Arizona State University
AC-4: Graduate Program

The MA in sustainability is a research-oriented degree that culminates with research writing (either a thesis or capstone in the form of a publishable, scientific paper). The program focuses on knowledge generation and designing new ways to address sustainability challenges and prepares students for designing and conducting trans-disciplinary research. Although the graduate degree programs emphasize the integration of a broad range of expertise in student training, this master's degree program is best suited to students inclined toward social sciences, humanities, planning or related fields and who are interested in a career in research or academia. Students learn how different disciplines view and approach the challenges of sustainability in theory, research and practice. They develop the academic and technical skills as well as the ethical insights that will help them understand, research and provide solutions to complex sustainability challenges at the local, regional, national and global levels.

The MS in sustainability is a research-oriented degree program that culminates with research writing (either a thesis or capstone in the form of a publishable, scientific paper). The program focuses on knowledge generation and designing new ways to address sustainability challenges, and it prepares students for designing and conducting transdisciplinary research. Although the graduate degree programs emphasize the integration of a broad range of expertise in student training, this master's degree program is best suited to students inclined toward natural sciences, economics, engineering or related fields, and who are interested in a career in research or academia. Students learn how different disciplines view and approach the challenges of sustainability in theory, research and practice. They develop the academic and technical skills as well as the ethical insights that will help them understand, research and provide solutions to complex sustainability challenges at the local, regional, national and global levels.

The PhD in sustainability is offered for students who have completed a bachelor's degree or master's degree program. The doctoral program prepares students to become scientists and leaders in research, to investigate the urgent sustainability challenges of this century. Graduates will possess an advanced understanding of the dynamics of coupled socioecological systems and be able to lead others in research providing adaptive solutions to specific sustainability challenges. The flexible, transdisciplinary nature of the program allows students to focus on problems of interest to them, drawing upon relevant knowledge from a variety of disciplines.

