Learn more about the Professional Science Master's in Sustainability.
About the Program
Sustainability science is a transdisciplinary and integrative field that intersects the natural and social sciences. Through the curriculum, students will understand the relationship between humans and the environment on a local and global scale. The program emphasizes environmental justice so graduates learn how community-led solutions are critical for addressing environmental problems and social justice.
Led by faculty scholars in the College of Liberal Arts and College of Science and Technology, the Sustainability PSM offers you
- an interdisciplinary, comprehensive curriculum designed and taught by Temple faculty and industry experts;
- ethics and communication training to cross disciplinary boundaries; and
- hands-on training in a variety of environmental methodologies.
Time Limit for Degree Completion: 3 years
Campus Location: Main
Full-Time/Part-Time Status: The degree program can be completed on a full- or part-time basis.
Job Prospects: The advanced skills gained from an interdisciplinary graduate degree are highly relevant in today’s rapidly evolving world. You will form expertise through rigorous coursework and research to meet your professional and personal goals. Students gain advanced skill sets in high demand by many employers. The broadly applicable sustainability skill set is sought after by employers in a variety of fields, including:
- resource management and conservation with the federal or local government or nongovernmental organizations;
- policymaking and consulting on alternative energy production, storage and planning;
- GIS specialist at environmental nonprofits, environmental consulting, and city or state agencies;
- environmental consultants and policymakers, political advisors, and sustainability managers in industry;
- researchers and program directors in fields working towards equitable economic and environmental futures for people living in and around cities; and
- community engagement, political organizing, policymaking and climate resilience planning to benefit marginalized communities who disproportionately bear the burdens of climate change.
Transfer Credit: Applicable graduate coursework may be transferred from outside the University, provided that the credits were obtained no more than five years prior to the student's matriculation at Temple and the grades are "B" or better. The credits must be equivalent to coursework offered at Temple. The maximum number of credits a student may transfer is 6.
Funding Opportunities: Communities of color and members of other underrepresented groups are disproportionately affected by environmental degradation and climate change. A small number of partial and full scholarships are available to individuals from groups currently underrepresented in sustainability sciences. If you are interested in applying for these scholarships, please email sustainabilitypsm@temple.edu.
Admission Requirements and Deadlines
Application Deadline:
Fall: August 1
Spring: November 1
Applications are processed as they are received. Late applications may be considered for admission.
APPLY ONLINE to this graduate program.
Letters of Reference:
Number Required: 2
From Whom: Letters of recommendation should be obtained from college/university faculty members or professional references familiar with the applicant's academic competence.
Coursework Required for Admission Consideration: No specific coursework is required as applicants are drawn from a variety of disciplines.
Bachelor's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline: A baccalaureate degree in any field is appropriate. An undergraduate GPA of 3.0 is preferred.
Statement of Goals: In approximately 500 to 1,000 words, share why you are interested in this program, your research and academic goals, future career goals, academic and research achievements, and any other information that you believe will be helpful in evaluating your application.
Standardized Test Scores:
Applicants who earned their baccalaureate degree from an institution where the language of instruction was other than English, with the exception of those who subsequently earned a master’s degree at a U.S. institution, must report scores for a standardized test of English that meet these minimums:
- TOEFL iBT: 88
- IELTS Academic: 6.5
- PTE Academic: 60
- Duolingo: 110
Resume: Current resume required.
