Course Requirements

To earn the LiS Graduate Certificate, students must complete four graduate-level courses (200 series or above) for a total of 16 letter-graded quarter units. This includes the required 4-unit ENV 277 core course and three additional sustainability-related elective courses chosen by the student. At least one of these three courses must be taken outside the student’s home department. Courses are evaluated as part of an overall portfolio rather than pre-approved individually, and students must demonstrate subject matter breadth to receive the certificate.

Environment 277: Core course

Environment 277 – Leaders in Sustainability (4 Units):  All students take the LiS Core Course, ENV 277, typically offered only in the winter quarter. This is the required course for all graduate students participating in the Leaders in Sustainability Program, including those from engineering, law, management, public affairs, public health, natural and social sciences, and others. Course includes academically-based discussions on various sustainability-related themes, capitalizing on the wide mix of disciplines represented among participating students. Sessions feature UCLA faculty members, external speakers, and leadership skills to help students learn more about how to best put their interests in sustainability to use.

Elective courses

Then, students are required to take three additional elective courses. These three courses, chosen by the student, must be sustainability related. At least one of these courses must be outside the student’s home department. A course is not automatically “in” or “out”, as we approve portfolios of courses rather than specific courses. A student has to demonstrate subject matter “breadth” in order to get the LiS Certificate”. Courses must be letter graded and be at the graduate level (200 and above).

“Can I take more than 4 courses?” Yes! Students must take the minimum 16 quarter units, but this can be satisfied in a number of ways (eg, multiple two-unit courses, multiple four unit courses, a six-unit and a two-unit course, etc) and students are more than welcome to go above and beyond the requirement.

A list of examples of courses previously approved is provided below. This is not a complete list of all possible courses. As departments change their course listings, timings, professors, and even content quarterly, we cannot keep this list perfectly up to date, so please do due diligence by visiting the department pages and reviewing the course’s status. Also, if you find a course that addresses the sustainability and is relevant to the curriculum, you can submit the course description and syllabus for approval.

Note: This is not a complete list of all possible courses related to sustainability at UCLA. Because departments change their course listings, timing, professors, and even content quarterly, please visit department pages to find the most current information. Also, if you find a course that addresses sustainability and is relevant to the curriculum, please submit the course description and syllabus for approval by emailing the program director.