Sustainability & Behavior Change

Conservation Psychology Programs to conserve water and energy, reduce our auto-dependency, recycle, and adapt to climate change have one thing in common: to be effective, they must consider the human behavioral dimension. In this course, participants will learn how to apply psychological principles, theories and methods to understand and solve environmental problems. Gain an overview of contemporary environmental issues, with a focus on the link with human behavior. Examine psychological foundations for conservation, including commons dilemma, connectedness with nature, rational choice,...

Behavior Change Strategies for Sustainability This course focuses on the strategies and tools needed to change individual behavior and promote environmental protection. Students will learn how to assess needs, identify available resources, and design and evaluate a program for a behavior change intervention. Topics include identifying problems stemming from conventional behaviors; identifying market obstacles to behavior change; evaluating conventional practices (behavioral mapping); developing interventions to promote desired behaviors (best practices); designing a pilot program; and...

Applied Behavior Change Project Students will work on an applied behavior change project or program under the supervision of one or more instructors. Potential projects include: conceiving and designing a plan for a real-world behavior change intervention; developing a plan to evaluate the success or impact of an intervention; or auditing a previous process and recommending modifications using the cumulative knowledge and skills developed during this certificate. This course aims to produce a resume-ready product that can be showcased and shared with an employer, organization, or...

Join the growing movement of environmental professionals working with their surrounding community to co-design the conservation programs that will impact those communities the most! Learn to psychology of how to build community members' long-term ownership and motivation for conservation by co-designing environmental programs with, not for, diverse communities. Catalyze the urgent and equitable community engagement needed to conserve biodiversity in our world today. Through detailed case studies of conservation projects that have effectively applied psychology to co-desgn, this course dives...

Community Engagement Community Engagement is the process of working collaboratively with community members to address issues that impact their well-being, ensuring empowerment, social cohesion, ad locally tailored solutions. This course is designed for working professionals in environmental sustainability field who seek support in developing or improving their own initiatives to build capacity for engaging communities in meaningful and impactful ways. Students will acquire essential knowledge of community engagement principles, models and strategies, alongside practical skills for...

Ocean Conservation Behavior From overfishing and bycatch to ocean acidification and pollution, many of our planet’s most significant ecological challenges are driven by the destruction of ocean environments around the world. The threats to ocean health can sometimes seem insurmountable, however, strategic, effective communication methods that are grounded in behavioral science and ocean literacy have the power to influence significant, lasting change for marine conservation. In this course, students will learn about the specific actions relevant to ocean conservation from a global...

Get an introduction to the basics of environmental sustainability - energy, transportation, water use, recycling, and natural resource life cycles. Discover ways individuals, organizations, and governments can manage resources in a responsible manner, with minimal impact on natural surroundings and climate. Learn scientific methods for measuring the effectiveness of eco-friendly practices, whether in kilowatt-hours of energy use, acre-feet of reclaimed water, or greenhouse gas emissions. Find out how and why leading-edge organizations are auditing their own practices and committing to...