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Sustainable Systems MS
Program overview
The MS degree in sustainable systems focuses on sustainable production systems, which create goods and services using processes that are non-polluting; conservation of energy and natural resources; economic viability; and safety and health for workers, communities, and consumers. Course work and research take a systems level and interdisciplinary approach to solving sustainability problems, as opposed to single disciplinary and locally optimized approaches destined to yield marginally positive impacts.
Students have the option of choosing one of three tracks in sustainable manufacturing, sustainable mobility, or sustainable energy systems. Students can also create additional tracks using elective courses selected in consultation with the student's adviser from a wide variety of courses offered by GIS or one of RIT's nine colleges.
Graduates are prepared to pursue careers in their chosen fields with an understanding of basic sustainability principles and the expertise to analyze and solve complex sustainability issues.
Curriculum
Students must complete 24 semester credit hours of course work plus a 6 semester credit hour thesis or capstone project. Full-time students may complete the degree in one year (two semesters plus one summer term).
Sustainable systems, MS degree, typical course sequence (semesters), effective fall 2013
| Course | Sem. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | ||
| ISUS-802 | Fundamentals of Sustainability Science | 3 |
| ISUS-804 | Industrial Ecology | 3 |
| ECON-711 | Microeconomics for Graduate Students* | 3 |
| ISUS-806 | Risk Analysis | 3 |
| ISUS-708 | Sustainability Practice | 3 |
| Electives | 6 | |
| ISUS-705 | Technology Policy and Sustainability* | 3 |
| ISUS-807 | Thesis or Capstone | 6 |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 30 | |
* This course may be replaced by an approved elective.
Admission requirements
To be considered for admission to the MS program in sustainable systems, candidates must fulfill the following requirements:
- Hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university,
- Have fulfilled the following curriculum requirements: one year of college science and one year of college mathematics (including calculus and statistics),
- Have a minimum grade point average of 3.0,
- Participate in an interview with the academic department,
- Submit official transcripts (in English) of all previously completed undergraduate and graduate course work,
- Submit scores from the Graduate Record Exam (GRE),
- Submit two letters of reference,
- Submit a personal statement of educational objectives,
- Submit a current resume, and
- Complete a graduate application.
- International applicants whose native language is not English must submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Minimum scores of 600 (paper-based) or 100 (Internet-based) are required. International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores will be accepted in place of the TOEFL exam. The minimum acceptable score is 6.5.
Additional information
Non-matriculated students
An applicant with a bachelor’s degree from an approved undergraduate institution and the appropriate background is permitted to take graduate courses as a non-matriculated student. If the student is subsequently admitted to the graduate program, a limited number of credit hours from courses taken at RIT as a non-matriculated student can be transferred to the degree program. Any applicant who wishes to register for a graduate course as a non-matriculated student must obtain permission from the chair of the graduate program and the course instructor.