Certificate in Communicating Sustainability
The Certificate in Communicating Sustainability is open to current undergraduate students from any Faculty at Dalhousie.
The Certificate in Communicating Sustainability is a credential to develop and recognize expertise in how to communicate Sustainability concepts, principles and practices. Students will learn and apply communications theory frameworks; learn to effectively communicate sustainability concepts, issues, and opportunities to a variety of audiences; develop skills in constructive communication and negotiation of conflict; and gain experience to conceive, develop and refine effective sustainability communications in a variety of media, from first ideas through to delivery to an audience.
The Certificate is founded on a required interdisciplinary course, SUST 3107.03 Communicating Sustainability: Media and Messaging. This course (offered in collaboration with other Dal units including SRES and Journalism) provides foundational knowledge of communications theory and analysis; explores the relationships between academic and journalistic communication, and the challenges of communicating with the general public; and offers hands-on experience of developing effective text and multimedia stories for the general public, grounded in academic sources.
Students are also required to take SUST 2105.03 Introductory Conflict Management for Sustainability or SUST 4125.03 Conflict Negotiation and Sustainability. While both courses offer students the opportunity to build skills in conflict management and communication, SUST 2105.03 focuses on interpersonal conflict management while SUST 4125.03 focuses on negotiation in professional contexts. Students may take one or both of these courses.
Certificate Requirements
Certificate Grade Requirements:
The cumulative GPA in Certificate courses must be 3.0 (B) or better, with no individual Certificate course grade less than C.
Certificate Course Requirements:
A. Certificate Core Courses
At least one SUST course at 1000-level (minimum 3 credit hours). Select from:
3 credit hours required course:
- SUST 3107.03 Communicating Sustainability: Media and Messaging
3 credit hours chosen from:
- SUST 2105.03 Introductory Conflict Management for Sustainability
- SUST 4125.03 Conflict Negotiation and Sustainability
Both SUST 2105 and SUST 4125 may be taken. If so, one of them will count as 3 credit hours toward the 9 credit hours of Certificate Electives.
B. Certificate Elective Courses
9 credit hours chosen from:
- SUST 2105.03 Introductory Conflict Management for Sustainability
- SUST 3103.03 Effective Argument in Sustainability
- SUST 3104.03 Sustainability and the Non-profit Sector
- SUST 3106.03 The Canadian North
- SUST 4125.03 Conflict Negotiation and Sustainability
- INTD 3021.03 Communicating Development and Environment: Critical Debates and Alternative Strategies
Courses that are cross-listed with Certificate courses are equivalent and may be taken for the Certificate.
Certificate Learning Outcomes
A student who completes the Certificate in Communicating Sustainability will be able to:
- Demonstrate a working knowledge of contemporary sustainability challenges and problem-solving approaches.
- Understand the theoretical and analytic frameworks of communication and apply these to existing sustainability communications.
- Effectively communicate sustainability concepts, issues and opportunities to a variety of audiences, including those familiar with sustainability and those new to the topic.
- Conceive, develop and refine effective sustainability communications in a variety of media, from conception through to delivery to an audience.
- Understand the goals, characteristics, the ethical principles and practices of both journalistic and academic expression.
- Conduct analysis of sustainability stories and communications strategies to discern fact, opinion, evidence, media frames,intentions and effects.
- Analyze and debate diverse views on sustainability issues and to communicate these to a wider audience.
- Develop constructive conflict and compromise skills in negotiating sustainability issues.
- Develop practical writing skills: media release, news article, longer-form popular academic-based article, journalism, policy writing.
- Develop non-textual media skills: video/audio presentations, podcasts, social media posts, posters, infographics, visual arts.
- Develop oral communication skills, as both communicator and listener: presentations, pitches, formal negotiations, lobbying, mediation, and debate.
- Articulate the value of learning and implementing sustainability communication skills for (a) personal development and (b) sustainability-related goals that span disciplines and fields.
About the College of Sustainability
Dalhousie University’s College of Sustainability is a leader in post-secondary sustainability education, the first of its kind in Canada. The curriculum provides an interdisciplinary, student-focused forum for collaborative teaching and learning driven by the pressing concerns of our time. The faculty in our ESS program are drawn from across the academic spectrum.
Contact: Kaarin Tae, ESS Academic Advisor. ess.advising@dal.ca