Expert faculty teach students in the Master of Arts in sustainability and development program to solve real-world issues.

Graduate programs

Master’s in sustainability and development

Sustainable solutions with global impact.

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Program format

In-person and online

Commitment

Full time or part time

Duration

Two years

Overview

SMU Lyle’s M.A. in sustainability and development helps students develop the skills to support change for good in the global environment through design, data and community. This boutique master’s program integrates engineering skills, community participation and creative design-thinking to implement real-life solutions. Advanced expertise in developing innovative, sustainable solutions and measuring their impact is more sought after by employers than ever, and SMU Lyle prepares graduates to enter the field as leaders.

With a curriculum designed by expert faculty and experienced industry professionals, students benefit from a program rooted in real-world considerations. Developed with working professionals in mind, students have the opportunity to pursue their degree in-person or online.

Specializations

Global development and design

Infrastructural, social, spatial and political systems invite creative design solutions for new ways in which global cities can serve as resilient ecological structures.

Sustainable management

Integrating sustainable approaches to strategic management and policy and building skills to lead organizations and citizens in pursuit of sustainable outcomes.

Climate-smart inclusive economic development

Explores climate-smart inclusive economic development through the lens of global resource utilization and its four pillars: economic, social, environmental and governance.

Environmental justice

Focused on the environmental impact of infrastructure and pollution and ways that it has had a disproportionate effect on minorities and communities in poverty.

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Student success

Our graduates consistently secure positions at leading companies and organizations in private and public sectors. SMU sustainability and development master’s students move to leadership positions as sustainability experts within a range of fields, profiting from the practical and hands-on focus of the course.

This program prepares you to excel in the following areas and professions:

  • Sustainability management
  • Environmental consulting
  • Global development
  • Environmental education and outreach
  • Corporate sustainability leadership
  • Public policy
  • Urban planning
  • Supply chain sustainability

Top 20%

Best National Universities

U.S. News & World Report (2026)

9:1

Graduate student-to-faculty ratio

26%

of Lyle Engineering graduate students are women

Student stories

Tania Cuff and Mom near her hometown in the Peruvian Andes.

Finding efficiency everywhere

Tania Caldua ’23, ’24 started her career in the culinary arts. Time spent considering restaurant efficiencies inspired her to pursue management science.

George Opudo chose Lyle School of Engineering to learn about sustainable communities

George Opudo ’24

“My vision is to build self-sustaining communities that raise standards of living in areas of need around the globe.”

Admissions

Deadlines and details

Key dates and admissions information to help plan your application with confidence.

International students

All the essential admission requirements international students need to know.

Application questions

Find answers to Lyle application questions.

Additional links

Requirements

  1. Application
  2. Application fee
  3. Official transcripts
  4. English language proficiency documentation (if applicable)

All applications are holistically reviewed.

View all requirements

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Tuition and financial aid

Tuition and costs

Explore the cost breakdown of tuition for graduate programs.

Financial aid

Find information on scholarships and financial support available at SMU.

Curriculum and learning

Featured courses

CEE 7306

Sustainable Urban Development and Design

The classroom is the research base for an actual sustainable development and design project. The work builds on an immersion into primary historical texts of sustainable urban development.

CEE 7307

Infrastructure Design for the Developing World

This class examines engineering design in the absence of key resources such as construction material, water and electricity.

CEE 7301

Climate-Smart Inclusive Economic Development

This course will provide an understanding of sustainable, inclusive economic development (SIED) through the lens of global resource utilization.

View course catalog

Outside the classroom

  • Centers and institutes

    Grow as an engineer with collectives that promote leadership, innovation and entrepreneurship.

  • Maria Murad with friends in Jordan

    Internships

    Get practical experience to develop industry skills, build a professional network and gain valuable insights. Internships can open doors to future opportunities and contribute to long-term career success.

  • Clubs and organizations

    Explore interests, develop leadership skills and connect with like-minded peers.

  • SMU students working with plants at Bontham Family Farms

    Community engagement

    Apply your classroom knowledge to real-world issues while making a positive impact.

Research

Participate in graduate research opportunities and tackle complex development questions in Dallas and around the world in pursuit of sustainable outcomes for communities, economies and the built environment. The sustainability and development M.A. is a fully site-based and project-based program; students participate in projects and research with stakeholders throughout.

Lyle students and faculty perform research that has global implications, taking advantage of state-of-the-art facilities and funding from government agencies, foundations and private companies. 

Faculty

Our distinguished faculty are industry leaders and subject matter experts, bringing real-world experience and industry insights to the classroom. SMU Lyle maintains small class sizes, allowing students to develop meaningful mentorships with their professors.

 

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Dr Usama El Shamy

Usama El Shamy, Ph.D.

Professor and Interim Department Chair of Civil & Environmental Engineering

davila carlos

Khaled Abdelghany, Ph.D.

Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering
Headshot of Professor Ali Dogru of SMU Lyle.

Ali H. Dogru, Ph.D.

Herman Brown Chair of Mechanical Engineering Professor of Mechanical Engineering…
Headshot of Professor Easton John, PH.D. of SMU Lyle.

John Easton, Ph.D.

Assistant Provost for Student Academic Engagement and Success Assistant Athletic…
Headshot of Monika U. Ehrman, faculty member at SMU Dedman School of Law.

Monika U. Ehrman

Professor of Law Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering (by Courtesy)

Halit Uster Headshot

Halit Uster, Ph.D.

Fellow, Hunt Institute for Engineering and Humanity Professor of Operations Research &…
Headshot of Zhong Lu, a member of the Lyle School of Engineering faculty

Zhong Lu

Shuler-Foscue Chair Professor of Earth Sciences Professor of Civil & Environmental…
Headshot of Nicos Makris, Ph.D of SMU Lyle.

Nicos Makris, Ph.D.

Addy Family Centennial Professor in Civil Engineering Professor of Civil & Environmental …
Barbara Minsker

Barbara E. Minsker, Ph.D, P.E.

Bobby B. Lyle Endowed Professor of Leadership & Global Entrepreneurship Senior Fellow in …
Headshot of Reza Moghimi, Ph.D. of SMU Lyle.

Reza Moghimi, Ph.D.

Clinical Assistant Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering
A headshot of Andrew Quicksall, a member of the Lyle School of Engineering Faculty

Andrew Quicksall

Associate Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering
Headshot of Professor Saeed Salehi of SMU lyle.

Saeed Salehi, Ph.D.

Herman Brown Chair of Mechanical Engineering Professor of Mechanical Engineering…
Janille Smith-Colin headshot

Janille Smith-Colin, Ph.D., P.E.

Associate Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering
Kate Smits headshot

Kate Smits, Ph.D, P.E.

Solomon Professor for Global Development Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering
Brett Story headshot

Brett A. Story, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering
Dr. Zarazaga

Jessie Marshall Zarazaga, Ph.D., RIBA, LeedAP

Clinical Associate Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering Director of…

Facilities

SMU Lyle students have access to state-of-the-art facilities where they can conduct research, meet with industry leaders and gain skills on new and established technologies. 

Lyle Civil Engineering graduate students work with nonprofits, businesses and government to solve challenges.

Hunt Institute for Engineering and Humanity

A national and international hub partnering with business leaders, academia, NGOs and government to develop solutions for local and global challenges. 

SMU Lyle Engineering students build prototypes in the Deason Innovation Gym, aka The DIG

Deason Innovation Gym

The Deason Innovation Gym (the DIG) provides the tools and space to work on immersion design projects to accelerate learning, innovation and leadership. Get trained on 3D printers, power tools, metal shop machines and more.

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Frequently asked questions

A master’s in sustainability and development can help accelerate your career by providing technical specializations, leadership skills and industry connections. Graduates from multiple backgrounds including engineering, finance, design, government, social and earth sciences move to leadership positions as sustainability experts within a range of fields, profiting from the practical and hands-on focus of the course.

Students can personalize their degree plan and conduct independent project-based sustainability research that serves their academic and professional goals. Graduates move to leadership positions as sustainability experts within a range of fields in both the public and private sectors.

While an environmental engineering master’s degree focuses on technological and management-oriented solutions to environmental problems while broadly addressing the fundamental science and regulatory aspects of the field, our Master of Arts in sustainable development is a largely project-based and stakeholder focused educational model rooted in community participation and creative design-thinking as a methodology to implementing real-life solutions. 

SMU’s M.A. in sustainability and development can be completed within two years. However, the program is highly flexible and individually constructed. All sustainability and development courses can be taken in-person or remotely. Most are evening format for working students. Fully flexible, the program allows students to move in and out of full-time study and participate in internships and research. Each student develops an individual degree plan in their future specialty.

2024 graduates of SMU’s sustainability and development master’s degree had an average starting salary of $85,000. Salaries for this degree indicate positive growth potential, as the average salary for someone with a master’s in sustainability is $122,624 per year according to ZipRecruiter.

Yes, the sustainable design and leadership skills students hone in SMU’s sustainability and development M.A. are directly applicable to roles in ESG, climate policy and corporate sustainability. Courses such as Sustainable Urban Development and Design, Design for Sustainable Buildings and Infrastructure, Climate-Smart Inclusive Economic Development, Defining the Future of Global Sustainability and Leadership in the Development Sector prepare students to grapple with challenging policy issues and corporate strategy. 

Students develop and lead their own research projects, apply creative solutions and engineering principles to small- and large-scale development roadblocks, and refine their leadership skills as they thoughtfully conduct capstone projects within communities. These experiences translate to essential project and people management skills in both academic and professional careers. 

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