Certificate Courses and Requirements

Which courses should you take? The certificate has various classes available to students across many different colleges and departments. Check out the Certificate Requirements and the courses that count towards the Certificate below.

Please note there are differences in Certificate requirements depending on the student's first year of enrollment at SFSU. Students, be sure to use the correct set of requirements for your situation.

Students must take 5 different courses, 1 in each of these 5 areas (13 - 22 units total):

  • Area 1: Foundational courses

  • Area 2: Causes courses

  • Area 3: Impacts courses

  • Area 4: Solutions courses

  • Area 5: Applied Component courses

    • Courses cannot be double-counted and each course can only fulfill one requirement area, except for Climate Ambassadors Practicum course COMM/ENVS 675, which can be counted as fulfilling the solutions area and applied component requirement.

 

At least 1 of the courses in Causes, Impacts, or Solutions must be designated as an Advanced Climate Justice course.

At least 9 units counted toward the Certificate must be upper-division level.

At least 9 units counted toward the Certificate must be graded on an A-F basis.

At least half the Certificate units must be taken in residence at SFSU.

 

Certificate coursework must also:

  • Have a minimum average GPA of 2.0.

  • Have a grade of CR, C, or better.

  • Be completed within 7 years from registration for your first Certificate course.

 

Printable Advising Sheet for Students who enrolled ON or AFTER Fall 2023.

Students must take 4 different courses, 1 in each of these 4 areas (12-18 units total):

  • Area 1: Foundational courses

  • Area 2: Causes courses

  • Area 3: Impacts courses

  • Area 4: Solutions courses

At least 1 of the courses in CausesImpacts, or Solutions must be designated as an Advanced Climate Justice course.

At least 8 units counted toward the Certificate must be upper-division level.

At least 8 units counted toward the Certificate must be graded on an A-F basis.

At least half the Certificate units must be taken in residence at SFSU

 

*Students whose first enrollment at SFSU started BEFORE Fall 2023 have the option to CHOOSE if they want to complete the Applied Component Course or not.

  • Note: Courses cannot be double-counted and each course can only fulfill one requirement area, except for Climate Ambassadors Practicum course COMM/ENVS 675, which can be counted as fulfilling the solutions area and applied component requirement.

 

Certificate coursework must also:

  • Have a minimum average GPA of 2.0.

  • Have a grade of CR, C, or better.

  • Be completed within 7 years from registration for your first Certificate course.

 

Climate Change Certificate Printable Advising Sheet for Students who enrolled before Fall 2023.

  

Climate Change Certificate Courses

Course Name Course Attributes Advance Climate Justice course?

BIOL 318: Our Endangered Planet

  • E1 LLD Pre-Fall 2019
  • UD-B: Physical Life Science
  • Am. Ethnic & Racial Minorities
  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Global Perspectives
 

ENVS 130: Intro to Environmental Studies

  • Environmental Sustainability
 

ERTH 335: Global Warming

  • UD-B: Physical Life Science
  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Global Perspectives
 

GEOG 160: Intro to Environmental Science

  • B2: Life Science
  • B3: Lab Science
  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Global Perspectives
 

RRS 276: Race, Activism, & Climate Justice

  • B2: Life Science
  • Am. Ethnic & Racial Minorities
  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Global Perspectives
  • Social Justice

Yes

WGS 578: Women, Globalization, & Ecology

  Yes

 

Course Name Course Attributes Advanced Climate Justice course?

BIOL 161: Climate Change and the Oceans

   

BIOL 300: Nature Study

  • UD-B: Physical Life Science
  • Environmental Sustainability
 

BIOL/ERTH 577: Climate and Ecological Interactions 

   

BIOL 617 Environmental Physiology

   

BUS 450 Greening of Business

   

CHEM 380: Chemistry Behind Environmental Pollution

  • UD-B: Physical Life Science
  • Environmental Sustainability
 

COMM 572: Communication and Environmental Justice

  • UD-C: Arts and/or Humanities
  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Social Justice
Yes

ENVS 130: Intro to Environmental Studies

  • Environmental Sustainability
 

ENVS 460: Energy Justice & Sustainability

  Yes

ERTH 260: Physical Processes in the Atmosphere

  • B1: Physical Science
  • B3: Lab Science
  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Global Perspectives
 

ERTH 335: Global Warming

  • UD-B: Physical Life Science
  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Global Perspectives
 

ERTH 365: Extreme Weather in a Warming World

  • UD-B: Physical Life Science
  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Global Perspectives
 

ERTH 535: Planetary Climate Change

   

GEOG 101: Our Physical Environment

  • B1: Physical Science
  • Environmental Sustainability
 

GEOG 160: Intro to Environmental Science

  • B2: Life Science
  • B3: Lab Science
  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Global Perspectives
 

GEOG 314: Bioclimatology

   

