Programs Offered
We have tremendous breadth and depth in our academics. Many of our academic programs are ranked among the best in the world, and, through our five academic departments and Penn State World Campus, we offer nearly 70 undergraduate and graduate degrees, certificates, and professional programs. Learn more about our sustainability-related undergraduate majors, minors, and certificates.
Majors
- Earth Science and Policy
- Earth Sciences
- Energy and Sustainability Policy B.A./B.S.
- Energy Business and Finance
- Energy Engineering
- Environmental Systems Engineering
- Geography
Minors
- Climatology
- Earth and Sustainability
- Earth Systems
- Energy Business and Finance
- Energy Engineering
- Environmental Inquiry
- Environmental Systems Engineering
- Geography
- Sustainability Leadership
Certificates
- Climate and Environmental Change
- Earth Sustainability
- Environment and Society
- Justice, Ethics, Diversity in Space
- Landscape Ecology
- Landscapes: Societies, Cultures, and Political Economies
Courses
- Sustainability Course List
The Sustainability Institute maintains a listing of sustainabililty-focused and sustainbility-related courses.
Internships
- Sustainability Institute Internships & Employment Opportunities
Interested in gaining some experience in sustainability work? View opportunites on the SI webpage.
Engagement
- City Semester Pittsburgh - Penn State’s City Semester Pittsburgh program gives students the opportunity to spend an entire semester studying urban sustainability, interning virtually or in-person with a Pittsburgh partner, and making valuable connections to community leaders and potential future employers. City Semester students will be active participants in Penn State’s efforts that align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to improve quality of life in metropolitan areas. The program is offered in the spring, summer, and fall semesters.
- EcoReps
EcoReps are student sustainability ambassadors who promote the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals among first-year students. - Dr. Keiko Miwa Ross Student Farm at Penn State
The Dr. Keiko Miwa Ross Student Farm at Penn State is part of the Penn State's Sustainable Food Systems Program. The goal of the program is to develop students’ knowledge about sustainable agriculture practices while providing hands-on learning opportunities and positively contributing to the community. - Student Sustainability Advisory Council (SSAC)
SSAC is a student organization that provides consultation and advice on sustainability planning, programs, curricula and initiatives. SSAC recommendations adopted by the University include using locally sourced food in the dining halls to support regional agriculture; an increase in electric vehicle charging stations; and the creation of a survey to gauge the importance of sustainability issues in students’ lives, determine awareness of campus sustainability efforts and discover what students are doing to be sustainable. - Drawdown Penn State
Many faculty in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences serve as faculty mentors in the Penn State Drawdown Research Experience for Undergraduates Program, which is hosted by the College of Engineering. Drawdown Scholars work closely with faculty mentors and their respective graduate students to conduct laboratory, field, and/or modeling research to advance Drawdown strategies for reversing global warming.