Bachelor of Arts - Sustainability at Arizona State University-Polytechnic: Tuition Fee: $31,200.00 USD / Year (Scholarship Available)
Students in ASU's School of Sustainability are rethinking and reinventing the future of a world at risk. The school's programs encourage experiential learning, study abroad, research with faculty, community engagement and leadership development. The knowledge and solutions that are created today will shape the social and environmental quality of life for future generations. Students select from one of four tracks:
- International development and sustainability
- Policy and governance in sustainable systems
- Society and sustainability
- Sustainable urban dynamics
The School of Sustainability offers two degrees in sustainability: a BA and a BS. Both programs introduce students to the concept of sustainability in the context of real-world problems and focus on developing practical solutions to some of the most pressing environmental, economic and social challenges of sustainability. The curriculum trains students to approach challenges with consideration of complex adaptive systems and resilience; interconnections and cascading effects between scales; management of trade-offs; stakeholder engagement; future visioning and scenario typologies for transitioning social-ecological systems; and other cutting-edge frameworks.
The Bachelor of Arts is geared toward students interested in the social and human aspects of sustainability in global, regional and local contexts such as international environmental law, urban policy, etc. Disciplinary perspectives included in the core courses of the degree tracks include anthropology, urban planning and design, environmental economics, ethics, geography, philosophy of science, political science, sociology and other disciplines relevant to the sustainability of environmental resources and social institutions.
Students in the School of Sustainability not only gain an understanding of the field of sustainability and strong problem-solving, systems-thinking, stakeholder engagement and future scenario-building skills, they also develop strength in a more traditional discipline of their choice (in addition to their track). Students apply the skills from their core Bachelor of Arts classes and knowledge from their track and related discipline courses in two required capstone experiences in the senior year.
Capstone requirements consist of an internship with a sustainability-focused organization and a workshop course in which students work together as a team to develop solutions to real sustainability problems. These workshops are great resume builders as they usually include real work for actual organizations such as city governments, sports organizations, nonprofits, local and global companies, local schools, and ASU Facilities or Sustainability Practices. Students are also offered workshops on making documentary films, redesigning buildings and downtown areas, and other engaging projects.
Students graduate with a portfolio of accomplishments and skills. They also have the opportunity to participate in study abroad programs, student organizations, professional development workshops and hands-on initiatives.
In addition to going on to graduate school, graduates of the program are qualified for well-paying positions in:
- Consultancy
- Government
- Industry
- Intergovernmental organizations
- International development
- Management
- Municipalities
- Nongovernmental organizations
- Nonprofits
- Policy-making enterprises
- Regulatory agencies
- Utilities
Recent interest in sustainability within business and government has created new employment opportunities (e.g., sustainability coordinators, directors and managers). Of undergraduate alumni who have shared their experiences with the school, 79 percent are employed in sectors such as those listed above and 16 percent have gone on to a graduate program. Of those employed, 70 percent have jobs directly related to sustainability. Sustainability students offer employers and graduate programs an integrated approach to developing solutions to sustainability challenges. They understand the complexity of systems, have engaged in a range of knowledge and experience from different disciplinary perspectives, and understand the importance of planning for the future and how to engage stakeholders in that process. Graduates of the program are adaptable and prepared for a changing world.