GEOG 435: Geography of Global Transportation

  Yes

GEOG 500GW: Physical & Human Dimensions of Climate Change

  • Graduation Writing Assessment (GWAR)
Yes

GEOG 666: Geography of Garbage: Recycling and Waste Reduction

  • Environmental Sustainability
Yes

IR/GEOG 428: International Political Economy of Food and Hunger 

  Yes

IR 735: Seminar in Global Environmental Policy

  Yes

LS 401: International Development & Resource Justice

  • UD-D: Social Sciences
  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Global Perspectives
Yes

PLSI 354: Politics, the Environment, & Social Change

  • UD-D: Social Sciences
  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Social Justice
 

RRS 276: Race, Activism, & Climate Justice

  • B2: Life Science
  • Am. Ethnic & Racial Minorities
  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Global Perspectives
  • Social Justice
Yes

USP 514: Sustainable Development

  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Social Justice
Yes

WGS 593: Gender, Health & the Environment

  • UD-D: Social Sciences
  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Global Perspectives
Yes
Course Name Course Attributes Advanced Climate Justice course?

AA S 587: Asian Americans & Environmental Justice

  • UD-D: Social Sciences
  • Am. Ethnic & Racial Minorities
  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Social Justice
Yes
BECA 502: Environmental Communication on Electronic Media
  • UD-C: Arts and/or Humanities
  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Social Justice
Yes

BIOL 161: Climate Change and the Oceans

   

BIOL 300: Nature Study

  • UD-B: Physical Life Science
  • Environmental Sustainability
 

BIOL 617 Environmental Physiology

   

BUS 450: Greening of Business

   

ENVS 470: Climate Politics & Policy

  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Global Perspectives
Yes

ENVS 480: Climate Change Adaptation & Justice

  Yes

ERTH 260: Physical Processes in the Atmosphere

  • B1: Physical Science
  • B3: Lab Science
  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Global Perspectives
 

ERTH 330: California Water

  • UD-B: Physical Life Science
  • Environmental Sustainability
 

ERTH 335: Global Warming

  • UD-B: Physical Life Science
  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Global Perspectives
 

ERTH 365: Extreme Weather in a Warming World

  • UD-B: Physical Life Science
  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Global Perspectives
 

GEOG 314: Bioclimatology

   
GEOG 500GW: Physical & Human Dimensions of Climate Change
  • Graduation Writing Assessment (GWAR)
Yes
IR/GEOG 428: International Political Economy of Food and Hunger    Yes

RRS 276: Race, Activism, & Climate Justice

  • B2: Life Science
  • Am. Ethnic & Racial Minorities
  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Global Perspectives
  • Social Justice
Yes

USP 514: Sustainable Development

  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Social Justice
Yes

WGS 593: Gender, Health & the Environment

  • UD-D: Social Sciences
  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Global Perspectives
Yes

 

Course Name Course Attributes Advanced Climate Justice course?

BECA 502: Environmental Communication on Electronic Media

  • UD-C: Arts and/or Humanities
  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Social Justice
Yes

BIOL 532: Restoration Ecology

   

BIOL 534: Wetlands Ecology

  Yes

BIOL 671: Ecology & Evolution of Marine Systems II

  • Environmental Sustainability
Yes

BUS 450 Greening of Business

   

COMM 572: Communication and Environmental Justice

  • UD-C: Arts and/or Humanities
  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Social Justice
Yes

COMM/ENVS 675: Climate Ambassadors Practicum in the Climate Change Certificate

  Yes

ECON/FIN/ENVS 651: Student Managed Fund in Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) Investments

   

ENVS 460: Energy Justice & Sustainability

  Yes

ENVS 470: Climate Politics & Policy

  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Global Perspectives
Yes

ENVS 480: Climate Change Adaptation & Justice

  Yes

ENVS 530: Environmental Leadership & Organizing

  Yes

ENVS 570: Applied Local Sustainability

  • Environmental Sustainability
Yes

GEOG 314: Bioclimatology

   

GEOG 433: Geography of Urban Transportation

  Yes

GEOG 435: Geography of Global Transportation

  Yes

GEOG 500GW: Physical & Human Dimensions of Climate Change

  • Graduation Writing Assessment (GWAR)
Yes

GEOG 666: Geography of Garbage: Recycling and Waste Reduction

  Yes

IR/GEOG 428: International Political Economy of Food and Hunger 

  Yes

I R 735: Seminar in Global Environmental Policy

  Yes

LS 430: Future of the Forests

  • UD-B: Physical Life Science
  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Global Perspectives
Yes

RRS 276: Race, Activism, & Climate Justice

  • B2: Life Science
  • Am. Ethnic & Racial Minorities
  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Global Perspectives
  • Social Justice
Yes

USP 515/GEOG 667: Environ. Justice: Race, Poverty, & the Envir.

  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Global Perspectives
  • Social Justice
Yes

WGS 578: Women, Globalization, & Ecology

  Yes

 

Course Name Course Attributes Advanced Climate Justice course?

BIOL 681: Climate Change: Applied Learning for the Real World

  Yes
COMM/ENVS 675: Climate Ambassadors Practicum in the Climate Change Certificate (offered Spring 2025)   Yes