George Washington University
AC-4: Graduate Program

The mission of the MPS in Sustainable Urban Planning is to develop thoughtful, creative and dynamic planning professionals who are able to synthesize multiple and diverse views into comprehensive, sustainable plans that lead neighborhoods and regional, national and global communities to a healthy environment and way of life. It is designed for professionals in: • urban planning and policy at the city, county, and state levels • environmental policy and advocacy • parks and planning • land use and public/private partnerships • commercial development and contracting • "green" industries.

The IDS program prepares students for professional careers in the field of international development through interdisciplinary coursework that includes the study of economics, research methods, policy analysis, and management. Students focus their studies by creating their own area of specialization in coordination with their faculty mentor.

The M.A. in Environmental Resource Policy (ENRP) Program offers a multidisciplinary approach to environmental and sustainability studies. This Master of Arts program prepares students to enter environmental policy careers in government, non-profit organizations, the private sector and environmental advocacy groups. While anchored in environmental science, ENRP prepares students for varied career positions by encompassing study in topics relating to environmental law, public policy, research methods and statistics, ecology, biology, and geography. The multidisciplinary approach enables students to: •develop a deep understanding of complex environmental policy issues; • identify connections between specific environmental policy issues and the relevant natural science(s); • build environmental policy on a foundation of science-based evidence, an appreciation of economic incentives, and a clear-eyed understanding of environmental law and politics; and • learn to frame environmental policy challenges in ways that render them more amenable to solution

The mission of the Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Landscapes is to provide an innovative and relevant curriculum that reflects changing social attitudes towards the conservation and sustainability of our living environments. Landscape Designers will be called upon to provide design and implementation services that apply new strategies of plant and water conservation and energy efficiency. The Sustainable Landscapes program strives to provide advanced landscape design students and experienced landscape design professionals with a fundamental understanding of best practices in landscape conservation and sustainability, adapted to the small-scale landscape, at the neighborhood level.

The six-course, 18 credit Graduate Certificate in Climate Change Management and Policy offers instruction in technological approaches to solving key planning issues. It focuses on the technical side of sustainability; the building requirements, design demands, and energy technologies needed to create a sustainable urban area. The Certificate is designed to provide returning students or mid-career professionals with valuable technological skills and entry-level students with an area of specialization in technology for sustainability.

The graduate certificate in energy engineering and management offers instruction in alternative energy generation and energy resources management. The program can assist professionals to open up new opportunities as energy auditors, energy analysts, energy project managers, and related positions. Course explore the latest information in energy efficient building design, microgrid renewable energy development, and advanced materials. While studying these topics, students research economics of energy, the art of managing energy projects, and analytical methods of analyzing the viability and feasibility of energy projects.