With rampant career opportunities related to sustainability initiatives expected in Canada over the next few years, a new online graduate certificate in sustainability at the University of Alberta aims to equip students with the knowledge and skills to tackle some of the most urgent challenges facing our planet.
This first-of-its-kind certificate program in Canada offers hands-on projects and case studies to allow learners to lead and measure sustainability solutions for governments, industries and communities, using data science and artificial intelligence. The U of A ranks eighth in the world and second in Canada for its impact on global sustainability.
“Canada’s sustainable future depends on leaders who can drive change from city halls, boardrooms and community halls,” explains Robert Summers, director of the U of A’s Sustainability Council. “This program empowers professionals to move from ambition to action with the knowledge and tools needed to make sustainability work in practice.”
Summers notes the program is ideal for working professionals, entrepreneurs and community leaders developing environmental, social and governance projects — an area that has seen a 231 per cent increase in job postings in 2025 compared with the previous year.
The certificate program is offered through the College of Natural and Applied Sciences, with the faculties of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences and Science. Applications close Dec. 5, 2025, and the first cohort is set to begin in January 2026.