Climate change is the most pressing challenge we face. Climate change-related problems need to be understood and addressed by considering multiple interconnected systems and factors. This certificate program gives students an introduction to the causes and consequences of climate change as well as opportunities to explore potential solutions to climate change-related problems.
Learning objectives
Learn
Gain exposure to natural and physical science principles of climate science and climate change causes, consequences, and solutions by taking SUSTAIN 101C.
Connect
Identify consequences of climate change on biological and social systems in a range of potential topic areas such as adaptation of built environment, disaster resilience, or health implications, by taking two elective courses.
Act
Grapple with real climate issues through a project-based course. Apply knowledge and skills about climate science and from the students’ primary degree to complete a course-related project.
Courses
You must complete the core course and 3 elective courses from the list below. 1 elective must be a project based course.
Reminder: All courses must be taken for at least 3 units and a letter grade. Read the FAQ‘s for more information about course restrictions.
Core course
SUSTAIN 101C Climate 101
Elective courses
View Stanford Navigator for detailed course offerings and descriptions.
| Course | Title | Project based |
|---|---|---|
| ANTHRO 203 | The Archaeology of Climate | |
| CEE 172 | Air Quality Management | |
| CEE 263C | Weather and Storms | ✔️ |
| CEE 263D | Air Pollution and Global Warming: History, Science and Solutions | |
| CEE 265F | Environmental governance and climate resilience | |
| CEE 265I | Poverty, Infrastructure and Climate | ✔️ |
| EARTHSYS 213 | Hacking for Climate and Sustainability | ✔️ |
| EARTHSYS 217 | Biology and Global Change | |
| EARTHSYS 233 | Mitigating climate change through soil management | |
| EBS 332 | Climate Tech for Rapid Decarbonization | |
| ENERGY 203 | Stanford Climate Ventures | ✔️ |
| ESS 185 | Adaptation | |
| ESS 202 | Scientific Basis of Climate Change | |
| ESS 213 | Global Change and Emerging Infectious Disease | |
| ESS 223 | Biosphere–Atmosphere Interactions | |
| ESS 246A | Atmosphere, Ocean, and Climate Dynamics: the Atmospheric Circulation | |
| ESS 246B | Atmosphere, Ocean, and Climate Dynamics: the Ocean Circulation | |
| ESS 267 | Climate change & extreme weather | ✔️ |
| ESS 271 | Climate Models and Data | |
| GEP 329 | Policy Practicum: Smoke | ✔️ |
| HUMBIO 116 | Climate Perspectives: Climate Science, Impacts, Policy, Negotiations, and Advocacy | |
| INTLPOL 271 | Climate Politics: Science and Global Governance | |
| LAW 2513 | Climate: Politics, Finance, and Infrastructure | ✔️ |
| LAW 2520 | Climate Law and Policy | |
| MS&E 394 | Advanced Methods in Modeling for Climate and Energy Policy | |
| POLISCI 111 | The Politics of Climate Change | |
| SUSTAIN 210 | Justice 40 Policy Lab | ✔️ |
Have questions?
If you are a current graduate student, please email sustainability_students@stanford.edu.