The Sustainable Design Graduate Certificate is a multidisciplinary program open to USC students pursuing graduate degrees in many disciplines that may be interested in the sustainability of the built environment.
Sustainability is an imperative for our planet as climate change, population growth and dwindling oil supplies are all reminders that our resources are finite and we need a new paradigm to adjust to these global changes. The built environment represents the majority of our energy use and design can help reduce both the embodied and operational energy of our buildings and urban landscape.
This certificate provides students with the tools necessary to understand and quantify sources of energy use in buildings and landscapes and to use design of natural and man-made systems to reduce their energy use. This certificate will give students the background to help them make sustainable design choices through informed decision-making that considers the performance of the built environment related to the energy required to make it, the energy it absorbs or releases, the energy required to maintain it, and the energy required to replace it. Environmental, economic and socially responsible solutions will be explored through the course work.
Applicants for the Certificate in Sustainable Design who are currently enrolled in a program at USC and are in good standing with a 3.0 GPA only need to submit the appropriate paperwork for adding the certificate program, which may be obtained from the student services adviser.
Applicants for the Certificate in Sustainable Design who are not matriculated in a master’s-level program at USC must submit a formal application for admission to the certificate program, provide transcripts of all college work, a resume and one letter of recommendation.
Course Requirements
Completion of the certificate program requires a minimum of 16 units.
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