Sustainability Advanced Certificate
Earn an advanced certificate in sustainability and develop practical skills in systems thinking, policy, and real-world problem solving.
Overview for Sustainability Adv. Cert.
Advanced Certificate in Sustainability
Build the knowledge and skills to help organizations address today’s environmental, economic, and social challenges. RIT's advanced certificate in sustainability is a flexible graduate-level program that explores how sustainable practices can be applied across industries and sectors.
Through courses that examine topics like sustainable business practices, industrial ecology, life cycle analysis, risk management, economics, and policy, you'll learn to evaluate complex systems and develop practical solutions to real-world problems. Drawing on RIT's strengths in engineering, science, and business, the program prepares you to lead sustainability initiatives and drive positive change in organizations, communities, and industries.
Whether you're looking to advance your current career, pivot into a sustainability-focused role, or complement another graduate degree, this certificate provides a valuable credential and a flexible pathway for professional growth.
What is a Graduate Certificate?
A graduate certificate, also called an advanced certificate, is a selection of up to five graduate-level courses in a particular area of study. It can serve as a stand-alone credential that provides expertise in a specific topic that enhances your professional knowledge base, or it can serve as the entry point to a master's degree. Some students complete an advanced certificate and apply those credit hours later toward a master's degree.
Admissions and Financial Aid
This program is available on-campus only.
| Offered | Admit Term(s) | Application Deadline | STEM Designated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full‑time | Fall | Rolling | No |
Full-time study is 9+ semester credit hours. International students requiring a visa to study at the RIT Rochester campus must study full‑time.
Application Details
To be considered for admission to the Sustainability Adv. Cert. program, candidates must fulfill the following requirements:
- Complete an online graduate application.
- Submit copies of official transcript(s) (in English) of all previously completed undergraduate and graduate course work, including any transfer credit earned.
- Hold a baccalaureate degree (or US equivalent) from an accredited university or college. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (or equivalent) is recommended.
- Satisfy prerequisite requirements and/or complete bridge courses prior to starting program coursework.
- Submit a current resume or curriculum vitae.
- Submit a personal statement of educational objectives.
- Submit two letters of recommendation.
- Entrance exam requirements: None
- Submit one writing sample, of your own work, in which you are the only author. This can be a report or paper from previous academic or professional work that reflects your critical thinking and writing abilities.
- Submit English language test scores (TOEFL, IELTS, PTE Academic, etc.), if required. Details are below.
English Language Test Scores
International applicants whose native language is not English must submit one of the following official English language test scores. Some international applicants may be considered for an English test requirement waiver.
Duolingo (DET): 130
IELTS: 6.5
LanguageCert Academic: 74
PTE Academic: 60
TOEFL: 88/4.5
International students below the minimum requirement may be considered for conditional admission. Deaf and hard-of-hearing test takers with significant hearing loss do not need to take the listening and speaking sections for the TOEFL and IELTS. Each program requires balanced sub-scores when determining an applicant’s need for additional English language courses.
How to Apply Start or Manage Your Application
Cost and Financial Aid
An RIT graduate degree is an investment with lifelong returns. Graduate tuition varies by degree, the number of credits taken per semester, and delivery method. View the general cost of attendance or estimate the cost of your graduate degree.
A combination of sources can help fund your graduate degree. Learn how to fund your degree
Additional Information
Prerequisites
The Sustainability Advanced Certificate program requires incoming students to have taken university-level calculus, statistics, and two courses in physical sciences (such as chemistry or physics).