The MSUS degree is comprised of 42 credits:

Foundation courses (12 credits) allow students to explore the nature of system analysis and sustainability as it relates to the ecological, economic, social and and business world.

Skills for work and research courses* (18 credits) provide research, communication and work related skills.

Track Electives (12 credits) allow students to explore in depth a particular area of sustainability study.

Please note:

• Students may take more electives
• Students are not limited to electives listed in SUS
• Up to six hours of internship credit may count towards the area of specialization

*Students have the option to complete a 70-140-hour placement in a professional or research setting. Ideally, this will be done for 5-10 hours/week over a 14-week period during the summer following the first year of the program although a fall or spring semester internship is permissible. A hybrid experience is also possible.

Admission Requirements

• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university
• Overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.3 or better on a 4.0 scale. Applicants with less than a 3.3 who show extreme promise through other achievements may be granted conditional admission.
• Completed Application Form, which includes submission of the following documents:
  • Curriculum vitae or resume
  • Admissions Essay
  • 2 letters of recommendation, preferably from an academic source
  • Official undergraduate and graduate transcripts, sent directly by the institutions
  • Additional writing sample (optional, but encouraged)

Admissions Materials may be submitted to:
Chatham University
Office of Graduate Admission - Berry Hall
1 Woodland Road
Pittsburgh, PA 15232
Fax: (412) 365-1609
Email: graduate@chatham.edu

For specific questions about the Program, please reach out to the Graduate Admissions Recruiter at 412-365-1825 or at graduate@chatham.edu.

International Applicants

International Applicants must submit additional documentation to the Office of Graduate Admissions. A list of these documents can be found on the International Admission web page.

Learning Outcomes

Know Sustainability Broadly and Deeply 

Students will develop broad foundational knowledge with deep topical knowledge in one area of sustainability

Solve Practical Sustainability Problems

Students will learn professional tools and practical and creative problem-solving skills to implement sustainability solutions

Communicate Sustainability Clearly

Students will learn to effectively communicate sustainability  problems, solutions and opportunities to a broad base of stakeholders

Lead and Follow on Sustainability

Students will gain the ability for transformative leadership, teamwork, and collaboration on sustainability problems and opportunities

Understand Sustainability to Achieve well-being

Students will acquire a holistic understanding of complex systems for the purpose of achieving individual,
environmental, community, and economic well-being in one or more UN Sustainable Development Goals. 

