Online Non-Credit Certificates in Sustainability Management (University of Colorado-Boulder)

The University of Colorado-Boulder offers non-credit certificates in sustainability management that can be pursued online. There are two interactive and practical sustainability programs, one focuses on business while the other focuses on the community. These certificates can help to drive sustainable change in either the private or public/nonprofit sector.


The curriculum provides the skills and knowledge necessary to assess the current environmental impact of an organization and respond with effective, efficient solutions.

These programs are lead by industry experts. can help you learn how to develop sustainability initiatives, encourage stakeholder buy-in, and inspire employees and co-workers to act.

The program features:

Open Access – Available to anyone with a passion for sustainability—no specific test scores or credentials required
Accelerated Learning – Can be completed in less than 1 year
Affordable Tuition – Significantly less expensive than a full degree
100% Online Format – Offers access to leading faculty members and peers around the world
Specialized Content – Pursue either business or community sustainability management—or both

The courses explore topics like:

Sustainability frameworks and principles
Leadership for innovation
Policy development
Adaptive vs. transformative change
Integrative metrics
Sustainability strategic plans
Carbon and GHG accounting
Making the business case
Policy and regulation

Professional Non-credit Certificate in Business Sustainability Management

The non-credit sustainability certificate in business management focuses on the challenges inherent to adopting sustainable business practices in the private sector, including attention to the triple bottom line, maximizing efficiencies, making the business case, corporate social responsibility, and reporting. Students will learn to guide their organizations effectively through new initiatives, and develop arguments for the implementation of sustainable practices.

Professional Non-Credit Certificate in Community Sustainability Management

The non-credit sustainability certificate in community management offers coursework examining the issues, challenges, and concerns of maintaining sustainable practices in the public sector, including government agencies, municipalities, education, health care, and non-profits. The coursework delves into navigating regulations and ordinances, stakeholder engagement, planning for new initiatives, and making the case for change.

Learning Outcomes

In any organization, adapting to sustainable practices can be a daunting challenge. Both programs are designed to help you face that challenge head-on, offering seminars that focus on the practical elements of creating and executing new sustainability initiatives in a variety of settings. As a student of either non-credit certificate, you’ll learn how to manage behavioral and organizational change and encourage buy-in from leadership and your colleagues. Additionally, you’ll examine every phase of sustainability projects through hands-on exercises and case studies, learning how to perform the functions needed to succeed, including:

Assessing an organization’s sustainability concerns and weaknesses
Making a clear, effective business case for change
Creating programs and comprehensive plans to address existing issues or refine operations
Finding and creating an inter-disciplinary team to help coordinate the new initiative
Overseeing effective communications across the organization
Working with leadership and senior management
Setting clear goals and monitoring a plan’s progress

For more information about either program click here.

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