Program Overview
Designed for working professionals, the Sustainability Master’s Degree Program will help you build practical expertise in climate strategy, environmental systems, and sustainable development. Through flexible coursework and applied research, you will learn to evaluate complex challenges and develop solutions that can be applied across industries and sectors.
In the Sustainability Graduate Program, you’ll develop the knowledge to design innovative, practical, and equitable solutions to the challenges posed by climate change and environmental threats — and the leadership skills to implement them in multiple fields.
Through engaging coursework and either a thesis or capstone, you’ll:
- Cultivate a mastery of the science, policies, technologies, and financial models that define sustainability.
- Gain confidence in your analytical research skills and build leadership and communication competencies to serve you in any professional setting, from corporate to grassroots.
- Earn your way in through a performance- based admissions process.
- Pursue a stackable certificate in a specialized sustainability topic as you progress, earning a recognized credential before you graduate.
- Graduate with a Harvard University degree: Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) in Extension Studies in the field of Sustainability.
Courses
Courses in the sustainability program combine topics like environmental policy, climate resilience, sustainable finance, and organizational leadership with practical hands-on skills in systems thinking and research methods. You can tailor your course selection to align with professional goals and areas of interest.
In this hybrid program, you’ll complete 11 of your courses online. You’ll choose between a capstone and thesis track, coming to campus to complete one course in a short in-person residency.
Example Courses
- Leading with Ethics: Professional Practices for Sustainable Development
- The Carbon Economy: Calculating, Managing, and Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions
- Climate Adaptation: Planning and Policy
- Life Cycle and Supply Chain Sustainability Assessment
- Water Resources Policy and Watershed Management
Earn a Stackable Certificate
As you work your way toward your master’s degree, you can take courses that also count — or “stack” — toward a graduate certificate. It’s a cost-effective, time-saving opportunity to build specialized skills and earn more professional credentials.
For each certificate, you can choose courses that best fit your goals.
Stackable graduate certificates include:
Admissions
You’ll earn your way in by completing foundational graduate coursework — demonstrating your readiness and earning credits toward your degree right away. Our performance-based admissions is especially beneficial for working professionals returning to school after time away from the classroom.
There are two required admissions courses:
- Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Sustainability and Global Development
- Analytical Methods in Sustainability
You also have the option to pursue an alternative admission pathway: the MITx MicroMasters® Program Pathway.
Next Start Term
You can enroll in your first admission course this fall.
Fall course registration is open July 20 to August 24.
Featured Faculty
You’ll learn from instructors with experience across sustainability strategy, clean energy, environmental policy, urban development, public health, sustainable finance, and applied research.
Michael Mortimer
Director, Graduate Sustainability Program and Global Development Practice, Harvard Extension School
Ramon Sanchez
Chief Knowledge and Innovation Officer, The Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy
Linda Powers Tomasso
Research Associate, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Jennifer Cole
Associate Professor of Liberal Arts, Massachusetts College of Art and Design
Nora Libertun
Head of Knowledge in Urban Development and Housing, Inter-American Development Bank
Ahmad Antar
Founder of Digital Emissions
Career Opportunities & Alumni Outcomes
As organizations respond to climate change, resource constraints, and evolving sustainability goals, professionals with interdisciplinary sustainability expertise are increasingly needed across sectors. As a graduate, you’ll be equipped to apply skills in corporate sustainability, consulting, government, nonprofit leadership, renewable energy, sustainable finance, and public policy to a variety of roles. Alumni of the program now work in the fields of transportation, hospitality, renewables, public policy, biotechnology, civil engineering, venture capital, and more.
Our alumni hold such titles as:
- Senior Manager of Corporate Sustainability (Fortune 100 Corporation)
- Advocate for Clean Energy Transmission (US Government Agency)
- Consultant of Climate & Sustainability (International NGO)
- International Climate Researcher (International Consulting Firm)
- Program Director of Land Management (US-based NGO)
- Communications Director of Energy and Environment (International News Agency)
- CEO/Founder of Sustainable Investments Start-up
- Owner of Real Estate Development Firm
Our alumni work at a variety of leading organizations, including:
- Aetna
- Bank of America
- FedEx
- GE
- The Nature Conservancy
- Trip Advisor
- United Nations
Our alumni go on to advanced academic programs:
Some of our alumni continue their educational journeys and pursue further studies in other nationally ranked degree programs, including:
- University of Birmingham
- New York University
- University of Edinburgh
- Georgetown University
- Bar-llan University
- University of Zurich
- Tufts University
- Cornell University
- Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Program Benefits
The program combines flexible online learning with access to Harvard resources, applied research opportunities, career support, and a global alumni network — helping students advance their sustainability expertise while continuing to work.
