This major focuses on the development and implementation of policies that help communities meet the needs of the present without compromising the future. You will become prepared to lead and manage sustainability efforts in government, nonprofits, and businesses. You will learn to identify problems, address sustainability issues, and bring real change to communities and companies.
Skills and abilities this major develops: strategic planning, critical thinking, leadership, and research.
Regardless of your major or future career, engaged learning is vital to your present and future. It makes you more marketable for jobs and professional schools upon graduation, it enables you to build deeper connections with faculty and staff in your field of study, and it makes your learning personal by connecting your interests and values with the curriculum from your classes. Check out the three ideas below for places to get started, or learn more at IU Indianapolis’s Institute for Engaged Learning website.
Employment of environmental scientists and specialists is projected to grow 7% from 2023 to 2033, faster than the average for all occupations. About 8,500 openings for environmental scientists and specialists are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as retirement (Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024).
According to the IUPUI (now called IU Indianapolis) First Destination Survey in 2023, the average starting salary reported for O'Neill graduates was $48,197, and the median salary was $47,300.
The national median annual salary for environmental scientists and specialists was $78,980 in 2023 (Occupational Outlook Handbook).
(This section is intended for informational purposes, not prediction of actual salary.)
Sustainability management majors often pursue advanced degrees in the following areas:
*This career requires additional training or education.
IInvestigative
EEnterprising
AArtistic
This major is part of the Enterprise, Policy, and Planning (EPP) cluster. The EPP cluster is the academic home of University College students pursuing or interested in business; economics; labor studies; organizational leadership; public and environmental affairs; sport management; and tourism, conventions, and event management.
