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Resources for Grads

Welcome to the Grad Corner! 

As you progress through your undergraduate degree and toward graduation, you will be thinking about what you will do after commencement, be it graduate school, or starting on your career path.  Provided here is some information on graduate schools and career fields that highlight opportunities  that align with your Sustainability Studies Bachelors degree. You will also find links and information about "green jobs" and related opportunities and and companies who are looking for candidates with your specific qualifications.

As we all know, the national and global economic climate is tightening, challenging students who will be applying for graduate schools and jobs.  You are well positioned to highlight your exceptional skill set that you have acquired in the Sustainability Studies Program and have the solid foundation to enter careers that will only gain traction and importance in the coming years as awareness for the need of sustainable practices and addressing environmental issues grows. We wish you much success in the next step of your journey.  
-- The Sustainability Studies Program

Green Careers: The Direction of Jobs and the Economy in the Present and Future

Our society is rapidly adapting to the new realities of an interconnected world that faces environmental challenges, population growth, and dwindling non-renewable resources. New careers have emerged and others have been redefined in the context of these new challenges. Careers focusing on conservation of ecosystems and their biodiversity, working with industry on the implementation of alternative energy resources, designing and building greener communities, and developing new policies and incentives for consumers to make greener choices are just a few examples of career paths that are seeing rapid growth and expansion. Green job salaries will be competitive with those in other areas of the economy and higher in areas of greater demand.

Minimizing the use of resources while lowering cost is an important incentive for businesses, all levels of government, and individuals to innovate and operate more sustainably. To achieve this, there is a need for skilled analysts, consultants, educators, advocates, planners, and policy makers. Many of these jobs did not exist several years ago and this “green” sector of the economy is expected to continue to grow. For example, the Federal government estimates that occupations in clean energy and sustainability will grow by an impressive 52% between 2000 and 2016. By contrast, other careers are projected to see an increase of only 14% in this same time period.

Some of our recent graduates have gone on to attend the following graduate schools!

From the Environmental Design, Policy, and Planning Major:

University of North Carolina, Dept. of City and Regional Planning

Environmental Conservation Education, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, & Human Development at NYU

University of Pennsylvania, School of Design

The New School, School of Design Strategies

Hunter College, Urban Affairs and Planning

University of Florida, Department of Urban and Regional Planning

From the Coastal Environmental Studies Major:

Stony Brook University, School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Marine Conservation and Policy

From the Environmental Humanities Major:

Aalborg University in Copenhagen, Denmark, Sustainable Cities, Environmental Planning Program

Georgetown University, Urban and Regional Planning

California Poly, City & Regional Planning College of Architecture and Environmental Design

From the Ecosystems and Human Impact Major:

Stony Brook University, School of Public Health for Epidemiology

From the Sustainability Studies Major:

Masters of Science in Nutrition, National College of Natural Medicine, Portland  

 Please click on this link to read a personal true story on thinking about grad school, work, and career.