Program Requirements
General Program Requirements:
Number of Credits Required Beyond the Baccalaureate: 30
Required Courses:
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Course | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Fundamentals of Sustainability Science and Environmental Justice | ||
| Fundamentals of Sustainability Science and Environmental Justice | ||
| Fundamentals of Sustainability Science and Environmental Justice | ||
| Communications Requirement | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Scientific and Regulatory Writing | ||
| Communicating Science to a Broader Audience / Non-Scientists | ||
| Broader Impacts: The Art of Scientific Communication | ||
| Ethics Requirement | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Ethics Regulation and Policy in Biotechnology | ||
| GIS Ethics and Professional Practice | ||
| Community-Based Research | ||
| Methods Requirement | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3-4 | |
| Biostatistics | ||
| Remote Sensing and GIS | ||
| Analytical Methods in Mineralogy | ||
| Fundamentals of Geographical Information Systems | ||
| Urban Analytics | ||
| Remote Sensing | ||
| Environmental Applications of GIS | ||
| Field Methods in Environmental Justice | ||
| Statistics for Urban Spatial Analysis | ||
| Advanced Statistics for Urban Applications | ||
| Community Based Program Evaluation | ||
| Policy Requirement | ||
| GUS 5028 | Environmental Impact Assessment | 3 |
| Capstone | ||
| Select one of the following: | 1-3 | |
| Capstone Project | ||
| Capstone Project | ||
| GIS Capstone | ||
| Sustainability Capstone | ||
| Electives | ||
| Students must select at least 11-12 credits in their concentration to bring the overall total for the program to 30 credits. Electives below fit into one or more of the 5 concentrations, as indicated by the following: ES: Energy Systems and Natural Resources; BC: Biodiversity and Conservation; GT: Geospatial Technologies; US: Urban Sustainability; CJ: Climate Justice | 11-12 | |
| Global Change Science: Analytics with R (BC, ES) | ||
| Polar Biology - Life at the Extremes (BC) | ||
| Ecology of Invasive Species (BC) | ||
| Conservation Biology (BC) | ||
| Field Research in Community Ecology (BC) | ||
| Tropical Marine Biology: Belize (BC) | ||
| Remote Sensing and GIS (CJ, GT) | ||
| Coastal Processes (US) | ||
| Analytical Methods in Mineralogy (ES) | ||
| Drone Short Course (ES) | ||
| Structural Geology (Graduate) (ES) | ||
| Nanoscience and the Environment (US, ES) | ||
| Ecohydrology (BC, ES, US) | ||
| Introduction to Geophysics (ES) | ||
| Observing and Modeling Climate Change (CJ) | ||
| Soils and Paleosols (ES) | ||
| Quantitative Structural Geo (ES) | ||
| GIS Programming (GT) | ||
| Urban Analytics (US, GT) | ||
| Sustainable Natural-Human Systems (BC, ES) | ||
| Climate Change and Security (CJ) | ||
| Environmental Hazards and Disasters (CJ) | ||
| Political Ecology (CJ) | ||
| Fundamentals of Geographical Information Systems (GT) | ||
| Remote Sensing (GT, CJ) | ||
| Environmental Applications of GIS (GT) | ||
| Census Analysis with Geographical Information Systems (GT) | ||
| Advanced Remote Sensing (GT, CJ) | ||
| Geovisualization (ES, GT) | ||
| Field Methods in Environmental Justice (CJ) | ||
| Race, Class, Gender in Cities (US) | ||
| Statistics for Urban Spatial Analysis (GT, CJ, US) | ||
| Advanced Statistics for Urban Applications (US, GT) | ||
| Community Based Program Evaluation (CJ) | ||
| Food Studies (CJ, US) | ||
| Public Policy for Urban Regions (US) | ||
| Sustainable Cities (US) | ||
| Sustainable Infrastructures: Theory, Practice and Application (US) | ||
| Land System Science (BC, ES) | ||
| Energy, Resources and Society: An Interdisciplinary Approach (ES, CJ) | ||
| Urban Public Spaces (US) | ||
| Police, Prisons and Pollution (CJ) | ||
| Sustainable Infrastructures: Theory, Practice and Application (CJ) | ||
| Environmental Sensors (US, ES) | ||
| Energy and Environment (ES) | ||
| Marine Ecology (BC) | ||
| Invertebrate Biology (BC) | ||
| Ornithology (BC) | ||
| Principles of Ecology (BC) | ||
| Climate Justice (CJ, US, ES) | ||
Contacts
Admissions:
Department Contacts:
Co-director:
Amelia Duffy-Tumasz, PhD
Professor of Instruction
amelia.duffy.tumasz@temple.edu
215-204-6261