UCLA Sustainability Programs: A Comprehensive Guide

UCLA offers a variety of sustainability-focused programs for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as professionals seeking to advance their knowledge and careers in this rapidly growing field. These programs cover a wide range of disciplines, including environmental science, policy, business, and design, and provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to address the complex environmental challenges facing our world.

Undergraduate Programs

UCLA provides several undergraduate programs focused on sustainability, allowing students to build a strong foundation in environmental issues and solutions.

Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Major

The Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences (AOS) offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences. This program provides a comprehensive understanding of the Earth's atmosphere and oceans, including weather patterns, climate change, and ocean currents.

Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences/Mathematics B.S. (Capstone Major)

This interdepartmental program combines courses from the Mathematics and AOS departments. Designed to provide rigorous mathematical training with a comprehensive background in topics relevant to atmospheric, oceanic, and environmental sciences.

Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Minor

The minor program offered through AOS provides a formal vehicle for students specializing in other science fields to pursue interests in the atmospheric and oceanic environment.

Climate Science Major

Climate change is one of the most pressing issues facing this generation. The Department of Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences’ new Climate Science major provides students with the scientific understanding they need to assess climate impacts from both human-induced climate change and natural climate variability, as well as finding solutions to manage and mitigate them. Students trained in the scientific basis for climate change and estimates of climate risk will form part of the solution.

Environmental Science Major

The Institute of the Environment and Sustainability (IoES), along with several other departments, offers an undergraduate major in Environmental Science. This B.S. degree program provides both disciplinary breadth and depth, incorporating natural sciences and upper-division coursework from various departments to understand environmental issues across earth, atmospheric, life, and social sciences.

Earth and Environmental Science Major

The B.A. degree program in the Department of Earth, Planetary and Space Science provides a broad background in Earth sciences, particularly suitable for students intending to become K-12 teachers in Earth, physical, or life sciences.

Environmental Systems and Society Minor

This IoES minor is designed for undergraduate students who wish to augment their major program of study with courses addressing the relationships between environmental science and associated social and political issues. The minor seeks to impart a deeper understanding of environmental systems related to air, land, water, and biological resources.

Conservation Biology Minor

The Conservation Biology minor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology is designed to augment a student’s major program of study with courses addressing issues central to the conservation and sustainability of biodiversity and natural ecosystem processes.

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Geography/Environmental Studies Major and Minor

Intended to develop and deepen a student’s understanding of environmental issues, the Geography/ Environmental Studies degree program emphasizes a systems approach to gaining an understanding of major environmental problems facing our society and the world at large.

Sustainability Action Research (SAR)

A student-initiated, student-designed, and student-facilitated program offered for credit through the Institute of the Environment & Sustainability.

Graduate Programs

UCLA offers a range of graduate programs focused on sustainability, designed for students seeking advanced knowledge and research skills.

Leaders in Sustainability Certificate Program

The IoES, together with the UCLA Anderson School of Business, offers graduate-level sustainability education through the Leaders in Sustainability Certificate Program. To earn the LiS Graduate Certificate, students must complete four graduate-level courses (200 series or above) for a total of 16 letter-graded quarter units. This includes the required 4-unit ENV 277 core course and three additional sustainability-related elective courses chosen by the student. At least one of these three courses must be taken outside the student’s home department.

Environment 277 - Leaders in Sustainability (4 Units)

All students take the LiS Core Course, ENV 277, typically offered only in the winter quarter. This is the required course for all graduate students participating in the Leaders in Sustainability Program, including those from engineering, law, management, public affairs, public health, natural and social sciences, and others. Course includes academically-based discussions on various sustainability-related themes, capitalizing on the wide mix of disciplines represented among participating students.

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Students are then required to take three additional elective courses that are sustainability-related. At least one of these courses must be outside the student’s home department. A list of examples of courses previously approved is provided, but it is not exhaustive. Students should visit the department pages to review the course's status, as departments change their course listings, timings, professors, and even content quarterly.

Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences - Atmospheric Dynamics & Climate

The AOS department offers a research area in Atmospheric Dynamics & Climate as part of the Ph.D. program, preparing scientists and engineers for leadership roles in the clean energy sector - university-industry-government.

Environmental Science and Engineering Program (ES&E)

The ES&E program is a professional doctorate program that provides students the scientific, engineering, and policy skills to translate their research into effective environmental action.

Environmental and Sustainability PhD Program

This Ph.D. program equips students with diverse perspectives to develop profound new ideas, knowledge, and answers to the most important concerns facing people and the planet.

Environmental Health Sciences

The EHS department in the School of Public Health offers M.P.H., M.S., Ph.D., and Dr. P.H. degree programs that explore the relationship between human health and the environment.

Public Policy - Environmental and Natural Resource Policy

The Department of Public Policy offers a specialization in Environmental and Resource Policy as part of the Masters in Public Policy professional degree program.

Urban Planning - Climate, Environment & Society

The Department of Urban Planning has Climate, Environment & Society (CES) as one area of concentration offered for the Masters of Arts in Urban Planning program.

Wells Environmental Law Clinic

The Clinic offers law students hands-on experience in environmental law, working with nonprofit and government agency partners to protect the environment.

UCLA Extension Sustainability Certificate Program

UCLA Extension, the oldest and largest continuing education institution in the nation, offers a comprehensive certificate in sustainability. This program is designed for individuals interested in exploring the field of environmental sustainability, those needing to stay up-to-date in their current position, or those who want knowledge and skills to be better global citizens.

The development of the Global Sustainability Certificate at UCLA Extension is in direct response to an identified need for a multi-disciplinary and dynamic educational experience related to the environmental challenges we are facing internationally. The intent is to examine topics of sustainability from a holistic approach, looking at inter-relationships, not singularly.

The Sustainability Certificate program offers a balanced and comprehensive curriculum, making the certificate transferable across industries. Complete the certificate in as little as 6 months, though the typical pace is 1 year. There are many career opportunities that are directly tied to sustainability throughout the private, public, and non-profit sectors. There are also many ways to integrate sustainability into your existing work.

The UCLA Extension Sustainability Certificate is an interdisciplinary program examining the major elements that impact the environment on a daily basis, such as our use of water, air, land, energy, and transportation.

An application form is required to establish candidacy in this program. All courses in this program are paid for individually, unless otherwise noted. The Department of Education requires colleges and universities to disclose certain information for any financial aid eligible program that, “prepares students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation”. This information includes program costs; occupations that the program prepares students to enter; occupational profiles; on time completion rate; and for the most recent award year: the number of students who have completed the program, the number of students who complete the program within the estimated duration, the job placement rate, and the median Title IV and private loan debt incurred by those who complete the program.

UCLA Extension also offers certificates in:

Environmental Studies Certificate: This interdisciplinary program provides a strong foundation for understanding the complex relationship between humans and the environment. You will learn about a variety of environmental issues including air and water pollution, population growth and distribution, and global climate changes. This program can be completed in only two quarters, ideal for students and professionals alike. Courses are available online. Two of the four courses are transfer credit courses and may be transferable to UC (non-UCLA) and CSU schools, as well as many other schools nationwide.
Food Studies Certificate: Connect and learn alongside UCLA graduate students to combat food issues faced by our communities as well as globally.

Social Impact Specialization at UCLA Anderson School of Business

The Social Impact Specialization prepares UCLA Anderson MBA students for the changing landscape of business, one that demands more transparency and social responsibility from companies and fosters innovation for social impact. The Specialization enables students to build in-depth expertise in a chosen career path, while customizing academic preparation to lead transformational social change in any sector.

To receive the social impact specialization, students must complete 16 units. Students are required to take at least one foundational course. For the remaining 12 units, students can choose a combination of social impact elective courses, a social impact capstone project, independent studies and/or a graduate-level course outside of Anderson.

