Environment & Sustainability
Certificate in the School of Undergraduate Studies
The Environment & Sustainability Bridging Disciplines Program (BDP) Certificate gives students the opportunity to explore a variety of disciplinary approaches to environmental processes and contemporary environmental issues.
By bringing together courses in natural sciences, social sciences, design disciplines, and the humanities, this program affords a complex understanding of how the diverse parts of Earth's environment interact. A Geology major might choose to deepen an appreciation of human-environment interactions with a selection of Government, History, and Geography courses in Liberal Arts, while a Journalism major might use Natural Science courses to develop an understanding of the scientific method. Designed to complement a range of majors, the Environment & Sustainability BDP prepares students to address environmental issues in careers as researchers, writers, policy makers, sustainable business leaders, and educators.
Declaration Requirements
ShowDegree-seeking undergraduates in good academic standing at The University of Texas at Austin are eligible to apply to the BDPs. Students must be in at least the second semester of their freshman year to be eligible to apply. Students must plan to be enrolled at UT as a degree-seeking undergraduate for at least two semesters after the semester in which they apply to the BDP. The BDPs are open to undergraduate students from every college and school at UT. However, because there is significant overlap in program focus and coursework, some majors and BDP certificates may not be combined. View eligibility information for more details.
How to Declare
ShowApplications for the Bridging Disciplines Programs are accepted twice a year, during the fall and spring semesters. Learn additional information and how to apply to the BDPs. Interested students can attend an information session, which are offered throughout the semester.
Required Courses
ShowWith 19 credit hours of coursework and Connecting Experiences, students may earn a BDP certificate in Environment & Sustainability. View a complete list of courses and requirements.
Personality
ShowStudents in the Environment & Sustainability BDP form a community with shared interests in understanding and addressing a wide range of contemporary environmental issues include climate change, sustainable architecture, and environmental policy. Environment & Sustainability students have come from a wide range of majors at UT, including Advertising, Anthropology, Art History, Biology, Business, Chemistry, Engineering, Geography, Geology, Government, Journalism, Philosophy, Plan II, Public Relations, and many others.
View student profiles to learn about personal experiences in the Environment & Sustainability BDP.
Skills
ShowAfter completing 19 credit hours consisting of coursework, as well as research and/or internship experiences, students earn a certificate that will be recognized on their transcript, demonstrating a secondary area of specialization that complements their major. By pursuing an interdisciplinary certificate, students in the BDPs learn to become more flexible, versatile thinkers, better prepared for a professional world that values innovation and collaboration. Students in the BDPs gain access to unique research and internship experiences at UT and around the world, giving them hands-on experience applying what they have learned in the classroom.
