Community Sustainability (Master's) at Michigan State University

Programme overview

The MS in Community Sustainability offers integrated and applied research and professional skills for students interested in community sustainability in domestic or international contexts. Plan A emphasises integrated, applied research as a foundation for doctoral study, while Plan B focuses on well-defined professional skills for a terminal degree and professional employment.

Faculty: College of Agriculture and Natural Resources | Department: Department of Community Sustainability | Duration: 30 credits minimum (Plan A thesis or Plan B non-thesis) | Study mode: full-time | Location: East Lansing, MI, United States

What you will study

All students take CSUS 800, 801 and 802 (9 credits) and at least 12 credits in a focus area, at least 6 of them in CSUS courses. Plan A adds at least 3 credits of research methods, 6 credits of CSUS 899 and a thesis defence; Plan B adds a skill-building course, 3 further focus-area credits and at least 3 credits of CSUS 898 professional project with a public defence. Department themes include community food and agricultural systems, natural resources, tourism and recreation, education and civic engagement, and international development.

Career pathways

Plan B is designed for professional employment; Plan A prepares for doctoral study.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Bachelor's degree or comparable degree requirements from an educational institution. Relevant experience and strong academic backgrounds in the natural, physical or social sciences are encouraged. Collateral courses may be required to address deficiencies and do not count toward the degree. Students may not be admitted to both this MS and the MS in Sustainable Tourism and Protected Area Management.

Tuition is charged per credit, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

Graduate applicants can start in fall (late August), spring (January) or summer (May) in the MPH programme; intake terms for other graduate programmes are set by each department or program.

The graduate application fee is $75 for domestic and international applicants, with one fee per application; applicants may submit up to two applications to different graduate majors per semester. Applications are reviewed by the department or program, which sets its own deadlines.

MPH application deadlines (SOPHAS completion): fall May 18, spring October 18, summer February 15; MSU supplemental application: fall June 1, spring November 1, summer March 1.

Apply through the official page: https://admissions.msu.edu/apply/graduate-students

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