Applied Sustainability Major
The way we think about the environment can't be separated from the way we think about people, and vice versa. Learn the skills to cultivate a career in a growing field.
Build Career-Ready Skills for Today’s Fastest-Growing Green Economy Jobs
Companies across every industry are investing in sustainability initiatives, creating growing demand for professionals who can combine environmental expertise with business skills.
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What is Applied Sustainability?
Applied Sustainability combines environmental expertise with business skills to help organizations reduce their environmental impact while improving their bottom line. With the green economy growing rapidly, professionals who can implement practical sustainability solutions are in high demand across corporate, government, and nonprofit sectors.
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Why study Applied Sustainability at Champlain?
At Champlain, you start gaining marketable sustainability skills immediately with our Upside-Down curriculum. While students at other colleges are still taking general education courses, you’ll already be:
- Working on real sustainability projects with actual organizations
- Building professional skills that employers value right now
- Connecting with industry professionals who can help your career
- Creating solutions to environmental challenges that showcase your abilities
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that sustainability careers are “vast” and growing rapidly. Our program prepares you for this expanding job market by focusing on the specific skills businesses need to meet their sustainability goals and requirements.
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What will I learn studying Applied Sustainability?
By the time you graduate, you will…
- Apply practical environmental solutions – Implement sustainability strategies that work in real-world settings
- Use data to drive decisions – Analyze environmental metrics that organizations need for compliance and planning
- Develop business-ready solutions – Create sustainability initiatives that balance environmental impact with economic realities
- Master effective communication – Present sustainability plans that gain stakeholder support
- Lead cross-functional teams – Coordinate diverse experts to achieve sustainability goals
Different By Design
Real-World Applications
Learn by doing in Burlington—one of America’s greenest cities—where you’ll get hands-on experience with cutting-edge sustainability practices used by leading organizations.
Career-Focused Specializations
Customize your degree with high-demand concentrations like Data Science for Sustainability, Environmental Policy or Reinventing Business Through Sustainability—giving you specialized skills employers are actively recruiting for.
Industry Connections
Work directly with sustainability professionals through internships, projects, and networking events that often lead directly to job offers before graduation.
Facts & Stats
Projected increase in environmental specialist jobs through 2032, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics—much faster than average for all occupations.
The average salary for a Sustainability Director is $120,442 in 2025 according to Payscale.com.
Funds established by the Sustainable Initiatives Fund in 2013 to invest in proposals and projects that support energy efficiency, renewable energy, and other sustainability efforts at Champlain College.
Sample Courses in the Applied Sustainability Major
Our program is designed to provide immediate skills while building toward career advancement in this growing field.
Your Career Outlook
With a Champlain Applied Sustainability degree, you’ll be prepared for in-demand roles such as:
- Corporate Sustainability Manager
- Environmental Compliance Specialist
- Green Product Developer
- Energy Efficiency Consultant
- Sustainability Communications Specialist
- ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) Analyst
- Urban Planning Technician
A Leader Among Green Colleges
Year after year, the Princeton Review includes Champlain College on its Guide to Green Colleges list. Through Sustain Champlain, you’ll find many ways to get involved on campus and in the community. You can take care of bees in our campus apiary, grow vegetables in the community garden, and find all kinds of volunteer work both on and off campus.
You might also be interested in these…
Based on your interest in the Applied Sustainability major, we thought you also might like to check out these other academic programs and opportunities.
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Majors
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Digital Humanities Major (BS)
Be a digital pioneer. Bring the fullness of your human self to the study of emerging technology, including Artificial Intelligence, and make sure the digital future is humane as well as human.
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Minors
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Data Analytics Minor
The collection and analysis of data is one of the largest markets in the world. Learn how to analyze, manipulate, and integrate this data successfully and become part of the data-driven marketplace.
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Social Justice Minor
See your work through the lens of social justice. Learn how social, economic, and political issues influence each other and affect an individual’s or community’s essential rights.
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Areas of Study
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Business & Analytics
Drive change at the intersection of information and impact with one of these majors.
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Humanities & the Sciences
The born educator, the team player, the change maker, the advocate. Which of these human-centered majors fits you career goals?
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Individualized Studies & Undeclared
Learn what you love, and love what you learn with one of these professional pathways.
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Social Innovation
Want to uphold a system of justice through meaningful public service? Check out these majors that revolve around “doing good.”
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More Inside Applied Sustainability Major
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Overview
The way we think about the environment can't be separated from the way we think about people, and vice versa. Learn the skills to cultivate a career in a growing field.
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Curriculum
Your career in applied sustainability begins now with Champlain’s Upside-Down Curriculum. Discover the difference that doing on day one has on your success.
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Faculty
Our Applied Sustainability faculty go above and beyond to inspire your curiosity, learning, and growth. Small class sizes foster personal connections and mastery.
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Learning Outcomes
Students who complete Champlain's Applied Sustainability program will gain the skills and competencies they need to be successful in the field.