Rise to the challenge and establish yourself as a leader in this important movement. Sustainable initiatives have become a driving force in the economy, and demand is growing for knowledgeable professionals in renewable energies and sustainable practices. The 20-unit Sustainability Certificate is perfect if you’re interested in combining academic excellence and real-world experience. Designed with the needs of working professionals in mind, the program can be completed in person or online.

Sustainability is all about connections – connecting systems, resources and people. As a marketing professional, it felt challenging to make a meaningful transition in my career. Inspired by the business of ‘doing good’, I was immediately drawn to the classes offered in the UCLA Extension’s Sustainability Certificate. The field of sustainability is constantly evolving, but what remains constant is a need to communicate the Business Case of Sustainability. The program opened my eyes to sustainability issues that I had never thought of, inspiring me to rethink current processes in my own community and work places. The topics and case studies covered in these classes allowed me to see the bigger picture and research the necessary topics to be successful in my future ‘green’ career. In today’s competitive landscape, businesses revolve around more than just profit, it’s about how we treat people and the planet to sustain our resources for future generations to come. Learning about the ‘triple bottom line’, best-practices in the industry and networking with great professionals have been extremely valuable. As a relatively new member to the Los Angeles area, I found the students and faculty to be compassionate and of such diversity of age, gender, education, ethnicity, and nationality that classroom discussions were engaging and enlightening. I’m extremely grateful to all my instructors, in particular Ms. Nurit Katz, who introduced me to the core concepts of sustainability and helped me jumpstart my career in this exciting field. So if you’re interested in learning about sustainability, look no further. I recommend you all to explore this program, since there is so much potential for personal and professional growth. Thanks again for this great opportunity!

–Misha Kouzeh, Current Student

 

I can’t speak highly enough about my experience with the UCLA Extension Sustainability Certificate program. The coursework was directly relevant to my job function at SoCalGas and has given me new perspective on the climate change and air quality planning work that I have been entrenched in. In addition, the skills gained empowered me to critically analyze the internal Sustainability Councils here at Sempra Utilities and to make recommendations and implementation measures for improvement. I would highly recommend the Sustainability Certificate to any working professional looking to sharpen their environmental analysis skills and broaden their perspectives on the growing field of sustainability.  

–Geoffrey Danker, Graduate

 

UCLA’s Extension Sustainability Program is unique in its holistic approach to sustainability. By profession I am a sustainable agriculture teacher. I took classes that furthered my education in this field but was also exposed to sustainability as it relates to law, business, and entrepreneurship. After the program I accepted a new position with MUSE School as their garden educator as well as began working on my own website.

–Rick Perillo, Graduate

 

I greatly enjoyed exploring different aspects of sustainability. While I came in for a “green marketing”education, I was able to take some courses in renewable energies that eventually led me directly to my current job at a solar company.

–David Gillbank, Graduate

 

A perfect blend of theory, empirical evidence, sobering conclusions, and inspiring optimism; this course (Principles of Sustainability I) pushes beyond the boundaries of ‘going green’ and forces students to reconsider some of their most fundamental beliefs about humanity’s role in the world.

–Ian Kenny, Graduate (excerpt from LA Weekly’s “Best of L.A. Classes“)

We have students represented from all over the globe!