University of Massachusetts Amherst
AC-4: Graduate Program

Sustainability Science is a one-year professional master’s degree program that trains students for sustainability-focused careers in industry, academia, government, and the nonprofit sector. The program is grounded in the philosophy that solving societal challenges requires a new generation of leaders who have an understanding of integrated sustainable thinking, rigorous interdisciplinary academic training, and practical career-based experience. As such, the program is tailored to meet these challenges and prepare our students to be highly competitive in the market place.

Entering students first build a common disciplinary foundation through core knowledge courses. They acquire breadth in environmental systems, urban and social systems, economics, and political science through electives. Next, students develop a specialization in one of five concentration areas: Urban Sustainability, Renewable Energy and Efficient Design, Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems, Water Sustainability and Climate Change, and Environmental Quality. The program culminates with a 4-credit practicum where students apply their educational training in a real-world professional setting.

Sustainability is a vital issue in today’s world. Scientists, politicians, and the public recognize the detrimental impact of wastefulness and over-reliance on non-renewable resources. This is particularly true in the building industry, where daily decisions can have a critical impact on the health and well-being of the community and the environment. Many aspects influence sustainability in the built environment: Site selection and environmental modification, design of buildings and structures, choice of materials and structural systems, selection and sizing of building energy systems, construction processes and waste streams.

BCT’s graduate study options provide students with an opportunity to deepen their understanding of the interrelations and sustainability implications of the entirety of a building’s systems. Through course-based study at the Master’s level or research-based study at either the Master’s or Doctoral level, students acquire necessary professional knowledge, influence the scientific discourse, and prepare themselves for successful careers in the broad fields of green building and sustainability in the built environment.

The Geography Program provides graduate education in human geography, environmental geography, remote sensing, and GIS. The program supervise advanced studies in human geography focused on urban geography, political geography, political ecology, cultural ecology, sustainability, rivers and river basin management, and environmental history, from social science and humanities theoretical perspectives and methodological approaches. We also advise students interested in graduate work in environmental geography from both the human geography perspectives listed above and from a physical geography perspective emphasizing carbon cycling. Our faculty have strong regional interests in the U.S., Canada, China, Japan, and Nepal.

Alternative Investments (MF), https://www.isenberg.umass.edu/programs/masters/mf/alternative-investments
Architecture, http://www.umass.edu/architecture/content/master-architecture
Design in Historic Preservation, https://www.umass.edu/architecture/ms-design-historic-preservation
Economics (MA, PhD), https://www.umass.edu/economics/research
Engineering Management (MS), https://mie.umass.edu/graduate-students/ms-programs/master-science-engineering-management
Environmental and Water Resources Engineering, http://cee.umass.edu/graduate/environmental-engineering
Environmental Conservation (MS, PhD), https://eco.umass.edu/academics/graduate-programs/environmental-conservation-m-s-ph-d/
Environmental Health Sciences (MPH, MS, PhD), https://www.umass.edu/sphhs/environmental-health-sciences
Food Science (MS, PhD), https://www.umass.edu/foodsci/research/research-emphases
Geographic Information Science and Technology (GIST) (M.S.), https://www.geo.umass.edu/research/geowebsite_assets/GIST_20_revised.pdf
Geography (MS, PhD), http://www.geo.umass.edu/programs/graduate/geography?_ga=2.264324303.1965609450.1582510284-866384430.1574177191
Geosciences (MS, PhD), http://www.geo.umass.edu/programs/graduate/geology
Geotechnical Engineering, http://cee.umass.edu/geotech-degree-programs
Intercampus Marine Science (MS, PhD, PSM), https://marine.massachusetts.edu/
Landscape Architecture (MLA), https://www.umass.edu/larp/graduate/landscape-architecture-mla
Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, http://mie.umass.edu/mie-graduate-programs (focus on wind energy)
Microbiology (MS, PhD), http://www.micro.umass.edu/graduate
Nutrition (MS,MPH, PhD), https://www.umass.edu/sphhs/nutrition
Organismic & Evolutionary Biology (MS, PhD), https://gpls.cns.umass.edu/oeb
Planning (PhD), https://www.umass.edu/larp/graduate/phd-planning
Plant & Soil Sciences (MS, PhD), https://stockbridge.cns.umass.edu/academics/graduate-degrees
Plant Biology (MS, PhD), http://www.bio.umass.edu/plantbio/
Political Science (MA, PhD), http://polsci.umass.edu/graduate-programs
Public Policy (MPP), https://www.umass.edu/spp/academics/graduate-degree-programs/master-public-policy
Public Policy & Administration (MPPA), https://www.umass.edu/spp/academics/mppa
Regional Planning (MRP), https://www.umass.edu/larp/graduate/regional-planning-mrp
Resource Economics (MS, PhD), https://www.umass.edu/resec/academics/graduate-program
Structural Engineering and Mechanics, http://cee.umass.edu/sem-degree-programs
Transportation Engineering, http://cee.umass.edu/transportation-degree-programs

The Graduate Certificate in Climate Change, Hazards and Green Infrastructure Planning provides students with a credential showing that they have unique skills in one of the most pressing topic areas in policy today. This is a nationally-innovative program bringing together the knowledge of the need for more resilient communities, and the skills to address it through the built form and social structure.

The Graduate Certificate/Concentration in Wind Power Engineering is the first ever wind energy certificate/concentration program in the U.S. This 15 credit program offers a unique opportunity for students or professionals to obtain in-depth knowledge of all aspects of wind energy including engineering topics (aerodynamics, structures and loads, design, electrical issues, support structures, wind and wave external conditions) as well as critical non-engineering issues (economics, permitting, standards, environmental impacts, policy). Students also have the flexibility to specialize in certain aspects of wind energy that are of particular interest. This program is ideally suited for: undergraduate engineers interested in graduate-level studies in wind energy industry, professionals in other industries interested in transitioning into the wind energy industry, and current industry practitioners interested in additional education and credentials.

Cultural landscapes are now recognized nationally and internationally as a significant category of cultural resources, demanding specific theory, training, and practice for successful conservation and management. Cultural landscape management draws on a body of knowledge and skills developed in the fields of landscape architecture, planning, heritage conservation, historic preservation, public history, and anthropology over the last thirty years. Because of the importance of cultural landscapes to communities and their “sense of place,” many different government agencies, as well land trusts and other non-profit organizations, have incorporated the identification, documentation, and management of cultural landscapes into their responsibilities and activities.

Cultural landscape management requires written and graphic research, documentation, and analysis of landscapes. Sources of data include historic documents, maps, and plans, but also interviews and other consultation with the people who live in, and have shaped, landscapes. Cultural landscape management also involves the production of proposed plans, landscape designs, and interpretive schemes for places in order to serve the needs of residents, managers, and visitors. The Cultural Landscape Management Certificate curriculum reflects current theory and methods as practiced by consultants and by professionals within government agencies and non-profit organizations.

Social Justice Education Graduate Certificate in Teaching, https://www.umass.edu/education/programs/social-justice/certificate
Five College Native American and Indigenous Studies, https://www.fivecolleges.edu/natam/certificate
Global Health Certificate, https://www.umass.edu/sphhs-online/programs/global-health-certificate

Checked the graduate program lists on the Sustainable UMass website and the UMass Graduate School programs list. Then cross-checked the programs by the individual program page. There were several changes since our last submission, including updated program names, new programs, and new certificates.