Program Mission:
The Master of Science in Sustainability focuses on providing students with interdisciplinary and applied knowledge of the field of sustainability and the environment. In addition to a required core set of courses, the program provides four elective routes that allow students to cater their program toward their professional interest in sustainability, including options in Energy Management, Natural Resources, Social Practices and Community Engagement, and an option that permits curriculum flexibility, such that students could prepare for work in the public or private sector. This degree program is aimed primarily at preparing practitioners and professionals in the fields of Sustainability.
Admission Requirements:
To be eligible for degree candidacy, applicants must meet all of the requirements for admission to the Graduate School (see "Admission to Degree and Certificate Programs"). Candidates for the Master of Science in Sustainability must submit a one pageStatement of Purpose, two letters of recommendation, and a resume in the MyEIU program application.
Degree Audit:
The graduate plan of study is the EIU Degree Audit, which is generated automatically at the time of degree candidacy. Modifications of the standard EIU Degree Audit are submitted by the director to the certification officer in the Graduate School at the time modifications are approved. The Degree Audit serves as an unofficial summary of requirements for the program. Degree candidates are advised to review the comprehensive summary of the Degree Audit process specified on the "Requirements for All Degree and Certificate Candidates" section of the Graduate Catalog. Individual programs may require candidates to submit plans of study in addition to the Degree Audit, candidates should consult with the program director.
Degree Requirements
Degree requirements include those outlined for the master's degree by the Graduate School (see "Requirements for the Master's Degree").
Students are required to complete the followings courses for a total of 33 credit hours, to be eligible for the degree.
Required Core 18 Credit Hours:
PLS 4763
Environmental Politics and Policy (3 credits)
CERE 5100
Intro to Sustainability (3 credits)
GEO 5200
Human Impacts on the Environment (3 credits)
CMN 5260
Science and Technical Communication (3 credits)
Or,
ENG 5260
Science and Technical Communication (3 credits)
PLS 4793
Civic and Nonprofit Leadership (3 credits)
Or,
TEC 5103
Leadership in Technology (3 credits)
TEC 5143
Research in Technology (3 credits)
Or,
PLS 5053
Research Methods in Political Science (3 credits)
Or,
CMN 5040
Communication Research Methods (3 credits)
Electives
Choose 15 hours from the courses below:
BIO 4812
Fisheries Ecology and Management. (3 credits)
BIO 4814
Conservation Biology. (3 credits)
BIO 4816
Study of Biotic Communities. (3 credits)
BIO 5200
Stream Ecology. (3 credits)
BIO 5204
Ecotoxicology (3 credits)
BIO 5209
Community Ecology (3 credits)
BIO 5333
Bioenergy and Bioresources (3 credits)
CHM 5007
Energy Chemistry (3 credits)
CMN 4820
Political Communication. (3 credits)
FMD 4772
Fashion Sustainability (3 credits)
GEO 4810
Cartography and Geographic Data Visualization (3 credits)
GEO 4850
Environmental Geology (3 credits)
GEO 5810
Introduction to Geographic Information Science (3 credits)
GEO 5820
Remote Sensing I (3 credits)
GEO 5830
GIS: Building Geodatabases (3 credits)
CERE 5953
Sustainability Research (3 credits)
CERE 5983
Sustainability Practicum (3 credits)
PLS 4873
Human Resource Management in Public and Nonprofit Organizations (3 credits)
PLS 4893
Budgeting in Government and Nonprofit Organizations (3 credits)
PLS 5153
Cities and Urban Policy in the U.S. Federal System (3 credits)
PLS 5163
State Governments and Policy in the U.S. Federal System (3 credits)
PHY 5233
Energy and the Environment (3 credits)
TEC 5133
Total Quality Systems. (3 credits)
TEC 5173
Global Technology. (3 credits)
TEC 5533
Biomass Gasification and Renewable Energy (3 credits)
Energy Management
For the Energy Management option complete the required core courses and 15 hours of the following:
CERE 5953
Sustainability Research (3 credits)
CERE 5983
