Overall Rating Gold
Overall Score 72.94
Liaison Jen Maxwell
Submission Date Dec. 5, 2023

STARS v2.2

Appalachian State University
AC-4: Graduate Program

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.00 / 3.00 Jennifer Maxwell
Resource Conservation Manager
Physical Plant Administration
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Majors and degree programs 

Does the institution offer at least one sustainability-focused major, degree program, or the equivalent for graduate students?:
Yes

Name of the sustainability-focused graduate-level degree program:
Technology (MS)

A brief description of the graduate-level degree program:
The Master of Science in Technology program is housed in Appalachian’s Department of Sustainable Technology and the Built Environment. The program focuses on sustainable technological development within the broad areas of renewable energy, energy efficiency, high-performance buildings and related topics. Graduates are prepared for careers in fields such as renewable energy research and development; building sciences, including building energy efficiency; sustainability policy development and implementation; energy consulting; and/or for continuing education at the doctoral level.

Students in the graduate program have the opportunity to develop expertise in relation to specific concentration areas. The program has three concentrations from which to choose:

- Appropriate Technology – Focuses on development and use of sustainable or “green” technologies, with an emphasis on renewable energy systems. The program is widely recognized for the contributions made by faculty and students in the arena of energy research, energy policy, and other sustainable waste and resource management technologies.

- Sustainable Building Design and Construction – Recognized for its emphasis on energy efficient building design, construction and testing, as well as on use of alternative building materials. This concentration focuses on efficient building systems and the relationship between buildings and occupant comfort and health, as well as on developing students’ project management capabilities.

- Renewable Energy Engineering – Designed for individuals with undergraduate degrees in engineering, mathematics or the physical sciences who are interested in a program with a strong technical emphasis on renewable energy system design, monitoring and analysis.

Emphasis at the graduate level includes research, leadership development, and analytical skill development. The program takes a team-based, problem-solving approach, and a variety of field-based experiences can be integrated into the graduate program of study.

Website URL for the graduate-level degree program:

Additional degree programs (optional) 

Name of the sustainability-focused, graduate-level degree program (2nd program):
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None
A brief description of the graduate degree program (2nd program):
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Website URL for the graduate degree program (2nd program):
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Name of the sustainability-focused, graduate-level degree program (3rd program):
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None
A brief description of the graduate degree program (3rd program):
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Website URL for the graduate degree program (3rd program):
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The name and website URLs of all other sustainability-focused graduate-level degree programs:
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Minors, concentrations and certificates 

Does the institution offer one or more graduate-level sustainability-focused minors, concentrations or certificates?:
Yes

Name of the graduate-level sustainability-focused minor, concentration or certificate:
Appalachian Studies (MA) - Sustainability in Appalachia Concentration

A brief description of the graduate minor, concentration or certificate:
The Sustainability in Appalachia concentration emphasizes applied research and interdisciplinary course work spanning the social and natural sciences as well as the humanities. It provides a foundation for those students who seek to develop the means for meeting the legitimate needs of present generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. For students interested in Appalachian and other highland and rural peoples, as well as other peoples threatened by the results of unsustainable practices and patterns, this course of study provides the background in the search for sustainable solutions.

Website URL for the graduate minor, concentration or certificate:

Additional minors, concentrations and certificate programs (optional) 

Name of the graduate-level sustainability-focused minor, concentration or certificate (2nd program):
Business Administration (MBA) - Sustainable Business Concentration

None
A brief description of the graduate minor, concentration or certificate (2nd program):
Sustainable Business – Prepares a student to identify green market opportunities and to manage organizations for the triple bottom line of environmental, social and financial performance.

Website URL for the graduate minor, concentration or certificate (2nd program):
Name of the graduate-level sustainability-focused minor, concentration or certificate (3rd program):
Climate Change Graduate Certificate

None
A brief description of the graduate minor, concentration or certificate (3rd program):
The Climate Change Graduate Certificate coursework is designed to provide students with knowledge of the physical science basis of climate change, its societal impacts and adaptation and mitigation strategies. The program strengthens the interdisciplinary climate science curricular opportunities at the graduate level and prepares students to contribute to the development of informed scientific, policy and business climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies.

Website URL for the graduate minor, concentration or certificate (3rd program):
None
The name and website URLs of all other graduate-level, sustainability-focused minors, concentrations and certificates:
"Green - Environmentally Focused Graduate Programs at Appalachian" can be found at https://graduate.appstate.edu/programs?field_gradpgm_location_value=All&field_gradpgm_category_tid=3

Optional Fields 

Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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