Master’s degree in Sustainable Development is being offered by many universities in the US. This degree prepares its graduates to work in sustainability-related careers. For instance, graduates of this degree could be employed in the business industry, in academia, with the government or nonprofit organizations.
What Is Sustainable Development?
The increasing environmental, economic as well as social challenges have raised the need for professionals who possess extensive knowledge of sustainable development. It is a multidisciplinary subject which trains people to work in all kinds of sectors to revolutionize the pre-existing systems into environmentally friendly ones. Students of this degree are taught to apply integrated systems-based and cross-disciplinary approaches to transform currently employed harmful policies and processes into planet friendly ones.
What Can You Do with a Master’s in Sustainable Development?
After the successful completion of a master’s degree in Sustainable Development, graduates can work in a vast array of jobs such as Management Analysts, Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Political Scientists and so on. According to the data reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in 2018-19, the salary details of these careers are listed below.
Environmental Scientists and Specialists
People in this line of work use their skillset and knowledge to guide others in devising policies and create ways to save the environment by reducing waste and improving human health. They formulate sustainable systems by collaborating with people from other fields and use various resources to enhance the longevity of all life on Earth.
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Annual Median Salary, 2019: $71,360
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Average Annual Mean Salary, 2019: $77,940
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Projected Growth Rate, 2018-2028: 8%
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State with the Highest Salary, 2019: District of Columbia - $112,540 per year
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State with the Highest Employment Rate, 2019: California - 14,380
Management Analysts
People of this profession are also known as Management Consultants. Their job is to come up with workable ideas that can improve the efficiency of an organization. To make this happen, they work closely with the managers on finding sustainable solutions that can reduce productions costs while increasing revenue streams.
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Annual Median Salary, 2019: $85,260
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Average Annual Mean Salary, 2019: $95,560
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Projected Growth Rate, 2018-2028: 14%
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State with the Highest Salary, 2019: New York- $112,280 per year
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State with the Highest Employment Rate, 2019: California - 103,970
Political Scientists
Political Scientists are also called Policy Analysts. Their job is to work in sync with the government, businesses and other policy makers to devise and implement policies. They also collaborate with scientists and people from other disciplines. People with this degree who are working as Political Scientists create environmentally friendly policies that can help businesses and other organizations reduce their carbon footprint and waste material.
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Annual Median Salary, 2019: $122,220
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Average Annual Mean Salary, 2019: $120,260
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Projected Growth Rate, 2018-2028: 5%
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State with the Highest Salary, 2019: Virginia- $130,070 per year
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State with the Highest Employment Rate, 2019: District of Columbia - 3,160
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Note: These figures have been obtained from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics
What to Expect with a Master’s in Sustainable Development?
The curriculum often varies for each university. For instance, the curriculum of Master of Sustainable Design offered by the University of Texas includes courses like,
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Light and Sustainable Design
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Urban Ecology
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Research Design
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Sustainability: Why This Way?
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Sustainable Architectural Design and so on
How to Choose a Master’s in Sustainable Development?
While selecting a master’s degree in Sustainable Development, you must keep a number of things in mind. For example, you should look for proper and valid accreditations, range of subjects, duration of the degree, faculty, credit hour and graduation requirements and so on. For instance, the University of New York offers MS in Real Estate Development with specialization in Sustainable Development that can be completed in approximately 13 months or more.
What Are the Admission Requirements of a Master’s in Sustainable Development?
The application procedure may vary slightly for each university. However, they typically require prospective students to complete an online application and pay an application processing fee. In addition to these, other requirements have some similar elements with a few exceptions. For instance, the University of Texas requires future students to upload the following documents with the online application:
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Provide degree certificates and transcripts from previous studies
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A statement of purpose (1,000-1,500 words)
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3 recommendation letters (directly uploaded by the recommenders)
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Up to date resume
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A writing sample (5-10 pages) and a portfolio