N.C. A&T creates graduate level Interdisciplinary Environmental Certificate Program

EAST GREENSBORO - (Sept. 8, 2020) The Graduate College at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University has created a graduate level interdisciplinary certificate program focused on training students to find solutions to contemporary environmental issues, including issues associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Interdisciplinary Graduate Environmental Certificate Program combines the skills of faculty in five colleges, led by program director Godfrey Uzochukwu, Ph.D., of the Interdisciplinary Waste Management Institute in the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. Other program steering committee members/coordinators include Alesia Ferguson, Ph.D. (College of Science and Technology); Michael Atkinson, Ph.D., Omar Basha, Ph.D., and Renzun Zhao, Ph.D. (College of Engineering); George Robinson, Ph.D. (College of Health and Human Sciences); Gregory Goins, Ph.D., and Godfrey Ejimakor, Ph.D. (College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences). The lead college is Agriculture and Environmental Sciences under Dean Mohamed Ahmedna.

The graduate certificate program will also provide tools for dealing with post-COVID 19 issues in the areas of infrastructure; air quality, water quality and soil quality; protection of food systems; health and safety issues; risk assessment and social and environmental justice dynamics.

The program is comprised of four certificates:

• The Interdisciplinary Graduate Environmental Engineering Certificate (IEEC) teaches the technical skills needed to solve infrastructure issues and knowledge of mathematical modeling for systems;
• The Interdisciplinary Graduate Environmental Sciences Certificate (IESC) gives students understanding of environmental regulations, risk assessment and environmental impacts on humans and a knowledge of pollutant measurements and interpretations;
• The Interdisciplinary Graduate Environmental Justice Certificate (IEJC) facilitates students’ understanding of social justice dynamics and public policies that impact environmental decision making, including ethical considerations;
• The Interdisciplinary Graduate Environmental Health and Safety Certificate (IEHC) students learn health and safety challenges in the workplace, home and public spaces; controls for chemical, physical and biological hazards, and the toxicological impacts of exposure to them; and environmental regulations.

“The program is relevant now and demand for workers is high because of COVID-19 and emerging environmental and health issues,” said Uzochukwu. “We wanted to provide another way for B.A. and B.S. graduates to acquire new skills for professional growth without worrying about spending two or more years in school.” 

The program is available to B.A. and B.S. graduates and graduating seniors. Certificate program graduates will earn 15 credit hours which may be applied to a master’s degree in that respective discipline.

For more information, visit https://www.ncat.edu/provost/academic-affairs/wmi/iecp/index.php, email uzo@ncat.edu or call 336-285-4866.