Although New Hampshire is a small state, we’ve got some big problems when it comes to environmental sustainability. Our water supply and sewage infrastructure is stretched to unsustainable levels, and our otherwise plentiful freshwater is threatened by pollution far out of proportion to our population.
But another thing we have is a top-notch university system capable of training students to become exactly the kind of sustainability professionals that are needed right now to deal with these problems. And taking advantage of that may be our best hope for the future.
The expertise shows: in 2018, our air pollution levels were found to have been reduced between 70 percent and 90 percent from their 1990 highs. It’s the result of the combined efforts of environmental regulators and industry experts, all of them working together for a more sustainable New Hampshire.
Sustainability Jobs Available in New Hampshire With the Right Degree
New Hampshire has something of an undeserved reputation for being a rustic skiing and hiking spot that’s just there for the rest of the East Coast to visit on vacation. Make no mistake – there are high-paying, high-tech sustainability jobs here, including with the BAE Systems semiconductor wafer foundry in Nashua. Dealing with toxic materials in an environment where nanometer-precise fabrication tooling is taking place is no job for the under-educated, and you can get a strong leg up over the competition with the right degree.
Of course, New Hampshire is also home to plenty of the more traditional environmental sustainability demands, which are creating positions throughout the state, including at universities conducting research in the field, with timber and manufacturing companies, or with state agencies handling planning and compliance.
Master’s in Sustainability Available Through Schools in New Hampshire
The University of New Hampshire system is responsible for five different institutions throughout the state and is the go-to solution for students studying sustainability in a variety of different areas.
Sustainable Development and Policy
The University of New Hampshire’s Carsey School of Public Policy in Durham sets you up with a double dip into sustainable development and sustainability policy with a Master of Arts in Community Development Policy and Practice. Dealing with both the practical and the political aspects of community planning and leadership, a year-long capstone project puts the finishing touch on a superlative education.
Business
Southern New Hampshire University has a terrific option for students who have a green streak that extends to both business and the environment; their Master of Business Administration degree with a concentration in Sustainability and Environmental Compliance gives you a high-level strategic perspective on running ecologically-sound businesses in today’s complex commercial world.
Technology
UNH also offers a Master of Science in Civil Engineering that has an Environmental focus area that can take you into diverse topics such as drinking water treatment, coastal response programs, and storm and wastewater capture and treatment techniques. Working with regional partners, the research performed here as part of this program will give you a window into real-world challenges and solutions in sustainability technology.
Sustainability Bachelor Degree Programs in New Hampshire
To get started on a master’s degree, you need the right grounding in your four-year degree first. New Hampshire schools can cover your bases there, too, like New England College, in Henniker, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Studies and Sustainability. The program has a variety of interesting internship opportunities alongside analytical courses and research projects that can prepare you to advance into almost any sustainability field after graduation.
Online Sustainability Degrees Offered Through Schools in New Hampshire
In sustainability, just like any other hot field today, the option to earn your degree through remote studies is extremely attractive. Particularly if you are aiming at a master’s degree, it’s likely you already have a career, a place of your own to live, and maybe even a family you would rather not uproot just to move somewhere for two years for graduate school.
Antioch University of New England can do away with all those worries with their Master of Education, Educating for Sustainability concentration. Aimed at current education professionals looking to expand their portfolio or deepen their expertise, the degree provides the credentials you need to become a leader in the sustainability field.
