Course Requirements

Four courses are required to obtain the LiS certificate (16 total quarter units).

Elective Courses

click here for examples of elective courses

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).

Note that 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.

“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.

Core Course

click here for ENVS 277 Syllabus

Environment 277 – Leaders in Sustainability (4 Units): Environment 277 Core Course Spring 2016 Syllabus This is the common course for all 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.