Sustainability Education and Climate Justice, GCRT
for the Graduate Certificate in Sustainability Education and Climate Justice (on campus & online)
The Sustainability Education (SE) Certificate is for students and professionals who want to contribute to education-based solutions to global climate change, in formal and nonformal schooling, as well as in non-profit sectors and Non-Government Organizations. Courses will be delivered in a hybrid format to meet the needs of students. SE is increasingly seen as a necessary approach to engage the wider public about the complex causes of anthropogenic climate change that affect people at multiple scales across the globe. With commitments to multiple perspectives, equity and inclusion, and strong traditions in the Global South and Indigenous history, SE addresses the ways that the environment and climate change intersect with justice, poverty, and inequality, with a focus on educating diverse audiences across the lifespan. Unlike other sustainability or general environmental education programs, SE focuses on the social and political impacts of climate change on people and society, specifically through schools and nonformal educational spaces, and the pedagogical tools that address climate change with both hope and urgency.
To learn more about applying to this program please refer to the resource page.
Credential name on transcript: Sustainability Education and Climate Justice
This graduate certificate will be awarded at the end of the traditional semester following the campus graduate degree conferral schedule.
Admission
Interested applicants should start at the College of Education Graduate Programs website. In addition to the application, the applicant is required to submit the following information: a statement of purpose, updated resume, official transcripts from all colleges attended, and three letters of recommendation. A scholarly writing sample in English (e.g., a master's thesis, article, or academic paper) is required for application to a doctoral program.
International applicants must demonstrate English Language Proficiency for admission. Please see the English Proficiency Requirement for Admission for additional information on this requirement.
Faculty Research Interests
To learn more about our faculty’s research areas, current grants, and recent publications, please visit our department homepage and/or visit the Faculty Finder. Our faculty pursue a wide range of research interests, offering graduate students many opportunities to collaborate and participate in meaningful research projects.
Facilities and Resources
To learn more about our faculty’s research areas, current grants, and recent publications, please visit our department homepage and/or visit the Faculty Finder. Our faculty pursue a wide range of research interests, offering graduate students many opportunities to collaborate and participate in meaningful research projects.
Financial Aid
Financial aid in the form of assistantships, scholarships, fellowships, and tuition waivers can be found throughout the college and campus. Please note: Graduate students employed as staff by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign are not eligible for a College of Education Fellowship. Campus opportunities can be found at the Graduate College and the Office of Student Financial Aid.
for the Graduate Certificate in Sustainability Education and Climate Justice (on campus & online)
Graduation Requirements Minimum hours required for certificate completion: 12 hours Minimum Cumulative GPA: 3.0
Required Core Courses: 8 hours
At this time these certificate courses do not satisfy degree requirements for any graduate programs.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | 8 | |
| Education for Global Environmental Sustainability | ||
| Foundations of Sustainability Education | ||
| Core Electives: Choose at least one course from the following: | 4 | |
| Indigenous Knowledges and Education | ||
| Teaching Methods in Sustainability Education and Climate Justice | ||
| Community-Based Methods in Sustainability Education and Climate Justice | ||
| Education and Human Rights | ||
| Total Hours | 12 | |
for the Graduate Certificate in Sustainability Education and Climate Justice (on campus & online)
- Students will be able to develop a theoretical and practical understanding of the social, political, cultural and economic factors of global climate change and define Sustainability Education, including its evolution and future challenges, in addressing the climate crisis.
- Students will examine Sustainability Education as an analytical and pedagogical strategy to enhance climate and environmental initiatives in formal education institutions and community-based programs.
- Students will be able to demonstrate the impact of climate change on various social, ecological and geographical environments and connect climate solutions to formal and informal education institutions within these environments.
- Students will also be able to develop an understanding of the evolution of climate and sustainability policy and local, state and federal sustainability environmental practices in contexts including, but not limited to, non-profit organizations, PK-12 schools, and higher education institutions.
- Students will be able to develop a Sustainability Education plan that connects to local, state, and federal policy initiatives related to climate and environmental policy that aims to address the climate crisis.
- Students will be engaged in practical experiences in a school or community-based program that prepares them for leadership, administrative and supervisory positions in elementary and secondary education, non-profit and private business sectors with aims to address the climate crisis.
for the Graduate Certificate in Sustainability Education and Climate Justice (on campus & online)
Department of Education Policy, Organization & Leadership
Head of the Department: Lorenzo Baber
Director of Graduate Studies: Linda Herrera
Graduate Admissions Information: Linda Stimson (on campus) and Jena Pfoff (online/off-campus)
Education Policy, Organization & Leadership faculty
142 Education Building, 1310 South Sixth Street, Champaign, IL 61820
(217) 244-3542
gradservices@education.illinois.edu
College of Education
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