Introduction
The challenges our planet faces are monumental. In order to overcome these hurdles and champion a healthier and cleaner future, educators must be at the forefront of informing the next generation of environmental stewards. Our Certificate in Environmental and Sustainability Education will help you better understand the human relationship with the natural world that affect the quality of life for all species. Weave ecological science with an examination of how cultural, political, and economic activity over time has influenced human regard for the natural world and shaped our treatment of the environment.
This certificate is offered by AU Seattle
Program Overview
If you are a Washington state teacher committed to leading sustainable change in the classroom and in your community, a Certificate in Environmental and Sustainability Education will support your goals. Approved by the Professional Educators Standards Board (PESB) in 2009, the ESE endorsement coursework consists of three main areas of professional competence: Content Knowledge, Instructional Methodology, and Professional Contributions, together covering 32 individual competencies. The Antioch University Seattle ESE endorsement coursework broadly covers ecological science and all the social dimensions of sustainability and meets the requirements of Washington state Professional Educators Standards Board.
You have the flexibility to create personally meaningful and relevant paths of learning toward the endorsement, with emphasis on local communities and integration of traditional and indigenous knowledge and concern for the ethics of eco-justice.
There are two pathways to earn this endorsement. Apply for the certificate program, which will enable you to be eligible for financial aid. Or simply take the required courses for the endorsement. In either case, students who successfully complete the course sequence will be recommended for the endorsement.
Degree Requirements
Requirements
- Typically, 2-4 Quarters full time; 5 Quarters part-time
- Completion of 20 total credits
- Completion of variable number of credits depending upon candidate’s experience and professional accomplishments if endorsement is done on its own. Documentation of experience and accomplishments may substitute for coursework.
- Completion of capstone project and competency portfolio in content knowledge, instructional methodology, and professional contributions
Courses
- Introduction to Ecological Perspectives in Environmental and Sustainability Education
- Introduction to Cultural, Social and Economic Perspectives in Environmental and Sustainability Education
- Contemporary Issues in Environmental and Sustainability Education: Ecological Dimensions
- Contemporary Issues in Environmental and Sustainability Education: Cultural, Social and Economic Dimension
- Identifying, Investigating, and Evaluating Current Issues in Sustainability and the Environment
- Policy-making, Engagement, and Action in Sustainability and the Environment
- Professional Development and Contributions in Environmental and Sustainability Education
- For detailed curriculum, degree requirements, and course descriptions, please visit the AUS catalog.
Career Outlook
Students who complete this program can find careers as a:
- Public elementary, middle, or high school endorsed ESE teacher
- Independent elementary, middle, or high school endorsed ESE teacher
- Informal ESE educator, in non-school settings such as non-profit organization, arts or cultural institution, government or tribal agency
- Educational (ESE) program developer or coordinator
- Educational (ESE) curriculum lead, supervisor, or specialist
- Educational (ESE) research specialist
- Educational (ESE) policy specialist
- Educational (ESE) consultant
Admissions
How to apply
- Complete and submit the online admissions application.
- Submit a copy of your Washington State Teaching Certificate.
- Essay or Résumé – Submit a brief essay describing why you are interested in this program or submit current Résumé/Curriculum Vitae (CV). Documentation of relevant professional and volunteer experience, professional affiliations, publications and licensure.
All admission application supporting materials, transcripts, essays, etcetera, should be emailed to [email protected] or mailed to:
Admissions Office
Antioch University Seattle
2400 3rd Avenue, Suite 200
Seattle, WA 98121
Application Deadlines
| Quarter | Deadline* | Classes begin |
|---|---|---|
| TBD | TBD | TBD |
| *Complete applications received after the Deadline date may be considered if space is still available in that quarter or will be reviewed for the next available term. | ||
Cost
Current quarter-credit tuition: $450/credit.
Please note: Additional fees for all AUS programs may include (but are not necessarily limited to) charges for materials, late registration, enrollment maintenance, parking, graduation, transcripts, tuition payment plan, late payments, late registration, and returned checks. Washington certified teachers might be eligible for scholarship through the Educator Retooling Conditional Scholarship Program. Eligibility information and application information is available here.
Financial Aid
A majority of AUS students finance their education through some form of financial aid. You may not be sure which federal, state, public and private aid packages – such as loans, scholarships, and grants—are right for you. Our staff is here to help you, so you can focus on what’s most important: beginning your academic program at AUS.
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