The sustainability certificate at UW–Madison empowers undergraduate students to address sustainability challenges by integrating knowledge across diverse fields, from business and engineering to public policy and social sciences. This interdisciplinary approach helps students develop a broad skill set to create positive impacts in academic, professional, and community settings.
Whether you’re pursuing the sustainability certificate or simply exploring your sustainability interests, UW–Madison offers over 500 sustainability-related courses, providing ample opportunities to engage in the field.
To guide your educational exploration, interns from the Office of Sustainability have curated a list of 10 favorite courses that fulfill core categories of the sustainability certificate: Environmental, Social, Economic, Systems Dimension, or Multidimensional and Cross-topics. These courses will deepen your sustainability knowledge while offering hands-on experience, practical skills, and new perspectives.
- ENVIR ST/ILS 255: Introduction to Sustainability Science
This foundational course dives into the core principles of sustainability, using the UW–Madison campus as a “living laboratory.” Through field trips, lab work, and real-world applications, you’ll explore sustainability challenges related to energy consumption, food production, air quality, and waste management. This course is perfect for students looking to engage with sustainability on the UW–Madison campus. This 4-credit course counts toward the environmental dimension of the sustainability certificate and is only offered during the fall semester. - ENVIR ST 326: Sustainability Tools – Systems Thinking & Life Cycle Assessment
In this course, you’ll learn to assess the sustainability of a product system by conducting a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) throughout a semester-long project. Focused on key concepts like the triple bottom line, industrial ecology, and the circular economy, you’ll gain practical skills to analyze sustainability challenges and propose real-world solutions. This 3-credit course counts toward the systems dimension of the sustainability certificate and is offered in both the fall and spring semesters. - ENVIR/ATM OCN 355: Introduction to Air Quality
Examine the link between air quality and urban spaces, exploring the health effects of air pollutants in this course. With a focus on outdoor air pollution, this course addresses the environmental, health, and regulatory effects of pollutants like gasses and particles that react with human tissue. Past students have shared how this class shifted their perspective of cities and urban spaces. This 3-credit course counts toward the environmental dimension of the sustainability certificate and is offered during both fall and spring semesters. - GEOG 333: Green Urbanism
This course offers an in-depth look at green urbanism, focusing on urban design, sustainable transportation, and community engagement. Perfect for those looking to rethink urban living, it examines the environmental consequences of urbanization, such as habitat destruction, pollution, and resource depletion. Past students note that this course challenges conventional thinking about city planning and sustainability. This 3-credit course counts toward the multidimensional and cross-topics dimension of the sustainability certificate and is offered this spring semester (2025). - AMER IND, ENVIR ST 306: Indigenous Peoples and the Environment
In this course, you will explore the cultural and environmental knowledge of Indigenous peoples while examining their ongoing struggle for sovereignty and land rights. Through this course, you’ll better understand how environmental issues intersect with governance, policy, and Indigenous perspectives. Special attention is given to Indigenous-led climate solutions. This is a great course for students interested in learning about the connections between the environment, culture, and policy. This 3-credit course counts toward the social dimension of the sustainability certificate and is offered in the fall and summer semesters. - ENVIR ST/GEOG 339: Environmental Conservation
For those interested in learning more about conservation approaches to environmental issues in the U.S. and developing countries, this is the course for you. Through engaging lectures and discussions, you’ll examine historical and contemporary cases and gain insight on issues ranging from biodiversity loss to climate change impacts. The course examines key conservation approaches and how they are shaped by sociopolitical factors, cultural values, and evolving scientific perspectives on nature. This 4-credit course counts toward the social dimension of the sustainability certificate and is offered in both the fall and spring semesters. - ENVIR ST 112: Environmental Studies – Social Science Perspectives
Gain new perspectives on the connections between society and the environment in this course. You’ll explore the vital role social dynamics play in shaping environmental issues and solutions. Focusing on different social science perspectives, this course examines how environmental concerns emerge and the diverse responses they provoke across local and global contexts. This 3-credit course counts toward the social dimension of the sustainability certificate and is offered in the fall and summer semesters. - AAE 246: Climate Change Economics & Policy
This course offers a comprehensive look at the economic and policy challenges of climate change. You’ll explore key issues like the economics of climate mitigation, adaptation, and geo-engineering. The course covers economic modeling techniques to assess climate change impacts, with an emphasis on designing effective policies for sustainable land use and energy systems. This 3-credit course counts toward the economic dimension of the sustainability certificate and is typically offered in the spring semester but will not be offered in Spring 2025. - MHR 310: Challenges & Solutions in Business Sustainability
For those interested in balancing business and sustainability, this class covers real-world challenges faced by companies. This course is perfect for students passionate about transforming sustainability practices within the business world. It investigates the underlying causes of sustainability challenges in business and analyzes the frameworks and metrics used to incorporate sustainability. This 3-credit course counts toward the economic dimension of the sustainability certificate and is offered this spring semester (2025). - ENVIR ST 205: Our Planet, Our Health
In this course, you’ll explore how human-driven environmental changes impact health on a global scale. By discussing complex issues like climate migration and water shortages, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the connection between environmental shifts and public health challenges. The course introduces the growing field of planetary health and the resilience necessary to confront these challenges. This 3-credit course counts toward the social dimension of the sustainability certificate and is offered in the fall and summer semesters.