Program Overview

Introduction to the Certificate in Sustainability

The Certificate in Sustainability is offered by the USask School of Environment and Sustainability (SENS). Located on the third floor of Kirk Hall, SENS is an international model of excellence and destination site for interdisciplinary, problem-oriented and experience-based graduate and undergraduate learning for issues dealing with environment and sustainability.

About the Program

• The Undergraduate Certificate in Sustainability enriches a student's current degree program and helps them stand out from the crowd following graduation.
• By providing significant exposure to sustainability-related concepts and practices, students gain an understanding of how to integrate human-environmental systems within our current reality and how to critically evaluate sustainability efforts.
• This program is open to all USask students enrolled in any undergraduate degree at the university.
• The certificate is an opportunity for students to combine their disciplinary interests from their undergrad degree with sustainability concepts and frameworks.

Quick Facts

• You cannot enter this program directly from high school.
• You can begin this program off-campus.

Course Requirements

The program can begin in your second year of undergraduate study. This certificate requires the completion of 21 credit units including:

• ENVS 201.3 Foundations of Sustainability: The intention of this course is to provide foundational knowledge about sustainability science and concepts while also exposing students to the key foci areas they can pursue with the certificate. Students will be exposed to an interdisciplinary perspective, with materials from the social and natural sciences as well as humanist perspectives. This course is team-taught in an interactive environment with an emphasis on critical thinking exercises and class discussions.
• ENVS 401.3 Sustainability in Action: This course combines seminars and project-based activities to examine local and global sustainability issues, integrating perspectives and knowledge from both the social and natural sciences. Students will work in interdisciplinary, collaborative groups to address sustainability challenges on campus and in our community.
• 3 credit units chosen from electives on Indigenous Learning for Sustainability
• 6 credit units chosen from a set of Restricted Electives — senior level courses (300- and 400-level)
• 6 credit units of Open Electives — junior (100- and 200- level) or senior (300- and 400-) level courses)

Applying

Students must be enrolled in a USask degree program in order to enroll in this certificate program. The certificate typically begins in the second year of a student's degree program. The program is open to students from any USask college.

Certificate Completion and Awards

When a student has completed the requirements, they should follow the instructions to be awarded their certificate. Each year, SENS solicits nominations for two awards for students in the Certificate Program (Certificate in Sustainability Excellence Award, and the Award for Outstanding Sustainability in Action Project).

Related Programs

• Environment and Society
• Environmental Biology
• Environmental Engineering
• Environmental Geoscience
• Environmental Science
• Hydrology
• Resource Economics and Policy
• Resource Science
• Toxicology