Earn a Certificate in Engineering, Sustainability, and Health
The Engineering, Sustainability and Health Certificate program (ESH) supports the development of critical thinking skills and the facilitation of transdisciplinary and complex systems approaches to problems and processes related to the interconnection of engineering, sustainability and health. Students taking the ESH Certificate will develop an enhanced understanding of the connection between the built and natural environment, social and environmental justice and health outcomes. They
will foster an awareness of the unintended outcomes of developments and the need for greater intentionality in the planning, design, and implementation of interventions and projects. This will be facilitated through the enhancement of sustainability awareness, knowledge and capabilities.
Who Should Attend
The ESH certificate is intended as an introduction to the broader themes of the MESH Masters program enabling students to build confidence in their abilities, as well as experiencing the unique pedagogy and goals of the MESH community. It is aimed at those who have an interest in the subject matter but who are not yet ready to commit to the full Masters program, or who prefer to take a shorter course to raise skills and awareness. It can also act as a feeder into MESH as the content area of the certificate replaces that which they would learn in ESH 501 and ESH 502 . The course is open to students/professionals from any discipline who wish to either change career direction or enhance their own potential career pathway. This can include but it not limited to: engineering, environmental science and health professionals wishing to change career or take on a different role or challenge within their organization; school teachers wishing to advance their career to administrative roles whilst also taking on a sustainability profile; any professional wishing to move into sustainability management roles; students who have recently graduated looking for direction into future career paths related to sustainability and development.
For those who are interested in advancing into engineering roles in the future, it is important to note that successful completion of this Engineering, Sustainability, & Health Certificate with a grade of B or better in each course can enable you to waive 6 units of the first two courses in the University of San Diego’s Online Engineering, Sustainability, and Health Master's Program.
Schedule & Fees
| Required Courses (with links) | Duration | Fees |
| ESH-X501A Engineering for Health & Sustainability I | 7 weeks | $1,375 |
| ESH-X501B Engineering for Health & Sustainability II | 7 weeks | $1,375 |
| ESH-X502A Health & the Built Environment I | 7 weeks | $1,375 |
| ESH-X502B Health & the Build Environment II | 7 weeks | $1,375 |
| One-Time Certificate Fee | $45 | |
| Total Certificate Cost with Fee (4 courses) | $5,545 |
Learning Outcomes
- Assess what sustainability is and how social and physical infrastructure can impact sustainability
- Illustrate enhanced use of sustainable design skills
- Propose interventions that redress negative impacts of engineering projects on human and health
- Examine the relationship between climate change, the built environment and human health
- Develop an awareness of the interconnection between engineering systems, sustainability and social and environmental justice
Engineering, Sustainability, and Health Certificate Curriculum
The four courses in our program have been thoughtfully crafted to build your knowledge and skills, and position you for success in your career and in the employment market. Each course is seven weeks long. Let’s take a closer look (click on the individual course links for additional details)
Engineering for Health & Sustainability I
In this course, students will be introduced to ESH-CERT, and the complex adaptive systems that will be examined over the next few weeks in relation to engineering, health and sustainability. Students will study the key concepts of sustainability, development, social and environmental justice, ecosystems, climate change and
planetary health. They will enhance their capability to think critically in order to question assumptions relating to contemporary engineering practices and processes and to consider alternative practices in multiple domains. They will frame the outline of a transdisciplinary case study which critiques one context related to the themes of ESH in depth and considers an approach which aims to mitigate the underlying issues.
Engineering for Health & Sustainability II
In this course students will develop core sustainability knowledge and skills, as well as an awareness of and ability to critically evaluate key sustainability metrics. In addition they will explore climate change indicators and mitigation and adaptation strategies. They will apply these as well as the concepts they have learned in the previous course (ESH-X501A) to a number of case studies related to key areas of engineering impact: water, land, machines and food systems. Finally students will prepare and present a case study which critically reviews one area of practice and offers alternative approaches for the future.
Health & the Built Environment I
Building upon the previous two courses (ESH-X501A and ESH-X501B), this course will critically examine the complex interplay between human interventions that change the built environment (such as engineering and development interventions), and their impacts on community, global, environmental, animal, and planetary health. We will employ transdisciplinary, multilevel, and complex adaptive systems approaches to better understand how changes to the environment can impact health outcomes, and thereby foster an awareness of the unintended outcomes of their practice and the need for intentionality and an accompanying consciousness in planning, design, and implementation of engineering, development, humanitarian, and health projects. This course will also cultivate an understanding of the important, but often overlooked, development of social infrastructure in tandem with the development of physical infrastructure for fostering sustainability.
Health & the Built Environment II
Building upon the previous course, ESH-X502A, this course will critically examine the complex interplay between human interventions that change the built environment (such as engineering and development interventions), and their impacts on community, global, environmental, animal, and planetary health. We will employ transdisciplinary, multilevel, and complex adaptive systems approaches to better understand how changes to the environment can impact human, environmental, and planetary health outcomes. Thereby, we can become aware of the unintended outcomes of our practices and the need for intentionality and an accompanying "sustainable consciousness" in the planning, design, and implementation of engineering, development, humanitarian, health, and other interventions to redress the challenges we face. This course will also cultivate an understanding of the important, but often overlooked, development of social infrastructure in tandem with the development of physical infrastructure for fostering sustainability.
Certificate Requirements and Fees
To earn the University of San Diego’s Engineering, Health, and Sustainability Certificate, students must complete each of the program’s four courses. In addition to the tuition for each course, there is a one-time $45 certificate fee.
Your Engineering, Health, and Sustainability Certificate can be completed in as few as two semesters (28 weeks).
USD certificate programs provide a rigorous program of study that demonstrates a progression of learning and the mastery of a specific body of knowledge. Learn more about the University of San Diego’s Professional and Continuing Education Certificate Benefits and Policies.