Curriculum

+Required Core Courses

27 credits

COM515	Environmental Communications Course offers an overview of environmental communications providing an analysis of how individuals, institutions and corporations describe and portray our interactions with the environment. Discussion topics include environmental discourse, environmental conflicts, risk communication, environmental disasters, environmental social movements, and the nature-society relationship.	3
SUS504	Foundations of Sustainability This course provides students the skills to understand, communicate, and critique the fundamentals of sustainability at multiple scales and across disciplines and cultures. It explores sustainability's origins and foundations, application, and assessment. We evaluate the inter-relationships among environmental, societal, and economic well-being and the implications on individual and social decision-making.	3
SUS510	Pursuing Sustainability through Governance Overcoming sustainability challenges requires influencing human behavior. In this course, we explore ways in which policy can shape behavior and draw insights from fields like political science, psychology, economics, the philosophy of justice, and science and technology studies to enhance our ability to understand, cultivate, and realize sustainability goals.	3
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SUS514	Building Sustainable and Resilient Cities Today's cities can thrive by becoming more sustainable, walkable, climate-resilient and restoring urban ecosystems. Cities also face a shrinking middle class and communities that are disproportionally affected by urban decline. Using systems theory and the example of Pittsburgh, we explore comprehensive approaches to equitable, resilient, and sustainable neighborhood revitalization.	3
OR
SUS603	Sustainability: Ethics, Equity, Justice This course focuses on the role of the "social" as one of the three pillars of sustainability. It explores historic and contemporary notions of ethics, social equity and social justice. It examines how these concepts can be applied to sustainability by studying local and global case studies. Pre-requisites Complete any 1 of the following courses: SUS504 Introduction to Sustainability and Systems SUS501 Fundamentals of Sustainability SUS503 Understanding Knowledge Across the Disciplines	3
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SUS601	Applied Ecology The overall goal of this course is to examine the role that ecological science contributes to sustainability. Students will critically assess, process evidence, and enhance communication skills for scientific methods. All topics and applications considered will be centered on issues of sustainability in the ecological sciences, such as climate change, water pollution, land use change, and the loss of biodiversity.	3
OR
SUS619	The Water's Edge: Science and Policy from Summit to Sea The water's edge is rich with ecological and cultural activity. Through online discussions, field excursions, public service, participation in research, interactions with practitioners, and a curated exhibit, this course bridges theory with application for the science and policy relevant to the aquatic-terrestrial interface (e.g., streams, rivers, lakes, and coastal shorelines). Pre-requisites Complete any 1 of the following courses: SUS501 Fundamentals of Sustainability SUS502 Sustainability and Systems	3
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SUS605	Leadership for Transitions to Sustainability This class builds a foundation for sustainability management through exploration of Transition Management, a methodology for sustainable innovation. Students study innovation management, learn steps in managing a transition through analyzing systemic socio-technical problems, learn to develop potential solutions, and understand the organizational and societal structures necessary to support long-term change.	3
SUS621	The Craft of Research This class introduces students to evidence-based research in sustainability guiding them through the challenges. Topics include the role and limits of research, the skill of connecting with your readership, developing well-defined and appropriately scaled research questions/problems, identifying and assessing source material and methodologies, and constructing well-supported arguments and evidence.	1
SUS694	Research Methods in Context This course assists students in the preparation of thesis by reviewing research methods and design. Students review research papers focusing on identifying how specific methods were used to collect and analyze data in order to answer the paper's research question. Guest researchers will present their work and explain their methods.	1
SUS695	Thesis or Capstone Proposal Development This course provides supervision and research guidance for the preparation of a quality thesis or capstone project proposal. All students are required to complete their proposals including committee sign-off to successfully pass the class. The course will be run in the seminar style with the program director or coordinator overseeing the class. The instructor will assure students to complete the MSUS final thesis/capstone proposal in accordance with the Thesis and Capstone manual with their identified committee chair.	0
SUS696	Solution Based Learning I As part of a team, first-year MSUS students work on a project or problem identified by the Falk School. Projects may be internal or external. Students play a supporting role learning good teamwork and drawing upon previous knowledge and courses to successfully complete or advance a project. Project outcomes are presented to the Falk School community and project sponsor. Pre-requisites Complete all 2 of the following courses: SUS694 Research Methods in Context SUS621 The Craft of Research	2
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SUS697	Solution Based Learning II In a leadership role, second-year MSUS students lead a project. Projects may be internal or external. Students play a supporting role learning leadership and drawing upon previous knowledge and courses to successfully complete or advance and project. Project outcomes are presented to the Falk School community and project sponsor. Pre-requisites Complete the following course: SUS696 Solution Based Learning I	2
OR
SUS692	Internship Internship	2
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SUS698C	Final Project Course provides supervision and guidance for the final project to complete the MSUS degree requirements. Students will complete a final project as part of a group developed and managed within this class. With permission of the Program Director, students may complete the final project as an independent capstone or thesis.	3

