The study of climate science offers an opportunity to develop the skills and effective policies to reduce risk and better adapt to a changing environment. In this 4-course, 4 c.u. certificate you gain an understanding of the Earth’s climate system and how and why it has changed over time. Within the disciplines of oceanic and atmospheric science, you focus on the mechanisms that drive climate science, both natural and the result of human actions. You also develop the communication skills to more effectively share an understanding of climate science and its relevant policy implications with a broad audience.
This certificate draws on the interdisciplinary nature of energy policy education at Penn, and draws from a comprehensive set of courses across several schools at Penn, with a foundational offering in the Weitzman School of Design. The certificate is intended for professional graduate students currently enrolled at the University interested in adding an understanding of energy policy to their list of educational qualifications.
The certificate in Environmental Building Design is open to students enrolled in the Master of Architecture program only. The students will take 3 CUs of required courses and 2 CUs in a jointly counted studio. Students in the Master of Architecture degree are eligible to apply for the Certificate in Environmental Building Design after they arrive at Penn, allowing them to join the program in their 7000 year with the incoming cohort of MEBD/MSD-EBD students in 7520 and 7080. The other courses, 7510, 7530 and 7540 can be taken by M.Arch. students independently of their acceptance into the certificate.
This certificate draws on the resilience expertise within the Weitzman School and is intended for professional graduate students enrolled at Weitzman School interested in adding an understanding of urban resilience, and how to design within a risky and uncertain world, to their list of educational qualifications.
Despite the scientific consensus on anthropogenic climate change, public understanding and action are often hindered by misinformation, political polarization, and complex media environments. The Advanced Certificate in Strategic Climate Communication equips students with the scientific knowledge and applied communication skills needed to bridge this gap by effectively conveying climate science and policy implications to diverse audiences. The program integrates foundational climate science with a range of communication methods, culminating in a capstone project that produces a real-world, public-facing deliverable.
The Certificate in Ecological Architecture helps students develop an understanding of the dynamic interaction between the natural and built environments and introduces performance-based techniques for operating in that interaction, spanning scales from landscapes to products.
The Certificate in Ecological Planning draws on courses across the School of Design, the Environmental Studies Program, and other schools to offer an interdisciplinary approach to planning that accounts for natural cycles, carrying capacity, and the growing impacts of climate change on ecosystems and human settlements.
The Certificate in Landscape Studies is a five-course program offered by the Department of Landscape Architecture, open to students enrolled in other programs across the School of Design and the broader university.