Experience a rigorous curriculum shaped by our Sustainability Advisory Board, a group of leading practitioners and researchers in the field. 97% of recent graduates would recommend the program.
Access career advising and other services through Harvard’s Mignone Center for Career Success.
Explore entrepreneurial opportunities through the Harvard Innovation Labs.
Complete an in-depth thesis or capstone project.
Student community through the Harvard Extension School Environmental Club.
Become a member of the worldwide Harvard Alumni Association (400,000+ members) and Harvard Extension Alumni Association (29,000+ members).
The support I received at HES laid the foundation for my company... access to a school like Harvard was not something I thought would happen in my lifetime. Yet, HES made it possible, not just to study but to grow in ways I never anticipated.
Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) in the field of Sustainability, '24
Tuition & Financial Aid
Learn more about the cost of attendance.
FAQs
Is the sustainability master’s degree program online?
Yes, 11 out of the 12 courses of the Sustainability Master’s Degree Program can be completed online.
You will come to Harvard University’s campus for at least one course — either the thesis proposal or capstone course — where you’ll share your thesis research design or your final capstone project with faculty and peers.
How long does it take to complete the sustainability graduate program?
Program length is ordinarily anywhere between 2 and 5 years. It depends on your preferred pace and the number of courses you want to take each semester.
For an accelerated journey, we offer year-round study, where you can take courses in fall, January, spring, and summer.
While we don’t require you to register for a certain number of courses each semester, you must complete the degree within 5 years.
Can I work full-time while completing the program?
Yes! In fact, 80 percent of Harvard Extension School students work full time while earning their degrees.
Do I need an environmental science background?
No, you do not need an environmental science background for success in this master’s degree program.
Two prerequisite courses are required, both of which count toward your degree once you are admitted. Learn more about the degree requirements here.
What can you do with a master’s degree in sustainability?
With a master’s degree in sustainability, you’ll gain the knowledge and flexibility to advance your career while positively impacting the environment.
You might choose to help your organization reduce its carbon footprint, design environmentally friendly products, understand the green needs of communities, or develop a more sustainable supply chain. You could also help ensure ethical corporate governance or help build capacity in local and state governments to adapt to climate change. For more details, read our blog post What You Can Do with a Master’s in Sustainability.
If you’re interested in working on sustainability at a global level, a focused program on global development practice may be beneficial. Read our blog post Sustainability vs. Global Development Practice — Which One is Right for You?.
Is a career in sustainability a smart choice?
As the fight against climate change and other environmental threats grows more urgent, governments at every level, nonprofits, and businesses increasingly need employees with green skills and expertise.
Adding a master’s in sustainability to your resume may give you a competitive advantage in this job market — while helping you play a vital role in keeping our planet healthy.
What jobs can I get with a sustainability master’s degree?
A graduate degree in sustainability allows you to pursue your passion while bringing about positive change. Careers in sustainability are rarely linear, meaning you can create your own path. And as you likely reinvent yourself over the course of your career, a graduate degree in sustainability equips you with the tools to make those shifts.
You may want to bring sustainability to a specific industry you know well, such as fashion or finance. Or, you could apply your unique skills — such as urban planning, eliminating packaging waste, or food sustainability — to one of many industries.
For more potential career outcomes, check out what our alumni are up to.
What's the difference between sustainability and global development?
Sustainability focuses on building systems and initiatives that can continue into the future without depleting our planet’s resources.
Global development practice finds solutions to the problems impacting individuals, economies, and climates around the world.
Read our blog post, Sustainability vs. Global Development Practice — Which One Is Right for You? to learn more about these two fields.