Other Sustainability-Focused Programs: Master of Sustainability Solutions (MSUS) - School of Sustainability https://webapp4.asu.edu/programs/t5/majorinfo/ASU00/SUSUSOMSUS/graduate/false Master of Sustainability Leadership (MSL) - School of Sustainability https://webapp4.asu.edu/programs/t5/majorinfo/ASU00/SUSUSLMSL/graduate/false Executive Master of Sustainability Leadership (EMSL) - School of Sustainability https://webapp4.asu.edu/programs/t5/majorinfo/ASU00/SUEMSLEMSL/graduate/false PhD in Sustainability (Complex Adaptive Systems Science Concentration) - School of Sustainability https://webapp4.asu.edu/programs/t5/majorinfo/ASU00/SUSUSTCPHD/graduate/false MS in American Indian Studies (Cultural Resource Revitalization and Sustainability Concentration) - College of Liberal Arts and Sciences https://webapp4.asu.edu/programs/t5/majorinfo/ASU00/LAAISCMS/graduate/false MS in Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Engineering - Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering https://webapp4.asu.edu/programs/t5/majorinfo/ASU00/ESCIVILMS/graduate/false MSE in Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Engineering - Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering https://webapp4.asu.edu/programs/t5/majorinfo/ASU00/ESCIVILMSE/graduate/false MSE in Sustainable Engineering - Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering https://webapp4.asu.edu/programs/t5/majorinfo/ASU00/ESSUEMSE/graduate/false PhD in Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Engineering - Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering https://webapp4.asu.edu/programs/t5/majorinfo/ASU00/ESCIVILPHD/graduate/false MS in Community Resources and Development (Sustainable Communities Concentration) - College of Public Service and Community Solutions https://webapp4.asu.edu/programs/t5/majorinfo/ASU00/PPCRDSCMS/graduate/false MAS in Sustainable Tourism - College of Public Service and Community Solutions https://webapp4.asu.edu/programs/t5/majorinfo/ASU00/PPSUSTMAS/graduate/false Other Sustainability-Related Programs: MS in Biomimicry - College of Liberal Arts and Sciences https://webapp4.asu.edu/programs/t5/majorinfo/ASU00/LABMYMS/graduate/false MS in Community Resources and Development (Parks and Recreation Management Concentration) - College of Public Service and Community Solutions https://webapp4.asu.edu/programs/t5/majorinfo/ASU00/PPCRDPRMS/graduate/false MS in Community Resources and Development (Tourism Concentration) - College of Public Service and Community Solutions https://webapp4.asu.edu/programs/t5/majorinfo/ASU00/PPCRDTMMS/graduate/false PhD in Community Resources and Development - College of Public Service and Community Solutions https://webapp4.asu.edu/programs/t5/majorinfo/ASU00/PPCRDPHD/graduate/false PhD in Design, Environment and the Arts (Design Concentration) - Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts https://webapp4.asu.edu/programs/t5/majorinfo/ASU00/HIDEADSPHD/graduate/false PhD in Environmental Design/Planning - Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts https://webapp4.asu.edu/programs/t5/majorinfo/ASU00/ARENVDEPHD/graduate/false PhD in Environmental Life Sciences - College of Liberal Arts and Sciences https://webapp4.asu.edu/programs/t5/majorinfo/ASU00/LAELSPHD/graduate/false PhD in Environmental Social Sciences - College of Liberal Arts and Sciences https://webapp4.asu.edu/programs/t5/majorinfo/ASU00/LAESSPHD/graduate/false MS in Environmental and Resource Management - Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering https://webapp4.asu.edu/programs/t5/majorinfo/ASU00/ESERMMS/graduate/false MSTech (Alternative Energy Technologies) - Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering https://webapp4.asu.edu/programs/t5/majorinfo/ASU00/TSATMSTECH/graduate/false PhD in Global Health - College of Liberal Arts and Sciences https://webapp4.asu.edu/programs/t5/majorinfo/ASU00/LASSHPHD/graduate/false Master of Public Policy (MPP) (Environmental Policy Concentration) - College of Public Service and Community Solutions https://webapp4.asu.edu/programs/t5/majorinfo/ASU00/PPPUPEPMPP/graduate/false Masters in Urban and Environmental Planning (MUEP) - College of Liberal Arts and Sciences https://webapp4.asu.edu/programs/t5/majorinfo/ASU00/ARURBMUEP/graduate/false

The complex adaptive systems science graduate certificate trains the next generation of scientists in advanced concepts and methods needed for approaching diverse phenomena in the social and life sciences. The program is tightly integrated with diverse, ongoing, university-wide research on complex adaptive system science at Arizona State University and emphasizes the value of a complex adaptive systems perspective to give science better insight and a more active role in seeking solutions to a broad array of critical issues facing our society today. Students will be fluent in the common language of complexity while also receiving a solid foundation in the domain knowledge of existing academic disciplines.

The online graduate certificate in sustainable tourism, offered by the School of Community Resources and Development, is intended for professionals who work in or desire to work in the tourism industry. The program addresses the unique character of sustainability and sustainable practices in tourism development and management. Students interested in sustainable tourism management explore the practice of management and development of sustainable tourism businesses and destinations.

The graduate certificate program in biomimicry, the practice of emulating nature's strategies for human designs, is offered at ASU in conjunction with Biomimicry 3.8. The program is designed to introduce and delve into the core fundamentals of biomimicry, such as biomimicry thinking and life's principles with the intention to apply the knowledge and tools to one's specific interests or discipline. Participants will have the opportunity, through dedicated time and mentorship from instructors, to explore the application of these core fundamentals in their own discipline, field or area of interest during the biomimicry virtual design lab. Graduates will have the ability to work toward innovative and sustainable solutions within their discipline, drawing upon time-tested sustainable solutions of the last 3.8 billion years.

There are a number of sustainability concentrations at the graduate level. These were captured under the all other sustainability-focused graduate-level degree programs. The School of Sustainability is also developing a few new certificate programs.

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