George Washington University
AC-4: Graduate Program

As the world becomes increasingly urbanized, societies face new and complex challenges arising from intense economic pressure, increased inequality, and environmental degradation. Beyond a traditional role of guiding land use and development projects, contemporary urban planners are responsible for promoting more competitive, inclusive, and ecological cities. Moreover, they are increasingly responsible for addressing the dominant challenge of the 21st Century: anthropogenic climate change.

In our master’s degree in Sustainable Urban Planning, you will study cities through the lens of economic, social, and environmental sustainability. The program’s world-class faculty delivers state of the art courses, personalized mentoring, and firsthand insight on projects they have conducted in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. By working with them and your peers – inside of the classroom, and out – you’ll learn how to leverage knowledge of cities into forward-looking policy and action for advancing the goals of societies across the globe.

The International Development Studies program grounds international development practitioners in the theories, policies, and skills necessary for operating at the forefront of the field. Graduates of the program are prepared to address global development challenges in the most disadvantaged regions and among the most marginalized populations. The program takes a multidisciplinary and intellectually rigorous approach, paying particular attention to cultural context, ethics, field-based applied research, and innovative practices. Developing marketable skills and broadening professional experience are a central part of the program. All students complete a real-world consultancy for an international development organization as their final project.

The Environmental Resource Policy (ENRP) Program at GW 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. If you are interested in environmental policy, here are five reasons why you should take a closer look at GW's ENRP Program. ENRP is built on a multidisciplinary curriculum that includes environmental economics, environmental law, public policy, research methods and a two-semester environmental science course. Faculty scholars with deep expertise will help you understand complex environmental policy issues and identify connections between specific issues and the relevant natural sciences. Learn to build policy on science-based evidence, an appreciation of economic incentives and a clear-eyed understanding of environmental law and politics.

https://sustainability.gwu.edu/degree-programs

The field of landscape design is growing as people call for beauty that can both point to the future and call us back to our natural element. As the demand for sustainable landscaping continues to rise, so is the demand for professionals with the latest knowledge in urban ecology, stormwater management, soil conservation, native plants and more. Designed for landscape and allied professionals, the Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Landscapes is tailored to students seeking a credential in the field but who are not in need of a complete master’s degree. Taught by expert practitioners in the field who can not only counsel you on improving your aesthetic acumen, but will also help you build your practice with the latest knowledge, sustainable design skills and solutions that achieve your clients’ goals and satisfy state and local regulations.

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.

Learning Objectives - The Graduate Certificate in Climate Change Management and Policy will allow you to:

understand the various hardware and software approaches that address long-term quality of life issues, such as climate change, drinking water quality and waste water treatment, biodiversity, and restoration;
analyze the necessity for and complexities of green buildings, sustainable transportation alternatives, and production systems, including energy and natural resource-related technologies;
become a leader in a professional position with sustainability management and policy responsibilities.
Combine this certificate with the Graduate Certificate in Urban Sustainability and four Core Planning Courses to earn a Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Sustainable Urban Planning.

To provide a well-rounded education in energy engineering in the technical areas of fluid mechanics, heat transfer, and mathematics, as well as policy oriented education in state-of-the-art renewable energy technologies, energy management, and design for energy efficient tools and buildings. The certificate program is designed to enable graduates to analyze energy consumption patterns and perform energy audits, manage energy generation projects, manage energy utilization and its economic impacts, and analyze energy options to achieve optimal energy efficiency.

https://sustainability.gwu.edu/sustainability-minor