Sustainability (M.S.)

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Admissions Information

Master of Science, Sustainability Plan A (thesis): Total 30 credit hours

SUST 705 - Sustainability & Complexity 3 cr hrs
SUST 715 - Research for Sustainability 3 cr hrs
SUST 790 - Seminar (C) 1 cr hrs (2-3 hours required)
SUST 794 - Internship (C) 1-6 cr hrs (0-3 hours required)
SUST 798 - Sustainability Thesis 1-9 cr hrs (6-9 hours required)
Electives 9-18 cr

Master of Science, Sustainability Plan B (non-thesis): Total 32 credit hours

SUST 705 - Sustainability & Complexity 3 cr hrs
SUST 715 - Research for Sustainability 3 cr hrs
SUST 790 - Seminar (C) 1 cr hrs (2-3 hours required)
SUST 794 - Internship (C) 1-6 cr hrs (3-6 hours required)
Electives 17-21 cr

Note:

Students will select elective courses from existing graduate-level courses with approval from the student’s advisor and the Graduate Program Coordinator. At least 50% of the total credits must be at the 700-level or above.

Accelerated Master’s Program: B.A. or B.S. with M.S.

Up to 12 graduate credits applied toward the B.A. or B.S. in sustainability may be used toward the M.S. in sustainability.

The following restrictions apply:

Dual-listed courses taken at the 500-level can be applied to both the B.A./B.S. and M.S. degrees. Dual-listed courses must be taken at the 500-level.
The student must apply to, and be admitted to, the accelerated program prior to taking courses to be credited toward the accelerated program.
No courses taken prior to admission to the accelerated program may be counted toward an accelerated graduate degree.
Courses that are “double counted” must be approved by the program coordinator for inclusion in the program of study prior to taking the courses or the credits will not be applied toward the accelerated graduate degree.
Only courses taken from USD are eligible for dual credit.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students will schematize the interrelationships among social, economic, environmental, and technical aspects of systems.
Students will model systems across multiple spatial and temporal scales.
Students will demonstrate knowledge of worldviews, values, and perspectives other than their own.
Students will create and evaluate futures scenarios.
Students will critically assess quantitative information using statistical, econometric, or bioinformatic methods.
Students will design interventions to enhance the sustainability of systems.
Students will participate in interdisciplinary groups to accomplish shared goals.
Students will create new sustainability knowledge drawn from more than one discipline (Plan A only).

State Authorization - It Matters Where You Live

If your learning placement course (internship, externship, clinical, rotation, practicum, independent study, study away, etc.) or your online course will be taken outside South Dakota, please reference the State Authorization webpage.

State Authorization