The Ecological Design Certificate is a design-based, interdisciplinary program focused on the development of a practical framework for the integration of the built environment with local and region specific natural systems.

This certificate is available to all graduate students within the College of Design.

Participating students are challenged to develop an in-depth understanding of the relationships between ecological processes, issues of cultural and social sustainability, and urban development and form, and how allied design and planning disciplines approach these relationships. Students will acquire a theoretical and pragmatic basis to carry these understandings into the world of practice.

The Ecological Design Certificate Program provides explicit curricular structure in ecologically sensitive design, encouraging students to develop an ecologically based design awareness, solidifying the commitment of the University to interdisciplinary inquiry, and upholding its capacity for leadership in the field.

A minimum of 24 credits is required. Twelve of the 24 credits may be used to fulfill master of architecture requirements. Due to resource availability, most of these courses must be completed at the Eugene campus.

All students pursuing graduate certificates along with their graduate degree programs must complete the Declaration of Graduate Certificate form. It must be submitted to the Division of Graduate Studies within one term after admission to the certificate program. The School of Architecture & Environment Manager of Student Services can assist students in signing and sending this form to the Division of Graduate Studies.

Because of the additional credits required, and because of variability in course scheduling, completing the Ecological Design Certification may require additional terms of enrollment and extra time to graduation.

Certificate Requirements (24 Credits)

Students working toward the Ecological Design Certificate must complete a minimum of 24 credits in approved ecological design subject courses.

Foundation Course series: 11–12 Credits
Students must take three Foundation Courses and cannot include the Foundation Course from their home department to satisfy this requirement.

Foundation courses include:

Course Electives: 12–13 additional credits must be completed from the Approved Course Electives, which provide a platform for a cohesive focus in ecological design. At least one elective course must be taken outside of the student’s home department. (Note: A course in the foundation list that is not used as such and is outside the student’s home department can be used as an elective.)

Seminar topics and Experimental courses (507 and 510) may change, and it is recognized that while some of the courses indicated as Electives below may not be offered every year, other relevant courses may be offered. The faculty advisor determines when a course not included in this proposal may be applied toward the completion of the certificate.

Elective courses include: