr. Jeannette E. Riley, Sloan Consortium Excellence Awards, 2008
- 21st Century Best Practices Award, United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA)
- Program of Excellence, University Continuing Education Association (UCEA)-Journalism Certificate
- Excellence in Faculty Development, Sloan-C Excellence Awards
- Excellence in Online Programming, Sloan-C Excellence Awards
- Excellence in Online Teaching, Sloan-C Excellence Awards
- UMass Amherst Isenberg MBA, Top 10 national rankings, #4 Best Professors (2005, 2006, 2007 Princeton Review: Best Business Schools rankings)
- 4th in Primary Care Education, U.S. World Reports
- Ranked 45th Best University System in the World - London Times
- Excellence in Distance Teaching Education - United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA)
The online undergraduate certificate in sustainability studies is open to students from other institutions who have completed 15 credit hours of baccalaureate studies or who have received approval from the Sustainability Studies Program Advisor to enroll in the certificate program. Students may apply online via the program's website at UMass Darthmouth. For further information, contact the Program Advisor, Professor Garry Clayton, gclayton@umassd.edu.
Currently matriculated students on campus at UMass Dartmouth who wish to enroll in the undergraduate certificate need not submit the application, but also should contact the Program Advisor, Professor Garry Clayton, gclayton@umassd.edu.
The Undergraduate Certificate in Sustainability Studies helps student develop the capabilities to:
- Investigate sustainability by conducting an integrated critical analysis across disciplines
- Understand the challenges of sustainability in relationship to the earth's finite resources
- Determine how social, economic, and physical systems interconnect and reciprocate on micro and macro levels, as they relate to sustainability.
- Assess various ideological and cultural representations of human society and its relationship to the natural world, as they relate to sustainability
- Think critically and creatively about sustainable solutions to global problems
Learning Outcomes:
The need for sustainable paths of development and management has become increasingly important with increased globalization. This program is designed for students seeking a global understanding of sustainability, or who are planning sustainability related careers. Through its multidisciplinary curriculum, the program introduces students to a complex understanding of sustainability and the importance of a sustainable perspective.
The undergraduate certificate program is a course of study that affords a distinctive, interdisciplinary, approach to the subject that is not available within any single academic unit at UMass Dartmouth. The current online program is available to students at the undergraduate level, and a separate but parallel certificate program at the graduate level is under development.
Federal financial aid approval for the Undergraduate Certificate in Sustainability Studies is pending. Please check with the program advisor to determine your eligibility. Generally, if you are matriculated in a degree program and are enrolled in a minimum of 6 credits each semester, you may qualify for financial aid.
Students who are admitted to the program should review our Financial Aid Checklist, and fill ill out the FAFSA form at www.fafsa.ed.gov. It is important to list the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth school code number 002210.
Tips:
- Please renew your FAFSA form every year.
- When you register for classes, please contact the Professional and Continuing Education at UMass Dartmouth at (508) 999-9202 to let them know you have applied/are applying for financial aid.
For more information or if you have further questions, please contact UMass Dartmouth Financial Aid Office at (508) 999-8632 or at financialaid@umassd.edu.
Sustainability Meets Beauty
By Daniel Schemer
If there is one industry that continues to successfully incorporate the concepts of sustainability it is beauty/skin care. Today, all companies and brands must be very conscientious not just with what is put into their products, but also its ecological effects. Whether this means going the natural and organic route or applying high environmental standards to satisfy their demographic, companies require employees knowledgeable in sustainability and eco-friendly applications. That is Lisa Sykes' job.
"I rigorously examine products and encourage vendors to reformulate, redesign, and implement their own sustainability strategies," said Lisa Sykes, who is the Sustainability Specialist for Universal Companies, one of the largest international distributors for skin, beauty, and body products, equipment, and supplies to spas, professionals, resorts, and destination properties. Universal Companies is highly dedicated to promoting sustainable practices, so it places emphasis on what it calls Green Leaf products; all vendors wishing to have the Green Leaf label must go through evaluation from the Sustainability Specialist. This, according to Ms. Sykes, involves very careful label-reading, investigating marketing and manufacturing claims, and a whole lot of fact-checking. Her job also entails educating fellow employees on standards and policies. "I also implement environmental measures internally, write informative articles for publication, conduct webinars, and serve as the company's liaison to the Green Spa Network and LOHAS." LOHAS is an acronym for Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability and refers to the market demographic focused on environmental responsibility and health & wellbeing. She has even written many articles on eco-conscious living published in Day Spa Magazine, Spa Business, Self Magazine, Spa Trade, and LOHAS Journal.
Though carrying a title that deems her a professional, Ms. Sykes wanted to continue her education in sustainability through online programs, which led her to enroll in UMass Dartmouth's Sustainability Studies Certificate Program. "Because I work full-time, I needed a program that was flexible. I looked at a variety of online programs, but the University of Massachusetts had everything that I needed: cost-efficiency, a well-rounded curriculum, and an impressive reputation." Some of the courses she took were on principles of sustainability, environmental law, the impacts of globalization, and corporate responsibility. "One of the most useful tasks that I completed was the creation of a sustainability action plan for an existing company and defending it, like a thesis, in our class message boards."
It took about a year for her to complete the online certificate program and is looking forward to integrating her newfound knowledge with her career. "It has helped me widen my lens a bit. I've learned some interesting concepts from my professors, which I intend to put into practice."
With an MA in English from East Tennessee University, Lisa Sykes, 37, spent years in education as a "somewhat eccentric" English Professor, teaching composition and literary criticism at her alma mater and also Emory & Henry College in Virginia. Her career didn't hinder her zeal for environmentalism. "I've always been interested in sustainability. Growing up, we always had a garden, and my mom used to sell her produce at the farm |
Program Contact
| Contact: | Professor Garry Clayton
508-999-8261
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| Campus: | Dartmouth |
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| Level: | Undergraduate |
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| Type: | Certificate |
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| Credits: | 12 |
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| Format: | Online |
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Alumni Career Profile
Lisa Sykes- Sustainability Studies Certificate Program
Though carrying a title that deems her a professional, Ms. Sykes wanted to continue her education in sustainability through online programs, which led her to enroll in UMass Dartmouth’s Sustainability Studies Certificate Program. “Because I work full-time, I needed a program that was flexible. I looked at a variety of online programs, but the University of Massachusetts had everything that I needed: cost-efficiency, a well-rounded curriculum, and an impressive reputation.” Some courses she took were on principles of sustainability, environmental law, and the impacts of globalization.
Click here to read full article. |
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