Foundational Courses:

MGMT 298D Social Entrepreneurship - Business Models for Social Impact

Elective Courses:

MGMT 263A Business & the Environment: This course considers major questions about the role of business in mitigating environmental degradation. It puts emphasis on corporate strategies that deliver value to shareholders while responding to environmental concerns.
MGMT 263B Corporate Climate Strategy: Teaches students to measure greenhouse gas emissions and develop corporate climate strategies. It covers standards for calculating carbon footprints and explores strategic approaches for firms to set decarbonization goals and adaptation strategies.
MGMT458AB-01: Global Immersion in Belgium and the Netherlands: Profit, Purpose and Policy: Lessons from Sustainable Business in the E.U. This course seeks to provide students with an understanding of the promises and pitfalls of corporate sustainability.
MGMTEX421 International Business Residential Rwanda: This course seeks to explore topics of social entrepreneurship and social innovation, and sustainable economic and community development in application to Rwanda.
Sustainable Finance: Examination of the relevance of social and environmental risks and opportunities to Chief Financial Officers (CFOs), finance teams, accountants, and the capital markets.
Sustainability Reporting and Finance: This course explores the quickly evolving sustainability reporting landscape with an emphasis on how companies are assessing, measuring, managing, and reporting sustainability performance.
Social Impact Consulting Corps Program: This course is open to students participating in the Social Impact Consulting Corps Program, by application.
Impact Investing: Introduction to impact investing, navigating the issues faced in the emerging field of social venture capital.
Non-Market Strategy: The analysis and development of successful strategies to shape the rules of the game to an organization’s advantage constitute the domain of non-market strategy.
Carbon Technology Entrepreneurship: This course is an introduction to the transformation of new knowledge and inventions into viable commercial products and services with particular emphasis on the technology development to reduce carbon emissions and transition the economy towards a zero-carbon future.
Leading Diverse Organizations: Considerations of the challenges and opportunities of leading an equitable, diverse, and inclusive organization.
Real Estate Development for Affordable Housing: Introduction to important legal, financial, and management issues confronting nonprofit organizations.
Technology and Innovation for Social Impact: This course will look at the dynamic and disruptive nature of technology - enhancing outcomes that benefit enterprises and society collectively in areas such as financial services, education and healthcare.
Ethical Leadership: Provides practical tools to help students navigate difficult decisions that leaders routinely face.
Medical Device Innovation: A framework for developing medical device innovations and preparation for careers in healthcare, product development, and entrepreneurship.
Corporate Governance: This course provides the foundational knowledge needed to understand the role of corporate governance within a firm.
Digital Disruption in Healthcare: This course addresses technologies and platforms poised to disrupt the healthcare industry, which have the potential to alter the delivery of healthcare through improved patient value, increased cost savings or change in the practice of medicine.
Choice Architecture: An examination of the tools of choice architectures, drawing on the disciplines of behavioral economics and experimental psychology to analyze economic models of decision-making.
Business Creation Capstone: With the UCLA Anderson Business Creation Capstone, student entrepreneurs launch their companies while still in school.

Leaders in Sustainability (LIS) Program

LIS is a cross-disciplinary program at UCLA that aims to provide a mechanism for graduate students at UCLA to pursue their interests in sustainability and collaborate with students across campus. To obtain the Leaders in Sustainability Certificate, students must complete 16 units of coursework. Students are required to take Environment 277 (4 units). Four of the remaining 12 units must be fulfilled with a course outside of their home department or school. In addition, all certificate candidates must complete a self-initiated leadership project and participate in LIS program events. All LIS students are required to demonstrate leadership on a project related to sustainability. The project should address at least two out of three of the components of sustainability-environment, social equity and economics-and should have measurable performance outcomes.

Joining the UCLA Sustainability Community

UCLA provides numerous avenues for students, faculty, and professionals to connect and collaborate on sustainability initiatives.

Leaders in Sustainability Discussion Group

Piazza is the Leaders in Sustainability discussion group where students receive announcements about fellowships, jobs, events, courses, and other interesting happenings around campus and at the IoES. You will receive an invite to join after you complete the application to join LiS.

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