In addition to graduate programs such as the Master of Science in Sustainability Science, UMass Amherst offers students the option of pursuing a professional certificate. The Offshore Wind Professional Certification and the Graduate Certificate in Climate Change, Hazards and Green Infrastructure Planning are two such programs that can be pursued while enrolled in the masters program at UMass Amherst, potentially using the same classes to count toward both the masters degree and the certificate. Graduating with an extra professional qualification helps to position students to be highly competitive in the green job market.
Offshore Wind Professional Certificate
The Offshore Wind Professional Certificate covers the broad range of disciplines involved in the offshore wind industry, including technology and engineering, development and finance, supply chain management, marketing, environmental impact, business logistics, law, and policy. It consists of three 3-credit courses, all of which can count towards the completion of the MS3 Master’s degree:
- ECO 610: Offshore Wind Energy – Technology, Resources, Grid Integration, and Trends
- ECO 611: Offshore Wind Energy – Environmental Impacts, Siting, Permitting, and Stakeholder Engagement
- ECO 612: Offshore Wind Energy – Project Economics, Deployment, and Business Logistics
Each course features guest speakers from the industry, and many fellow students are already part of the offshore wind workforce, providing valuable insights, exposure, and connections. Completion of all courses also conveys a Graduate Certificate in offshore wind.
More information on the Offshore Wind Professional Certificate is available here.
Climate Change, Hazards and Green Infrastructure Planning Certificate
The Graduate Certificate in Climate Change, Hazards and Green Infrastructure Planning provides students with a credential showing that they have unique skills in one of the most pressing topic areas in policy today. This is a nationally-innovative program which provides the knowledge and skills to implement solutions to the resilience and climate change emergency.
You must take two core classes, one in Planning for Climate Change, one in Green Infrastructure. Then take three other classes in related areas. There is no limit on dual-counting of certificate courses if these courses also fulfill requirements in your graduate degree program. The two core classes are on the approved MS3 course list. If the three electives you choose are also on the approved MS3 course list, you could in theory count all five classes for both the certificate and your MS3 degree.
More information on the Climate Change, Hazards and Green Infrastructure Planning Certificate is available here.