Our program prepares graduates for professional careers in two broad areas of sustainability

This international master’s degree is designed to build on existing expertise and training, preparing graduates for professional careers in many areas of sustainability. A student with a background in biology will go in a different direction than someone with experience in public policy, engineering, or geography. However, all of our graduates share a holistic understanding of sustainability and the environment and bring a systems-based, problem-solving approach to their work.

Graduates have demonstrated the versatility of their experience through employment in private companies, government agencies, and non-profit organizations such as

• New Mexico Department of Game and Fish
• International Rice Research Institute
• Malta Environment and Planning Authority
• EDF Renewable Energy
• United Nations Environment Programme
• Halliburton Energy Services
• AIS Environmental Ltd.
• University of Hawaii

Other graduates have started their own entrepreneurial ventures. 

The jobs that our graduates get reflect the program's breadth and the diversity of their own unique talents and interests. Alumni have worked in the following positions

• Assistant director for marketing and sustainability
• Education and outreach specialist
• Logging geologist
• Systems engineer
• Executive projects coordinator
• Archaeologist and environmental monitor
• Partnership development coordinator
• Operations officer on hazardous waste
• Business operations specialist
• Project engineer

JMU develops professionals with not just technical skills, but who can also think critically, reason ethically, work well on teams, and communicate proficiently through a variety of platforms. The university has consistently been recognized as the “Best College for Getting a Job” in Virginia and has strong support systems in place to prepare graduates for employment. As a student and alumni, the JMU Career Center will help you to access career fair databases, practice interviewing skills, and present the unique skills and experiences gained through this program. Informal seminars, field exercises, and project work throughout the program of study will provide job coaching and networking opportunities. Throughout, you will gain the skills and confidence to practice as a sustainability professional.