Get The Career You Want
We prepare you for diverse professional careers. With an MS in Sustainable Communities,
you’ll be able to work in both the private and public sectors promoting environmental
protection, social responsibility, and profitability.
Sustainability-related jobs are found in some of the fastest-growing fields in the
21st-century economy. Some of these positions involve technical skills in retrofitting
buildings and installing renewable energy infrastructure. Many jobs in sustainability,
especially at the management and leadership level, require both applied tools for
research, investigation, and inquiry and a holistic understanding of the root causes
and potential pathways to address the most pressing sustainability problems. There
is a need for leaders who are skilled analysts, consultants, educators, planners,
and policymakers. Many of these jobs did not exist several years ago, and this economic
sector is expected to continue to grow, according to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Study Sustainable Communities at Michigan Tech
- Join a global community of professionals and scholars engaged in research that drives solutions to address pressing societal, environmental, and resource sustainability challenges.
- Develop hands-on skills. Students engage in community projects and gain knowledge and skills in policy analyses, law, community engagement, social data analysis, as well as methodological training in cultural and industrial heritage, built environments, social justice, and comparative perspectives on sustainability.
- Train for careers in the public, private and non-profit sectors.
In the Sustainable Communities program you can work on alternative energy solutions, such as pumped hydroelectric storage, wind, solar, and biomass.
Pursue Projects That Interest You
Pursue transdisciplinary, innovative, and independent projects that address sustainability
issues: social and economic development; built environments and infrastructures;
food, energy, and water systems; and community-scale sustainability transitions.
Pursue work to create a sustainable and just world. If you want, you can pursue projects
locally in the Keweenaw Peninsula, a region with a unique industrial history where
communities today struggle with the social and material consequences of industrial
decline. Student projects explore sustainable and equitable futures using creative
methodologies and technologies.
The Sustainable Communities Graduate Program combines courses across multiple departments
and programs on campus and culminates with a report or project. You will develop an
original project in consultation with a faculty committee, secure financial support,
and define rigorous data collection and analytical schemes.
Michigan Tech and the Social Sciences Department are committed to sustainability.
Our faculty serve national and international leadership roles in funded research projects,
globally recognized professional organizations, and impactful scholarship and outreach
teams. Our department faculty, staff, and students work with the government, industry
partners, and local organizations to address critical questions.
Gain Skills and Partner With Diverse Teams of Stakeholders Working Toward Sustainability Goals
You’ll learn how to work with local stakeholders on the front lines of solving sustainability challenges. As a Sustainable Communities Master's student, you will join a community of sustainability leaders and researchers with expertise in:
- climate change policy and commitments
- community-based and participatory research methodologies
- energy conservation and renewable energy policy
- environmental and rural sociology theory and methods
- environmental change and life course epidemiology
- faith-based development practices and policies
- human rights
- public policy
- renewable energy policy
- resource economics
- sense of place social movements and social change
- urban environments and population health
- watershed change and water quality
Receive Funding and Work With Partners
Financing is critical, and support opportunities are a priority for Sustainable Communities
master's students like you. Most master’s students in our program fund their education
with various sources, including work study, graduate research, student loans, fellowships, and grants. You can also work with faculty on funded research projects. In some
cases, Masters's students can receive up to two years of tuition waivers.
Michigan Tech partners with government and industry sponsors like the National Park
Service, United States Forest Service, Amtrak, National Museum Wales, and the European
Union, offering real-world problems in need of solutions. Get involved in the critical
business of proposal writing, sponsor negotiations, and budget generation, as well
as provide sources of financial support.
What Jobs Can I Get With an MS in Sustainable Communities?
Your future career options are limitless with an MS in Sustainable Communities. Here are just some of the more popular jobs graduates go into.
| Jobs | Average Salary 2020 |
Projected Job Growth, 2020-2030 |
| Social and Community Service Manager | $74,000 | 15% |
| Administrative Services and Facilities | $99,290 | 9% |
| Urban and Regional Planner |
$78,500 | 7% |
| Sustainability Director | $134,500 | 6% |
Admissions Requirements
Program Requirements
Progressing Through the Program
Once admitted to the program, students will be expected to meet the following requirements:
- Complete 30 credits of coursework. Plan your Masters curriculum.
- Identify a research supervisor by the end of the second semester in residence. Students will construct an advisory committee with their research supervisor, including at least one faculty member from outside the Department.
- MS students draft a research proposal as part of their Research Design course; then write a thesis and pass a thesis defense for graduation.
The MS Program applications for the next fall semester are open and will close on January 15 at 5:00 p.m. EST.