Northern Arizona University
AC-4: Graduate Program

Northern Arizona University's [SUS] program, guided by the theme, ‘Visions of Good and Sustainable Societies,’ is one of the best-implemented programs in the country.

The program effectively integrates contemporary issues that are pertinent to today's society and environment. It's easy to see that it has become a model for every MLS program in the US, Canada, and other regions where graduate liberal studies are developed.

The Climate Science & Solutions (CSS) Professional Science Master’s program combines a foundation of climate science and sustainable systems studies with professional training and organizational skills to help graduates succeed in the growing climate industry.

Understand and explain the physical nature of global climate change
Apply national and international standards to conduct professional greenhouse gas inventories
Evaluate the social and economic externalities of climate change
Describe the ethical, scientific, and policy strengths and weaknesses of current and proposed mitigation and adaptation strategies
Identify, analyze, synthesize, and communicate scientific information and uncertainties for public and professional audiences
Participate in a professional internship and develop the professional skills needed to establish your career in the growing climate industry
Degree requirements
This is a 36-credit program that includes five core courses (18-credits) focused on the following:

1) Science of climate change;
2) The economics of natural resources and climate change;
3) The science and management of greenhouse gases;
4) The principles of sustainable systems;
5) Environmental discourse around climate change mitigation and adaptation.

You will select electives to tailor your degree toward biological, engineering, social, policy, or economic approaches to climate solutions. In addition to 12-credits of electives, students participate in a 6-credit career development program, including a professional summer internship. Both the electives and the internship allow students to personalize their degree. For more details about specific courses and requirements, see the program of study and the academic catalog.

The interdisciplinary Earth Sciences and Environmental Sustainability Doctoral program will prepare you to be part of a growing industry of leaders, scientists, and engineers addressing issues of climate change, water scarcity, natural resource demand, and environmental sustainability in the Southwest, United States, and the global community.

You have a choice of three emphases:

Earth and Planetary Systems
Climate and Landscape Change
Engineering Sustainable Systems

Environmental Sciences and Policy MS

https://nau.edu/ses/masters-in-environmental-sciences-and-policy/

Students incorporate contemporary environmental research into creative and literary narratives that tell stories on a human scale. They may initiate correspondence with leading researchers and gain confidence with interviewing, shadowing, and volunteering in ecological research projects. Students learn to tailor and professionally pitch their writing for multiple audiences and diverse publications.

The Conservation Ecology Graduate Certificate program at NAU provides a means for early- and mid-career professionals to gain exposure and competence in the theory and practice of conservation ecology. The program is designed for environmental professionals who wish to briefly return to academia to upgrade or refine their skills in interdisciplinary conservation sciences. These skills may then be put to use through work for government agencies, for tribal governments, or for non-profit and for-profit stewardship organizations.

Students that complete the graduate certificate in wind energy will be prepared for professional practice in the wind industry. This includes the ability to design wind turbines and wind turbine components, as well as understand the salient aspects of wind power plant design, including project economics, interactions with the electrical grid and environmental impacts.
Career opportunities that might be pursued:
wind energy engineer
wind power plant designer
wind energy developer
utility engineer
wind energy research and development
assessment and evaluation of wind energy resource
engineering economic evaluation of wind energy projects or components
distributed and residential-scale wind power design and development

Graduate certificates that are sustainability not sustainability focused but address themes or major challenges of sustainability:
• Building Science: https://nau.edu/construction-management/building-science-graduate-certificate/
• Community Planning: https://nau.edu/gpr/community-planning-graduate-certificate/
• Data Science: http://catalog.nau.edu/Catalog/details?plan=INFDSCT&catalogYear=1920
• Ethnic Studies: https://catalog.nau.edu/Catalog/details?plan=ETHSTCT&catalogYear=1819
• Geographic Information Systems: https://nau.edu/gpr/gis-certificate/
• Indigenous and Tribal Nation-Building: https://nau.edu/online/graduate-certificates-indigenous-and-tribal-nation-building/
• Science Communication: https://nau.edu/communication/scicomm/
• Women’s and Gender Studies: http://catalog.nau.edu/Catalog/details?plan=WSTCT&catalogYear=1718

Information provided by: Laurie Dickson, Maribeth Wotwood