Skip to main content
students posing with bamboo dome construction

Education

MCSI is leading University efforts to infuse sustainability into undergraduate and graduate education and coordinate service learning and cross-disciplinary academic collaborations across campus.

Undergraduate Sustainability Learning Outcomes

Pitt's University-wide Undergraduate Sustainability learning outcomes are as follows:

  • Students will develop the basic competencies needed by science, engineering, and humanities graduates to contribute quickly and effectively to the development and ultimate use of sustainable technologies, science, and practices in the U.S. and abroad.
  • Students will develop analytical skills and learn to think critically about sustainability.
  • Students will be able to seamlessly incorporate sustainability into knowledge from their core course of study.

Courses across the University that have the Sustainability course attribute connect to some, if not all, of the following outcomes:

  • Students will be able to explain sustainability as an integrated concept within the discipline or course, highlighting the interaction and tradeoffs between ecological, social and economic systems used to support human society.
  • Students will articulate current issues and relate them to the Sustainable Development Goal(s).
  • Students will propose/build solutions to sustainability challenges and articulate why they are more sustainable to a broad audience.
  • Students will consider the ethical dimensions of decisions meant to improve sustainability, working together with other students in converging fields to foster conversation and collaboration between disciplines.
  • Students will be able to consider sustainability at multiple scales in accordance with the problem.
students participating in undergraduate certificate class activity
Certificates

Learn more about two certificates open to all undergraduate students:

The Engineering for Humanity Certificate both guides and formalizes undergraduate student participation in engineering projects that serve marginalized communities while being environmentally and socially sustainable.

The Undergraduate Certificate in Sustainability aims to provide the opportunity to enhance students' education by including sustainability in their course of study.

Additionally, the Graduate Certificate in Circular Economy seeks to develop students' and professionals' skills and knowledge of circular economy principles.

students showing bee-house construction samples
Distinctions

The primary goals of the Sustainability Distinction are to provide undergraduate students with a mechanism to gain recognition and “credit” for their outside-the-classroom endeavors and broaden the number of undergraduate students participating in sustainability activities throughout campus.

Watch for more information on the new Innovation Distinction—coming soon!. 

student wearing headscarf taking notes in class
Master of Sustainable Engineering

The Master of Science in Sustainable Engineering (MS SE) is housed within the Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation (MCSI), with the degree granted from the Swanson School of Engineering. The 30-credit program is designed to prepare students to identify and solve sustainability issues using systems approaches in the context of environmental, social, and economic problems. Students will foster sustainable technologies, science, and practices in the U.S. and abroad.

sign reading "Choose to Reuse with Reusable Containers" promoting sustainable dining options
Covestro Circular Economy Program

The Covestro Circular Economy Program is a collaboration between the University of Pittsburgh and Covestro LLC which aims to decrease global waste and its impact on the environment and climate.

student presenting poster during Sustainability Awards Student Showcase
Sustainability Courses

This compilation of sustainability-focused and sustainability-related courses can help students identify classes with the content they need when pursuing the Undergraduate Certificate in Sustainability.

students participating in Sustainability Week outdoor activity
Advisor Toolkit

The Sustainability Toolkit presents the many opportunities for students to apply and grow their interest in sustainability through academia, service, advocacy, and more.

Student presenting first-year presentation before student audience
First-Year Presentations

MCSI has trained student volunteers to provide sustainability presentations within first-year seminars. These presentations are a great way to introduce students to the range of sustainability initiatives and the many ways they can engage with sustainability on campus.