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Education

The education component of the mission at the Paula M. Trienens Institute for Sustainability and Energy includes undergraduate and graduate course offerings on the topics of sustainability and energy. The Institute offers a one-year professional degree – the MS in Energy & Sustainability – in collaboration with the McCormick School or Engineering, along with an undergraduate certificate program available to any BA/BS student.

The Institute's unique, interdisciplinary approach to education involves team teaching, drawing faculty from a variety of schools at the University. Institute courses attract students throughout the University, from the physical sciences and engineering to journalism, the social sciences, music, business, and communication.

In addition to the Trienens Institute courses offered at the undergraduate and graduate levels, the Institute keeps a comprehensive catalog of approximately 150 energy and sustainability-related classes at the University.

Explore courses

The Trienens Institute has been central to my Northwestern experience, both as a student and an alum. I am lucky to have worked with and for Trienens in my coursework, research, study abroad, and extracurriculars.”

Mark Silberg, WCAS '14
Founder and Executive Director, Spark Clean Energy

Master of Science in Energy and Sustainability (MSES)

Training the Next Generation of Energy and Sustainability Leaders

Northwestern University’s Master of Science in Energy and Sustainability (MSES) is a one-year, terminal, cohort-based master of science degree, combining academic rigor with real-world experience.

Learn about MSES

Undergraduate Certificate

Sustainability and Energy Undergraduate Certificate

The Sustainability and Energy undergraduate certificate provides a means for Northwestern students to pursue interdisciplinary instruction in the increasingly important areas of sustainability and energy during their undergraduate coursework, while signaling broad topic proficiency to potential future employers.

Learn more about the undergraduate certificate