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Online Bachelor of Science in Sustainability

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Earn Your Degree as Early as:
Admissions Requirements
Courses
Ways to Save on Tuition
Career Outcomes
34
Total Courses
$371
Cost per Credit
4 years
Average Completion*
15–18 Hours/Week
Course Effort

Bachelor’s in Sustainability Overview

Come back and move your career forward in the fast-evolving field of sustainability. Earn your sustainability degree and be ready to make an impact on urgent environmental, economic, and social matters facing the world.

    • Combine science with data analytics, policy, communication, and management to help identify environmental issues, develop sustainable practices, and implement mitigation strategies that protect our natural environment, economy, and well-being.
    • Gain a strong foundation in natural resource management while leveraging critical thinking, communication, management, and analytical skills.
    • Lead companies or organizations into a more sustainable and resilient future.
    • Prepare for a variety of career paths, including corporate sustainability, environmental management, natural resource management, politics, environmental consulting, and nonprofit.
    • Shorten your path to a master's degree with a graduate program pathway.

Gain the Skills That Employers — and Our Environment — Need

      • Evaluate environmental regulations and policy, as well as the sustainability of technology.
      • Apply the principles and historical trends related to natural resource issues and their management, policies, and laws.
      • Evaluate current research in sustainability issues.
      • Synthesize the impacts of human interactions with others and their environment on local and global scales.
      • Lead others and drive positive change in the world.

Review College Scorecard data for this program.

View Program Degree Plan and Policies

See Notes and Conditions below for important information.

Customize Your Degree

Customize your degree with a concentration and electives based on your goals and interests:

Purdue Global Is Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission

The HLC (HLCommission.org) is an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Calculate Your Time and Cost

Estimate how much your prior learning credits can reduce your tuition and time to graduation.

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3-Week Trial

Not sure if Purdue Global is right for you? Try an undergraduate program for an introductory 3-week trial period.

There’s no financial obligation and no cost to apply. That’s the Purdue Global Commitment.

How It Works

Students who choose to continue at Purdue Global will be billed for the full first term's tuition, including the 3-week trial. See Notes and Conditions below.

Admissions Requirements

You must be a high school graduate or possess a General Educational Development (GED) certificate or other equivalency diploma. You must also complete orientation before you start classes.

Refer to the University Catalog or speak to an Advisor to learn more.

View Admissions Requirements

What Courses Will I Take?

Courses in the bachelor’s in sustainability program explore environmental issues and sustainable practices. Students can focus on a concentration in decision management, health sciences, environmental science, social issues, sustainable hospitality, supply chain management and logistics, or economics.

You’ll learn from experienced professionals who bring real-world knowledge to the courses they teach.

Sample Courses

  • Environmental Science
  • Introduction to Environmental Policy and Management
  • Research Methodology
  • Topics in Sustainability
  • The Global Environment
See All Sustainability Courses

Program Requirements

9
Core Courses
11
Major Courses
14
Elective Courses
34
Total Courses
180
Total Quarter Credits

1 semester credit hour = 1.5 quarter credit hours

Upcoming Start Dates

We offer multiple start dates to give you flexibility in your education, life, and work schedules.

Sustainability Concentrations

Combine your knowledge about sustainability and environmental issues, management and policy, research, communication, and social responsibility and apply it to one of seven concentrations.

Get a Head Start on Your Master's Degree

Complete your master’s degree sooner with a graduate program pathway. It weaves graduate-level courses into your bachelor’s program, giving you a jump on your master’s degree requirements. You’ll save on time and tuition compared with finishing both programs separately.

Plus, your degrees don’t have to be in the same fields. You can customize your academic journey to support your career goals and interests. To learn more, view the University Catalog or connect with an Advisor.

See Notes and Conditions below for important information.

Earn Credit for Prior Coursework and Experience

The average bachelor's degree student pays $15k and takes 2.3 years to complete their degree.

Get the Credit You Deserve

Ways to Save on Time and Tuition

Purdue Global works with students to find ways to reduce costs and make education more accessible. Contact us to learn about opportunities to save on your educational costs.

Transfer Credits

Earn credit for prior coursework completed at eligible institutions, including community colleges.

Prior Work Experience Reduction

You could earn undergraduate credit for your life and professional career experiences.

