波士顿建筑学院

Our built environment consumes the majority of the energy and resources we use as a society; it is imperative that we design and implement approaches and practices of spatial design that cease to degrade the natural systems upon which we rely. The Master of Design Studies in Sustainable Design is a 4-semester degree that teaches students the current practices, processes and materials with which a sustainable built environment can be realized. The BAC is a national leader in online sustainable design education and the curriculum is built around whole systems thinking-the philosophy that design of the built environment should be engaged with the larger systems of nature and society.

The core curriculum covers subjects ranging from sustainable regional and community planning, healthy and green building design, sustainable policy and advocacy. With a large suite of elective course offerings, the program is highly customizable, examining energy and resource use, water and air quality and healthy materials, preservation, construction management and land use. The thesis sequence allows students to explore an independent design or research project related to their specific area of interest and their career goals.

The Master of Design Studies is delivered in an innovative distance format that allows students to work full time while they study. The BAC uses a range of digital tools to support and enhance online learning, including Skype, VoiceThread, and WebEx desktop sharing. Students can study from anywhere in the world, working at their own pace and on their own schedule.

Students contribute to a vital online studio culture, exchanging comments and critiques with colleagues, working together on projects, and supporting each other throughout the program. Students can continue to advance their careers while earning their master's degree, and their professional work informs their studies as their coursework feeds their professional growth.

The low-residency/online format of the BAC's Sustainable Design master's degree enables it to be completed in four semesters. The program allows flexibility in scheduling online electives to allow room for work and other demands.

Included in the degree is a thesis project that connects theory and practice through mentored research and design.

Students may choose to develop a building, landscape or interior design project. Others focus on a research, policy or business interest. The result is an educational experience that establishes a foundation of knowledge for launching a career in sustainable design.

A course in leadership is included in the final semester in which students select an "opportunity scenario" from their professional lives and are coached in addressing this scenario with skills of leadership developed in the program.