About the Sustainability & Behavior Change Program
Solving environmental problems will require behavior change. From issues as diverse as reducing energy and water consumption, to protecting wildlife and ecosystems, achieving a sustainable future will require that people change their behaviors.
The Specialized Certificate in Sustainability and Behavior Change provides unique and advanced educational training in conservation psychology, and behavior change strategies and community engagement tools that are designed to produce results. Explore the psychological factors that lead people to engage in sustainable behavior and gain a clear understanding of the strategies that work (and those that don’t) to motivate people towards behavioral change. Learn how to develop programs and projects that activate behavior change and promote sustainable outcomes and how to develop community engagement projects or programs that foster both awareness and meaningful action. This certificate culminates in a capstone course where students apply the knowledge and skills developed in this certificate to a program or project of interest.
Who Should Attend:
- Professionals who manage environmental programs and campaigns
- Government employees working on environmental protection projects or programs
- Employees and educators at informal education institutions, including zoos and aquaria
- Community volunteers and activists interested working to promote community engagement and sustainability
- Business professionals interested in understanding consumer behavior and promoting corporate behavior change
Additional Reading
Certificate Benefits
- Network with other professionals in the program
- Complement your college degree with career‐oriented education
- Facilitate promotions or career changes
- Learn how to develop programs and projects that activate behavior change and promote sustainable outcomes
- Gain insight on psychological principles, theories and methods to understand and solve environmental problems
- Identify and prioritize target behaviors related to a specific environmental problem
- Develop a behavior change program implementation plan and Identify appropriate metrics for evaluating performance
- Develop a communications strategy that activates behavior change at the community level
- Understand strategies relevant to community based social marketing and conservation education programs
Who Should Attend
- Professionals who manage environmental programs and campaigns
- Government employees working on environmental protection projects or programs
- Employees and educators at informal education institutions, including zoos and aquaria
- Community volunteers and activists interested working to promote community engagement and sustainability
- Business professionals interested in understanding consumer behavior and promoting corporate behavior change
Sustainability & Behavior Change
Required Courses
Elective Courses
Select Two Courses
Other Courses of Interest
Contact Information
Stefania Wright at unex-environmental@ucsd.edu
Next Steps Experience
Nature Careers California was launched to deliver a regional resource for scientists to manage and develop their careers with tailored advice, content and opportunities, offering them vital support throughout their working life.
The hub will become the number one destination for scientists to build a community to share information, knowledge and content. It includes job roles, events and seminars, funding opportunities, programs and information across all science disciplines.
Industry Certification
AICP members can earn Certification Maintenance (CM) credits for select courses. For a list of additional UC San Diego Extension AICP CM Events go to American Planning Association
Advisory Board
Julie Colehour
Kari Hart
Jan Kleissel, Ph.D.
Sarah Thomas, Ph.D.
Kate Williamson
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