+Concentration Electives

Total of 12 credits of electives

BUS552	Managing Non-Profit Organizations Through the use of case studies, assignments, and class projects, this course familiarizes students with the distinctiveness of nonprofit organizations and their management. Specific topics include marketing and fund raising, budgeting, personnel management and supervision, strategic planning and implementation, environmental and program evaluation, and managing interorganizational networks.	3
BUS570	Global Business This course introduces students to international business and management by studying cultural influences, government, and business structures in our global economy. Students also learn about trade relations, international finance and legal and labor agreements. Also covered, are topics on information needs, production systems, marketing and promotion, and career planning.	3
BUS575	Leading Organizations and Projects The course cultivates the student's executive leadership potential for organizational development and transformation, with specific applications to the project management environment. Theoretical perspective and case analyses will explore topics of leading one's self, motivating project teams, change management, and transforming the organization.	3
BUS577	Business Analytics This course explores the strategic transformation of raw data into information and intelligence. Students learn to source and integrate datasets, apply analytical methods, and communicate insights from modeled findings. Enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer relationship management (CRM), data warehouses, and Big Data are critically examined through cases and hands-on projects.	3
BUS582	Foundations of Project Management This course explores the knowledge areas and project stages from the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). Students acquire concepts and skills in initiating, planning, executing, monitoring, controlling, and closing projects. The course examines the management of project integration, scope, time, cost, human resources, communications, risk, and procurement.	3
BUS639	Sustainability and Assessment Reporting An in-depth study of how to measure, track, and report on sustainability issues in a business. Includes a study of how to create effective Social Responsibility reports and the standards currently used to measure sustainability. Teaches students how to monitor and measure sustainability issues from within a business.	3
FST508	Food Systems Examines philosophical, sociological, economic, and cultural issues related to the production and consumption of food. From Agrarianism to the Green Revolution, explores the transformations of industrialization, technology, and migration. Provides foundation in food systems and commodity chains as concepts and methodological tools for uncovering the relationship between communities, agriculture, markets, and consumers.	3
FST509	Food Access If food is a basic human right, how do societies create universal access to food? What is the moral ethical basis for making citizens food secure in an age of global inequality? To what extent does providing food access need to consider culturally appropriateness, nutrition, and sustainability, and justice?	3
FST512	Practical Nutrition Course provides an overview of nutrition as an evidence-based research field, focusing on groups and communities where research is conducted and then applied. Topics include science and politics of food categories; supplements and functional foods; weight and disordered eating, commercial, local, organic, and conventional foods; cuisine, culture, and diet.	3
FST518	Business of Food and Agriculture In this class the student will learn both history and current practices related to food and agriculture as economic enterprises in the United States and the world. Skills include ability to understand strategic management principles including identifying target markets, niche marketing, SWOT analysis and diffusion of innovation theory. Students will be able to develop a business plan including understanding barriers of entry, compiling demographic data, developing feasibility studies, long and short term business goals, define and calculate a breakeven point, and budget formulation. Pre-requisites Complete any 1 of the following courses: FST508 Food Systems FST508 Food Systems Complete any 1 of the following courses: FST509 Food Access FST509 Food Access	3
FST520	Basic Agroecology Through working on Chatham's Eden Hall Campus farm as well as neighboring farms, students will integrate best practices for sustainable agriculture with theory encountered in class. Topics will include basic principles of soil fertility, biodiversity, agriculture history, effects of both conventional and organic agriculture, and the politics surrounding the issues.	3
FST520L	Growing Sustainably Lab This course is a co-requisite to FST520, Growing Sustainably, and comprises the experiential lab component of the course. Students will engage in sustained research on sustainable agricultural projects, from biodynamic methods to soil or pest management comparatives. Course may be taken up to four times for credit.	1
FST522	GIS: Food and Agriculture This course provides students with a solid foundation of the principles and applications of GIS, an introduction to the desktop software ArcGIS, and demonstrates its use in the public sectors related to food, agriculture, and resource use. Students will have the flexibility to focus on their particular area of interest through project work.	3
FST613	Community Research: Food and Health Research focused on community needs, health and wellness issues, and the relationship between food access, agriculture, and food production. Participation in a pre-selected research study that aims to address some component of health, food access, agriculture, and cooking. May include: engaging relevant community agencies; recruitment of subjects; screening subjects for risk; adhering to IRB regulations; data collection and data entry, aiding in teaching a risk reduction class, participating in the urban garden, and coordinating cooking demonstrations.	1