Sustainability Practicum (3 credits)
CHM 5007
Energy Chemistry (3 credits)
GEO 4810
Cartography and Geographic Data Visualization (3 credits)
GEO 4850
Environmental Geology (3 credits)
GEO 5810
Introduction to Geographic Information Science (3 credits)
GEO 5820
Remote Sensing I (3 credits)
GEO 5830
GIS: Building Geodatabases (3 credits)
PHY 5233
Energy and the Environment (3 credits)
TEC 5133
Total Quality Systems. (3 credits)
TEC 5173
Global Technology. (3 credits)
TEC 5533
Biomass Gasification and Renewable Energy (3 credits)
Natural Resources
For the Natural Resources option complete the required core courses and 15 hours of the following:
BIO 4812
Fisheries Ecology and Management. (3 credits)
BIO 4814
Conservation Biology. (3 credits)
BIO 4816
Study of Biotic Communities. (3 credits)
BIO 5200
Stream Ecology. (3 credits)
BIO 5204
Ecotoxicology (3 credits)
BIO 5209
Community Ecology (3 credits)
BIO 5333
Bioenergy and Bioresources (3 credits)
CERE 5953
Sustainability Research (3 credits)
CERE 5983
Sustainability Practicum (3 credits)
FMD 4772
Fashion Sustainability (3 credits)
GEO 4810
Cartography and Geographic Data Visualization (3 credits)
GEO 4850
Environmental Geology (3 credits)
GEO 5810
Introduction to Geographic Information Science (3 credits)
GEO 5820
Remote Sensing I (3 credits)
GEO 5830
GIS: Building Geodatabases (3 credits)
Social Practices and Community Engagement
For the Social Practices and Community Engagement option complete the required core courses and 15 hours of the following:
CERE 5953
Sustainability Research (3 credits)
CERE 5983
Sustainability Practicum (3 credits)
CMN 4820
Political Communication. (3 credits)
FMD 4772
Fashion Sustainability (3 credits)
GEO 4810
Cartography and Geographic Data Visualization (3 credits)
GEO 4850
Environmental Geology (3 credits)
GEO 5810
Introduction to Geographic Information Science (3 credits)
GEO 5820
Remote Sensing I (3 credits)
GEO 5830
GIS: Building Geodatabases (3 credits)
PLS 4873
Human Resource Management in Public and Nonprofit Organizations (3 credits)
PLS 4893
Budgeting in Government and Nonprofit Organizations (3 credits)
PLS 5153
Cities and Urban Policy in the U.S. Federal System (3 credits)
PLS 5163
State Governments and Policy in the U.S. Federal System (3 credits)
Accelerated Graduate Program
Admission to the accelerated graduate program in Sustainability requires that students have a minimum undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.25 and the completion of at least 15 credit hours within their major or related discipline. Applicants must have completed a minimum of 60 hours of undergraduate course credit. All applicants must submit a resume and statement of purpose. All enrolled students must meet with the Sustainability graduate coordinator in addition to their undergraduate academic advisor to select courses.
Shared Coursework
Students may select up to three courses from the list below.
EGT 4843
Statistical Quality and Reliability (3 credits)
ODL 4840
Training Program Development. (3 credits)
TEC 5103
Leadership in Technology (3 credits)
TEC 5133
Total Quality Systems. (3 credits)
TEC 5173
Global Technology. (3 credits)
ATD 5213
Work Performance Technology. (3 credits)
TEC 5243
Design for Quality. (3 credits)
ATD 5293
Strategic Employee Development (3 credits)
TEC 5313
Networking and Advanced Data Communications. (3 credits)
TEC 5323
Advanced Database Technology. (3 credits)
TEC 5333
Management of Computer Technology. (3 credits)
TEC 5343
Multimedia and Web Technology. (3 credits)
CMN 5260
Science and Technical Communication (3 credits)
CMN 4820
Political Communication. (3 credits)
GEO 4910
GIS Programming (4 credits)
GEO 5810
Introduction to Geographic Information Science (3 credits)
GEO 5820
Remote Sensing I (3 credits)
GEO 5830
GIS: Building Geodatabases (3 credits)
GEO 5870
Remote Sensing II (3 credits)
PLS 4763
Environmental Politics and Policy (3 credits)
PLS 4793
Civic and Nonprofit Leadership (3 credits)
PLS 4893
Budgeting in Government and Nonprofit Organizations (3 credits)
PLS 5153
Cities and Urban Policy in the U.S. Federal System (3 credits)
Information sourced from the 2025-2026 EIU Graduate Catalog.