ACADEMICS
Questions? Email [email protected].
Embark on a transformative journey with the Certificate in Sustainability from the Department of Geosciences at Georgia State University.
This interdisciplinary program offers a comprehensive exploration of sustainability, spanning its various dimensions—from concept to policy. The certificate emphasizes hands-on experience through at least two credit hours of internship, allowing students to engage directly with sustainability-related initiatives.
With a curriculum designed to foster critical thinking and practical skills, students select from a range of courses tailored to their interests and career goals. Dive into fundamental topics such as sustainable development, urban environments, and environmental conservation in Group I. Then, in Group II, choose from an array of electives covering diverse areas such as environmental anthropology, field ecology, and water resources management.
Led by expert faculty, these courses provide invaluable insights into pressing environmental challenges and equip students with the tools to enact positive change. Whether you’re passionate about environmental advocacy, policy-making, or scientific research, our Certificate in Sustainability sets the stage for a meaningful and impactful career in a rapidly changing world.
Join us in shaping a future where sustainability isn’t just a goal—it’s a way of life.
Certificate In Sustainability
Anthropology
Biology
BIOL 4050 Natural Environments of Georgia (4)
BIOL 4451 Aquatic Pollution and Toxicology (3)
BIOL 4930 Study Abroad: Tropical Island Ecology (3)
Communication
Economics
Environmental Science
ENVS 1401K Environmental Science
ENVS 1401L Environmental Science Lab
ENVS 1402 Plant Resources in the Environment
ENVS 1402K Plant Resources in the Environment
ENVS 1402L Plant Resources in the Environment Laboratory
Geosciences
GEOG 4050 Natural Environments of Georgia (4)
GEOG 4538 Urban Health (4)
GEOG 4644 Environmental Conservation (4)
GEOG 4784 Climatic Change (4)
GEOL 2001 Geologic Resources and Environment (3)
GEOL 4017 Environmental Geology (4)
GEOL 4097 The Past, Present and Future of Marine Ecosystems (Bahamas, Maymester)
Honors College
HON 3260 (taught by Professor Longobardi)
Hospitality
Perspectives
Public Policy
PMAP 4331 Urban Development and Sustainable Cities (3)
Sustainability Graduate Courses
Concentrations
Environmental Health Concentration in Public Health
Courses
If you’re interested in any of these courses, reach out to your academic advisor for more information.
Anthropology
ANTH 6200 Urban Anthropology (4)
ANTH 6490 Globalization (4)
PMAP 8010 Social Policy (3)
PMAP 8531 Policy Analysis (3)
*ANTH 2020 is a prerequisite requirement for all ANTH courses.
Climate Science and Policy
PH 7296 Climate Change and Public Health (3)
PMAP 8010 Social Policy (3)
PMAP 8531 Policy Analysis (3)
General Environmental
*BIOL 3840 is a prerequisite requirement, which also requires BIOL 2108.
GEOS 6017 Environmental Geology (4)
*CHEM 1211K and GEOL 1121K are prerequisite requirements.
PH 7299 Sampling of the Environment (4)
Geosciences
GEOS 6532 GIS (4)
GEOS 8538 Urban Health GIS (4)
Urban
*ANTH 2020 is a prerequisite requirement.
GEOS 6650 Applied Hydrology (4)
GEOS 6764 Urban Geography (3)
GEOS 6768 Metropolitan Atlanta (3)
GEOS 6774 Contemporary Urban Theory (3)
GEOS 8538 Urban Health GIS (4)
PH 7300 Urban Health (3)
PH 7340 Built Environment and Health (3)
PMAP 8311 Urban Demography and Analysis (3)
PMAP 8331 Urban Development and Sustainable Cities (3)
PMAP 8341 Urban Transportation and Planning (3)
Water
GEOS 6003 Aqueous Geochemistry (4)
GEOS 6646 Water Resource Management (4)
GEOS 6650 Applied Hydrology (4)
PH 7297 Global Water Sanitation and Hygiene (3)
Sustainability Law Courses
LAW 7200 Environmental Law (3)
LAW 7203 Natural Resource and Water Law (3)
LAW 7204 Urban Issues in Environmental Law Seminar (3)
This seminar will examine the range of environmental issues facing urban areas, exploring the extent to which it is appropriate to legislate and regulate solutions for urban environmental problems differently than for non-urban (e.g. rural, agricultural) areas. To this end, the seminar will not only study topics like improving air quality and providing clean water in urban areas but also the inter- relation of such goals with transportation and growth management, and urban and public health planning. Additional topics will include lead poisoning, indoor air pollution, brownfield reclamation, environmental justice and emergency preparedness for environmental contamination. Federal and state statutes and regulations will be evaluated throughout the seminar, as will local ordinances. To the greatest extent possible, the seminar will evaluate the Atlanta metropolitan area as a case study for the topics covered.
LAW 7320 Land Use Law (3)
The principal methods of public control of land use, including judicial control through doctrines such as nuisance, and legislative control through the power of eminent domain, taxation and the police powers. Special emphasis is given to the theory and practice of zoning.
LAW 7397 International Perspectives on Urban Law and Policy (2-3)
LAW 7494 Urban Fellows Program (2)
GSURC Sustainability Awards
The GSURC Sustainability Awards were initiated at the GSURC by interested faculty and Georgia State’s Sustainability Initiatives to help promote and reward students across all majors for making environmental problem-solving a priority in their scholarship and class projects.
Environmental protection and sustainability is something we all need to be prioritizing to help resolve and heal the environmental crisis that humans have caused because all living beings on our planet need healthy ecosystems to survive and thrive. These student sustainability projects at the GSURC are helping make that happen.
2020 GSURC Sustainability Award Winners
Student(s)
Project
Rehmat Babar
Biology
“Synbiodinium: A Synthetic Biology Approach to Coral Bleaching” (To prevent further destruction of coral reefs and potentially restore degraded reefs, the students genetically modify corals’ algal symbionts to better resist bleaching.) Co-authored project with a large undergraduate team. The co-presenters in the video were Adam, Chiara, Jiansong, Sijia, Taylor and Yujie.
Erica Browne and Andrea Green
Engineering
“Comparing the Efficacy of Commercial Water Filters with Homemade Filters using Atomic Emission Spectroscopy” (testing various water purification systems to remove metal contaminants in tap water)
Sarah Chin
Art/Textiles
“View Finder” (textile project that emphasizes jute as a sustainable and biodegradable fiber)
Danielle Davis
Biology
“How desiccation tolerance affects fitness of Amborella trichopoda seeds for storage in liquid nitrogen using microCT scans” (By understanding how to store these seeds for great lengths of time, the students hope to ensure the survival of this unique basal flowering species despite the threats it faces on its native island of New Caledonia.)
Petra Goettel
Film
“City Harvest: A Growing Community” (organic urban food gardening film set in Philadelphia)
Chazz Jordan
Biology
“Uncovering Phylogenetic Relationships within the Euglossine Bee Pollinated Orchid Genus, Stanhopea” (conservation genetic research done by DNA barcoding to catalog the Stanhopea orchid genus to promote the survival of this endangered plant species)
Scout Morgan
Geosciences
“Stormwater Runoff Quality from Green Roofs in Atlanta” (Senior Thesis testing water quality on two Georgia State campus green roofs)