Required Core (9 credits)
SOS 508: Pathways to Sustainability
SOS 511: Advanced Sustainability Problem Solving
SOS 582: Project Management
Capstone (3 credits)
SOS 593: Capstone
Methods and Competency (6 credits of each/12 total)
These courses are selected based on your interests from the lists described in the section below.
Elective Credits (6 credits)
500-level graduate courses related to your interests in sustainability. They may be from other departments or subject areas.
SOS 508 Pathways to Sustainability (register for the section reserved for MSUS students)
SOS 511 Advanced Sustainability Problem Solving
One methods or competency mastery course
SOS 508 Pathways to Sustainability (register for the section reserved for MSUS students)
SOS 511 Advanced Sustainability Problem Solving
If you are in a concurrent program, please meet with academic advisors/coordinators from BOTH of your programs. There is an Excel document which serves as a sample plan for concurrent programs for each below. However, YOU SHOULD CONFIRM with both program advisors prior to registration.
Please be sure to download the appropriate check sheet for your program.
Please use the fall 2025 class search to determine which classes are offered and then reference the MSUS Course List to determine whether those classes count toward your requirements.
Notes:
Courses may meet more than one requirement, but you can only use each course to satisfy a single requirement (i.e., SOS 517 can count for either methods OR competency on your iPOS/check sheet, but not both).
Your 2 electives can be any grad courses. Electives can be any course related to sustainability in SOS or other subject areas (COM or PAF, for example).
The MSUS Unofficial Track List is a helpful tool to use when choosing classes.
Some students enter the MSUS program with specific career goals and others have yet to develop a preferred path or want to prepare for work in any/all of these employment sectors.
The tracks have faculty-curated course lists, which highlight electives aligned with relevant employment sectors (private, public, and nonprofit). For those still exploring their options, recommended courses in sustainability analytics are available to help you prepare for many types of careers.
The best place to look at the classes offered is ASU's Class Search.
1. To view the class schedule for this semester (and previous semesters) use the class search. Then click on the ‘Advanced Search’.
2. Look for sustainability classes by using SOS or EMS in subject.
3. To find graduate level courses 500 level or above, use the drop down for level to select graduate.
4. Be sure to select the campus type that you plan to enroll (i.e., ‘Tempe’ or Online: iCourse or ‘ASU Online’ ) under the location.
5. If you are interested in other subjects you can search by keyword (keep the filters in place but leave the subject blank) or type in another subject.
6. Then click the search classes button.
Other tips:
Search for previous semesters by using the semester dropdown (it defaults to spring ‘25 right now) and selecting fall 2024, to see what’s typically offered in fall semesters.
Semester schedule (A, B C session): Please note, the ASU academic calendar consists of three different blocks within each semester: two concentrated 7.5 week blocks (session A, session B) and a 15‐week/full semester block (session C). Students can take classes in any combination of blocks. Most on-campus classes are C session and most iCourses and ASU Online courses are offered in session A or session B.
The MSUS Culminating Experience is a capstone project completed collaboratively with a team in the class SOS 593: Applied Project. Students complete assignments, including the proposal and deliverables, as a part of the classes.
The MSUS program teaches students how to analyze and solve sustainability challenges in organizations and communities. Students learn how to apply sustainability principles and approaches in order to develop solutions in concert with stakeholders. Final courses teach how to manage sustainability projects and give students a chance to team up with a company, government agency or nongovernmental organization to develop a real-world sustainability solution.
Carried out collaboratively in lieu of a thesis, the capstone provides practical experience positioning graduates for today's competitive, knowledge- and skill-intensive job market. Here are the links to the project briefs for 2022-2023 , project briefs for 2021-2022, project inventory for spring 2024, and project inventory for 2025, which will give you a sense of the scope and type of projects.
Check out the YouTube Link to the Final Presentations in 2023 and the 2024 Presentations!