In 2018, sustainability efforts taking place in Madison got the support they needed thanks to the addition of the city’s first sustainability coordinator, Stacie Reece.
Reece will work to breathe life into the current initiatives taking place here, while also implementing new ones that could inspire and inform the work taking place elsewhere in Wisconsin. The integration of renewable energy and community outreach are just two of her top priorities for the coming years.
For example, Reece will seek to increase more renewable energy sources through the city’s 100 Percent Renewable Energy Zero Net Carbon Plan and give the current MadiSUN Solar Energy Program, a savings plan for residential rooftop solar panels, a much-needed boost.
And thanks to a recent grant from the Office of Energy Innovation, Wisconsin’s state energy office, the city will purchase electric vehicles to add to the city’s fleet.
Madison’s uptick in programs and initiatives aimed at sustainability is just one example of the many ways Wisconsin is working to become a leader in sustainability. From engineers to business professionals to landscape architects to policy analysts, exciting opportunities in sustainability lie ahead.
Sustainability Jobs Available in Wisconsin with the Right Degree
There’s no shortage of exciting professional opportunities in Wisconsin, thanks to the many sustainability-focused organizations and agencies that call this midwestern state home.
The Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council is one such organization that works to provide businesses with the tools they need to advance their sustainability initiatives. The Council seeks to assist their growing network of businesses and organizations looking to minimize their risks or integrate sustainability into their practices.
Sustain Dane is another nonprofit leader in Dane County that partners with big names in sustainability to create programs that promote the protection of citizens and the planet while ensuring a strong bottom line.
RENEW Wisconsin promotes renewable energy in Wisconsin by focusing on policies and initiatives geared toward the implementation and expansion of renewable energy sources like solar power, wind power, hydropower, geothermal energy, and more.
Master’s in Sustainability Available Through Schools in Wisconsin
Master’s degrees in sustainability are designed to help you explore sustainability as it relates to other fields of study, such as public policy, agriculture, engineering, and business.
Agriculture
The University of Wisconsin-Madison is home to two, innovative master’s programs that explore sustainability in agriculture: the MS in Agroecology and the MS in Horticulture with an optional specialization in organic and sustainable production.
The Agroecology program, which provides a broad examination into agriculture as it relates to the environment and society, features a small cohort of students for excellent student-faculty interaction. The Horticulture program is a more focused one, providing students with in-depth study in areas such as ecology, horticulture, plant pathology, agronomy, soil science, and more.
Architecture
The University of Wisconsin-Madison offers an MS in Landscape Architecture and an MS in Urban and Regional Planning, both of which are housed in the university’s Department of Planning and Landscape Architecture, which provides students with the opportunity to work closely with nonprofit, governmental agencies, private industry, and citizens on projects at the local, municipal, regional, national, and even international levels.
Business
There are a few options for graduate study in sustainability management and leadership in Wisconsin. For example, the University of Wisconsin Green Bay offers a Master’s in Sustainable Management, which features a fully online course of study that’s taught by the university’s top faculty at each of its five partner campuses – Green Bay, Oshkosh, Parkside, Stout, and Superior. Concordia University Wisconsin offers an MBA in Sustainability Management and Analytics, which is offered either online or on-campus at one of its many Wisconsin regional campuses in places like Mequon, Green Bay, and Appleton.
Sustainability Bachelor Degree Programs in Wisconsin
Bachelor’s degrees in sustainability provide aspiring sustainability professionals with an interdisciplinary curriculum that covers a number of topics like natural resource management, environmental science and policy, and the economics of sustainability.
In Wisconsin, the University of Wisconsin offers a broad course of study in sustainability through its BS in Sustainable Management, a fully online course of study that includes outstanding faculty collaboration from each of the university’s four partnering campuses – Parkside, River Falls, Stout, and Superior – and the opportunity for a dynamic, hands-on learning experience through its capstone course.
Online Sustainability Degrees Offered Through Schools in Wisconsin
Wisconsin’s options for online learning at the master’s level are among the most impressive in the nation. You’ll find a nice selection of online master’s programs in sustainability here that feature the same, outstanding courses of study and esteemed faculty as their on-campus programs but with convenient and flexible online course delivery.
The University of Wisconsin system offers a number of online programs at both the undergraduate and graduate level, including a BS in Sustainable Management and MS in Sustainable Management through its Sustainable Management program.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison offers an online Master of Engineering in Sustainable Systems Engineering, while the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point offers an online Master’s in Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems and the University of Wisconsin Whitewater offers an online MS in Environmental Health and Safety.