Climate Change Certificate
The Certificate in Climate Change Causes, Impacts, and Solutions gives students a foundational understanding of climate change’s causes, effects, and solutions so they can take action in their communities.
The program is open to students of all majors, and non-matriculated students as well. While some of the courses that count toward the certificate are in the sciences, the program is not exclusively for science majors. In fact, the program was designed so that students from any major can take any course — there are few to no prerequisites.
Interested in Earning the Certificate? Follow These Steps:
Express your interest in earning The Certificate by filling out our survey.
Check out the Certificate Course Checklist to plan out your courses.
Need guidance or have questions? Reach out to our Certificate Advisors.
Pay the $7 Certificate Program Fee.
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Log into your Student Account.
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Go to "Pay Graduate Fees Online" and complete the payment process.
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Download a copy of the receipt so you can use it in the following step.
Complete the following CAP Form, be sure to read all of the instructions thoroughly before submitting.
Please note:
- If you have not seen an advisor and your last name starts with the letter A-N, please enter Aritree Samanta (asamanta@sfsu.edu) as your advisor.
- If you have not seen an advisor and your last name starts with the letter O-Z, please enter Autumn Thoyre (athoyre@sfsu.edu) as your advisor.
- Otherwise, please enter the name of the advisor you have established contact with.
Please reach out to a Climate Change Certificate Advisor if you have any questions about completing the CAP Form.
After you click “Finish,” the form will automatically be sent electronically to the Advisor, Program/Department Chair, and Division of Graduate Studies for their signatures.
Deadlines for completing Certificate Forms:
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For Fall award of Certificate: Finish forms by December 15.
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For Spring award of Certificate: Finish forms by June 15.
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For Summer award of Certificate: Finish forms by August 15.
*Please Note: If you miss a deadline, it’s not too late to earn the Certificate. You can finish the paperwork the next semester and still earn the Certificate.
Changes to the Certificate
A revised curriculum for the undergraduate Climate Change Certificate will be effective starting Fall 2023, increasing the units required from 12-18 to 13 - 22 units. The new curriculum includes an Applied Component in addition to the areas of Foundational, Causes, Impacts, and Solutions.
Please read the information below to determine if you will need to complete the new Applied Component course or not.
If the student's FIRST enrollment at SFSU began ON or AFTER Fall 2023:
They will need to complete the new 13 - 22 unit,
5-course Certificate path with the Applied Component Course.
Check out our Certificate Requirements page for more information.
If the student's FIRST enrollment at SFSU began BEFORE Fall 2023:
They have the option to CHOOSE between:
The original 12- 18 unit, 4-course Certificate path without the Applied Component Course
OR, the new 13 - 22 unit, 5-course certificate path with the Applied Component Course.
Check out our Certificate Requirements page for more information.