Offered by the School of International Service, the Environment, Community, and Equity (Graduate Certificate) equips students with knowledge and preparation to address a growing set of challenges at the intersection of environmental protection, community resilience, and equity. Students completing the program are conversant with the leading theories and the connections between environmental change and environmental justice. Students are equipped with foundational understanding of major areas of focus around environmental equity, including scholarly and policy debates. Students are prepared to work across a range of settings that aim to integrate protection of the environment with equity and inclusion, including international organizations, governments, and nongovernmental organizations. Students must complete a curricular and a co-curricular component.

Admission to the Program

This certificate is available to students currently enrolled in an American University graduate degree program. It is also open to students with a bachelor's degree or equivalent from an accredited institution. Applicants must submit their official transcripts along with a one-page statement of purpose.

Non-native English speakers are required to submit results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) unless they hold a degree from a U.S.-accredited institution before enrollment at SIS. The minimum TOEFL score for full admission consideration is 100 on the Internet-based test (iBT) or 600 on the paper-based test (PBT). The minimum IELTS score is 7.0.

Certificate Requirements

• 12 credit hours with grades of C or better 
• Compliance with all regulations for a certificate (Graduate Academic Regulations 4.11, 5, 6)
• Completion of Approved Co-Curricular Activity

Course Requirements