Frequently Asked Questions

Students are required to take a minimum of 17 credit hours to earn the Sustainability Certificate. The requirements consist of an Anchor course, one course from each of three “spheres” (Ecological, Economic, Social), two semesters of the Seminar, a Capstone, and a Portfolio

We require that at least one of the spheres come from courses outside your major and highly recommended that two of the three spheres come from courses outside of your major to develop the broadest perspective on sustainability.

Read How to Apply.

Students must be in good standing with the university at the time of application and will be notified by email when they have been accepted into the program.

Now you can meet with the certificate director, who will help you decide which courses you should take in the next semester. For any questions about courses to take or to set up a meeting with the director, please email: scdirector@uga.edu. It is recommended you start the program by taking the anchor course.

In most cases, yes. If you have recently completed an undergraduate degree at UGA (that is, graduated within three semesters or within the last year) you may already be able to register for certificate courses. More information about this process is available on the Registrar’s web site. If it's been more than three terms since you have graduated, you will need to re-apply as a 'former student’. Deadline to reapply as a former student is one business week before the first day of class for the application term.

You can track your progress at sustain.uga.edu/user/profile.

Double-check that you’ve met all requirements by logging in to the website and looking at your checklist.

When you Apply to Graduate in Athena - you must apply to Graduate with the Sustainability Certificate. This will be done the semester you graduate - do NOT forget. Here is what you will do when the time comes:

Log onto Athena: athena.uga.edu

Click: Student > Apply to Graduate > Follow the Directions to add the Sustainability Certificate

Yes. Several study abroad courses satisfy requirements for the Certificate.

Many companies are now looking for a “Sustainability Expert,” “Chief Sustainability Officer,” or an “Environmental Manager.” Sustainability knowledge can be applied to all kinds of jobs in the private sector, non-profits, or government. Additionally, training and understanding in sustainability is becoming an essential skill in the modern workplace. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2011, the highest median salaries in sustainability were in management and engineering. For more information about your job or career options, feel free to schedule a meeting with the director.

The main differences between the Grad and Undergrad certificate are:

1.  Graduate thesis, dissertation, or practicum (depending on the program) can be combined with the Sustainability Certificate capstone.
2. Graduate students can substitute one semester of the seminar with an equivalent graduate student seminar.

If these were taken at a graduate level, then yes.