Applications received before November 1, 2026, will be reviewed for consideration before the end of the semester. Relevant courses taken before applying for a certificate count toward certificate requirements.
Certificate in Sustainability and Climate Solutions
Students today are living through an extraordinary moment for the human species; there will soon be ten billion people on this planet, all aspiring to a better quality of life. How can we meet growing human needs, while preserving the health of the natural and social ecosystems on which our well-being depends? The Sustainability and Climate Solutions Certificate program explores this question and builds critical thinking and practical skills for students across disciplines—the arts, humanities, social and natural sciences—to address sustainability and climate challenges. It is grounded in project-based learning.
Students completing the Certificate in Sustainability and Climate Solutions will develop the capacity to:
- Understand core concepts and develop facility in researching and synthesizing interdisciplinary material related to climate change solutions (science, political-economy, and communication) and to sustainability more broadly;
- Apply theory to practice by gaining knowledge and skill in social entrepreneurship, working with a team to develop and communicate a viable business or non-profit solution to a sustainability challenge;
- Build intercultural competence through interaction in core classes with students around the world; and
- Develop specific sustainability knowledge through elective offerings that supplement the core certificate focuses on (a) climate change literacy and (b) creating innovations to address sustainability challenges.
Eligibility
The Sustainability and Climate Solutions Certificate is available to undergraduate and graduate students in the GHEA21 network.
Requirements
Students earn the Certificate by completing the following course sequence:
- Climate Change Solutions – GHEA21 Online Course, Spring semester;
- Social Entrepreneurship – GHEA21 Online Course or Network Collaborative Course, Fall semester;
- Two elective courses marked as a Sustainability and Climate Solutions Certificate, which may include GHEA21 Online Courses.
The two core courses — Climate Change Solutions and Social Entrepreneurship — are project-based and feature global classrooms with students around the world, who may also meet weekly in-person with local co-instructors to drive their course projects.