Financial Aid

Learn about federal financial aid programs available for many of our degree programs.

Grants and Loans

Learn about federal and state grants and loan programs that may be available.

Corporate Partner Benefits

Employees of Purdue Global partner organizations may be eligible for special tuition reductions.

Military Tuition Reduction

Undergraduate tuition savings for military include a 55% reduction per credit for current servicemembers and 38% per credit for veterans.

Prior Military Experience

Earn credit for your military training. The average Purdue Global military student is awarded 54% of the credits needed for an associate's and 45% of the credits needed for a bachelor's.

View the total cost of attendance for your program.

Career Opportunities

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job growth for careers related to the environment, such as environmental scientists and specialists, natural sciences managers, urban and regional planners, environmental science and protection technicians, and conservation scientists, are expected to grow as fast as the average for all occupations through 2031.

Average Salary

Range

General labor market and salary data are provided by Lightcast and may not represent the outcomes experienced by Purdue Global graduates in these programs. Purdue Global graduates in these programs may earn salaries substantially different or less than the amounts listed above. Salary and employment outcomes vary by geographic area, previous work experience, education, and opportunities for employment that are outside of Purdue Global's control.

Purdue Global does not guarantee employment placement, salary level, or career advancement.

See Notes and Conditions below for important information.

Download the Program Brochure

Download our brochure to learn more about the Online Bachelor of Science in Sustainability and the benefits of earning your degree at Purdue Global.

Prepare yourself for success with a bachelor's degree in sustainability.

View Brochure

Get to Know Our Faculty

Purdue Global faculty members are real-world practitioners who bring knowledge gained through the powerful combination of higher learning and industry experience.

99%

Faculty members who have advanced degrees

54%

Faculty members who hold a doctorate

484

Faculty publications in 2022–2023

More Than 40,000

Professional development hours logged by faculty in 2022–2023

Statistics include all Purdue Global faculty members and are not school- or program-specific calculations. Source: Purdue Global Office of Reporting and Analysis, July 2023. 2022–2023 academic year.

Your Path to Success Begins Here

Connect with an Advisor to explore program requirements, curriculum, credit for prior learning process, and financial aid options.

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NOTES AND CONDITIONS

*Estimated Graduation Date and Average Completion: Estimated graduation date is based on the assumption that you will enroll in time to begin classes on the next upcoming start date, will remain enrolled for each consecutive term, and will maintain satisfactory academic standing in each term to progress toward completion of your program. Completion time is based on a full-time schedule. Programs will take longer for part-time students to complete.

Completion Time and Average Net Price: Cost and completion times for individual programs may vary. Average institutional completion time for Purdue Global degree students who graduated in the 2022–2023 academic year. Average net price reflects all institutional-level charges for all graduates, including those who transferred to Purdue Global, after application of scholarships, tuition reductions, grants (including federal Pell grants for undergraduate students), employer tuition assistance, and/or military tuition assistance. Source: Purdue Global Office of Reporting and Analysis, July 2023.

Employment and Career Advancement: Purdue Global does not guarantee employment placement or career advancement. Actual outcomes vary by geographic area, previous work experience and opportunities for employment.

Future Programs: The University cannot guarantee that students will be granted admission to any future programs.

Graduate Program Pathways: To start a Graduate Program Pathway, students should consult with their Student Advisor to confirm eligibility. Not all Graduate Program Pathways are available on all tracks, and some may require students to meet academic standards to continue taking graduate courses in their bachelor’s degree program. Visit the University Catalog for more information.

Job Growth: Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Natural Sciences Managers, Urban and Regional Planners, Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, and Conservation Scientists. National long-term projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions, and do not guarantee actual job growth.

Three-Week Trial: Students who inform Purdue Global they do not wish to pursue the program during the 3-week trial will not be charged. Students who choose to continue at Purdue Global will be billed for the full first term's tuition, including the 3-week trial, and will need to meet other specific requirements. Classes will be applied toward a degree if satisfactorily completed and students select to continue their studies at Purdue Global. No credits are earned if the student withdraws during the introductory period (3 weeks for new qualifying undergraduate students), which begins day one of the first term. Graduate programs and BS in Professional Flight not included. Additional terms may apply to international and non-U.S. citizen students. For further information, see the University Catalog.