FST620	Research in Food and Agriculture This course assists students developing a research, educational, public policy, or advocacy project in sustainable farming. Participants study a practical and current sustainable food and/or farming problem, review the literature related to the problem, develop management tactics and strategies to address the problem, and communicate their conclusions. Goal is to develop a research plan and project outcomes for a Masters thesis or project.	2
FST625
SUS502	Sustainability and Systems In this course, students will develop skills necessary to understand, describe, and communicate complex systems. Working from examples, exercise and interactive discussions, students will learn to identify key drivers and leverage points for change. Students will learn to solicit useful information, model, and enact change using a various systems-based tools.	3
SUS508	Environmental Statistics Students in this course will become proficient in executing quantitative methods pertinent sustainability science, including multiple linear regression, descriptive multivariate statistics, and time series analyses. All assignments aim to generate experience with applied problem-solving and will require scriptwriting in program R to maximize analytical and data management efficiency. This course requires a foundation in statistical methods.	3
SUS512A	Sustainability in Pittsburgh Pittsburgh and the surrounding region have experienced several waves of change; the current described as a "green renaissance". Students will engage in 7 weekly workshops and guest lectures with introducing them to the city's history, key sustainability initiatives and job prospects. Students will provide 7 weekly blogs, one for each visit.	1
SUS512B	Sustainability in Pittsburgh Pittsburgh and the surrounding region have experienced several waves of change; the current described as a "green renaissance". Students will engage in 10 weekly field trips with participant observation giving a glimpse of the socio-ecological history of the city. Students will provide 10 blogs, one for each visit, and a final paper.	2
SUS512C	Sustainability in Pittsburgh Pittsburgh and the surrounding region have experienced several waves of change; the current described as a "green renaissance". Students will engage in 14 weekly field trips with participant observation giving a glimpse of the socio-ecological history of the city. Students will provide a 14 blogs one or each visit, and a final paper.	3
SUS514	Building Sustainable and Resilient Cities Today's cities can thrive by becoming more sustainable, walkable, climate-resilient and restoring urban ecosystems. Cities also face a shrinking middle class and communities that are disproportionally affected by urban decline. Using systems theory and the example of Pittsburgh, we explore comprehensive approaches to equitable, resilient, and sustainable neighborhood revitalization.	3
SUS516	Sustainable Decision Analysis The class contributes to a foundation for sustainability management by exploring different quantitative approaches to sustainable decision-making including: Life Cycle Analysis, Ecosystem Services Valuation, Carbon and Water Foot printing, and DPSIR (Drivers, Pressures, States, Impacts and Responses) Society-Environment interaction framework. Finally, the class explores how quantitative decision-making is shaped by various stakeholders.	3
SUS517	Climate Change and Sustainability Climate change is one of today's most critical issues. We will study the science of climate change impacts and examine frameworks used by the global community to develop climate projections, build resiliency, and mitigate emissions. Through team projects we investigate topics in climate resiliency or emissions reduction in more depth.	3
SUS520	Community Energy Systems This class examines community energy systems using the examples of Eden Hall, national and international case studies, and a class project. Technical applications include estimating energy production, heating and cooling, and building energy efficiency. We discuss energy access and energy justice, relevant state policy, and organizing and financing community energy.	3
SUS521	Ecotoxicology and Environmental Health Human health is intimately connected to environmental conditions and ecosystem integrity. Introducing concepts and measures of ecosystem and human health, this course will cover the principles and practice of contributing fields including ecotoxicology, epidemiology, environmental health and risk assessment. Students will be led from inquiry to action for key issues.	3
SUS526	Sustainable Aquaculture This course examines the historical development and cultural importance of aquaculture, as well as practical considerations for managing modern aquaculture systems. Emphasis will lie on low impact aquaculture systems and approaches, which minimize adverse environmental impacts, and encourage socially responsible development that enhances both the natural resource base and community livelihoods.	3
SUS562	Economics of the Environment This course is designed to introduce you to how economists think about the environment. The theory of externalities and market failure provide the basis for applying microeconomic concepts to the study of environmental issues. Analytical tools, particularly cost-benefit analysis, are explained and applied to problems with environmental dimensions.	3
SUS607	Applied Green and Social Innovation The class helps students develop skills for managing innovation focusing on Food, Agriculture, Environmental and Social Product and Service innovations. Students will work with actual ideas and or start-ups from local incubators and entrepreneurs. The class focuses on helping students to develop skills to use innovations for solving major social and environmental problems.	3