Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Design
A degree that combines creativity, systems thinking, and sustainability to solve real-world challenges.
→ Follow a Unique, Interdisciplinary Path
→ Gain Skills for Real Impact
→ Shape a More Sustainable Future
What is the Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Design?
The Sustainable Design Program incorporates design, architecture, landscape architecture, and urban and regional planning to address the places, things, systems, and policies needed to help solve problems in a sustainable society. Students follow an innovative, interdisciplinary, and unique course of study that prepares them for jobs in the public or private sector, or to continue their education in a variety of graduate programs.
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The semester has begun. Let`s go! 🎉
The last day to drop a full-semester course is the 10th day of classes, September 4.
➡ You may modify your schedule or change a course or section until the 10th day of classes. Have questions? Contact your advisor at sustaindesign@illinois.edu.
➡ Study Abroad and Study Away scholarships are available now!
Whether you`re planning a semester abroad or a short-term trip over fall, winter, or spring break, or in early summer, you may be eligible for I4I and IIP funding.
✨ Apply for financial aid before committing to a class!
➡ Applying for or already admitted to a semester abroad?
Apply for the FAA Scholarship for Study Abroad by September 15!
https://studyabroad.illinois.edu/.../costs.../colleges/
➡ Bates Scholarship Fund for FAA Continuing Student Success applications are open. Have you experienced an unforeseen financial setback? Apply for a Bates Scholarship of up to $1,000 to support your continued studies.
To be eligible to apply for the fund, you must:
➡Be enrolled as a continuing FAA student.
➡Be registered for at least 12 credit hours during the semester for which the funds would apply.
➡Provide a statement detailing your unforeseen financial difficulties.
➡Be in good academic standing with a minimum GPA of 2.0.
Application Process:
Students should complete the Bates Scholarship Fund online application. This form will be available during the first three weeks of the term.
https://go.illinois.edu/FAAFund
Welcome back BSSD students! We hope your summer was relaxing, fun, and full of great memories. Now it’s time to kick off a new semester, let’s get back to business!
Welcome New Sustainable Designers! We had a wonderful day of welcoming events! From the New Student Convocation, to the college welcome, on to the BSSD tour of Grind 2 Energy at ISR and back to the office to learn about study away and other opportunities. We are so happy to join with faculty, staff and other students to welcome you to campus!
Thank you to super star students, Ethan, Xenia, Jenesse and Victoria for sharing your stories of travel and research in Casa Pueblo, Japan, building your own opportunities and connecting with community through your sustainability courses. There are bright futures ahead!
Welcome new students and welcome back to everyone returning. We can’t wait to see you all soon.
#sustainabledesign #sustainability #studyabroad #faa
As we approach the new academic year, we want to shine a spotlight on some of our BSSD students and the internships they took part in this summer!
First up, meet Aaliyah Murphy, who interned at the Metropolitan Museum of Art!
Congratulations Aaliyah on this opportunity!
Let’s hear about it! —>
BSSD: Tell us about your internship!
AM: This summer, I had the opportunity to intern at The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) within the Buildings Department. My internship focused on an Embodied Carbon Study at The Met Cloisters, where I was brought in as an expert in sustainability to help evaluate the environmental impact of materials and building decisions. I worked alongside department leaders to help reshape how sustainability is approached within the museum, bringing a sustainability-focused perspective to challenges, projects, and future decision-making.
BSSD: How has the BSSD program prepared you for this role?
AM: Majoring in Sustainable Design is what truly prepared me for this internship and gave me a strong foundation in sustainability within architecture. Through courses in architecture, landscape architecture, industrial design, urban planning, and sustainability, I have developed a unique perspective on how to approach sustainability-related challenges across different disciplines. The flexibility of my degree has helped me grow as both a developing architect and a professional in the field.
BSSD: Do you have a dream job or role you hope to play in the future? If in any way, how did your internship connect to that dream job or role?
AM: My dream role is to become an Architectural Designer with a sustainability focus, creating spaces that center community and help revitalize neighborhoods. This internship allowed me to gain experience understanding sustainability and how carbon emissions impact buildings on a larger scale, especially within museums.
Working at The Met was an incredible experience because I had the opportunity to learn from architects and exhibition designers while seeing how spaces are intentionally designed around the visitor experience. Exhibitions are created to help people interact with art, and I loved seeing how des
Sustainable Design New Student Welcome
You`re invited to the Sustainable Design New Student Welcome! We`ll meet in the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts (KCPA) lobby immediately after the Arts at Illinois New Student Welcome. See below for more details about the afternoon`s activities. We can`t wait to welcome you to the Sustainable Design community!
📅 Friday, August 21
🕒 3 - 5 PM
📍 Meet in KCPA lobby
As we gear up for the new school year, we’re excited to welcome back our creative, passionate, and ever-inspiring Sustainable Design students!
Whether designing products or buildings, communities or landscapes, every B.S. Sustainable Design major uniquely blends their interests and the breath of skills they develop in the program to build the future they want to see.
With the BSSD Opportunity Scholarship, awardee Julia Konrath completed her LEED Certification this spring! The scholarship supports Sustainable Design students pursuing ambitious academic or professional projects that would otherwise be cost-prohibitive.
BSSD: Tell us about your project.
JK: With the Opportunity Scholarship, I was able to purchase a study package to strengthen my foundation in LEED and to prepare for the LEED GA exam. I completed the course that included a textbook, flashcards, and full-length exams that built my confidence in LEED concepts. I passed the LEED GA exam in April 2026 and I am now confident to apply green building principles in my future projects and jobs.
BSSD: How has the BSSD Opportunity Scholarship supported your academic or professional development?
JK: The BSSD Opportunity Scholarship made it possible for me to complete the LEED Green Associate credential while working towards my Sustainable Design degree. By reducing financial pressure of purchasing the study materials, the scholarship allowed me to dedicate time to studying, take practice exams, and cover the cost of the test. The support brought me confidence in understanding green building principles and seeking professional opportunities in renewable energy systems. I hope to become a sustainability consultant, and the Opportunity Scholarship made me confident in reaching that goal.
BSSD: What are your future goals or plans for the project?
JK: Earning my Leed Green Associate credential is a step toward my professional goal of becoming a sustainability consultant specializing in renewable energy systems. I plan to apply my LEED knowledge and credentials to local projects, deepen my understanding of low-carbon strategies, and help produce high-performing systems. I hope to help organizations and companies become more resilient, efficient, and climate-positive by applying renewable solutions into the built environment.
Congratulations Julia!
Today we are featuring awardee Elise Koch and the fabrication of her walnut coffee table made in the course ARCH 410. Elise is one of 6 recipients of the Spring 2026 BSSD Opportunity Scholarship, an award that supports Sustainable Design majors pursuing ambitious academic or professional projects that would otherwise be cost-prohibitive.
BSSD: Tell us about your project.
EK: I created a walnut coffee table with inlay butterflies and a collapsible base. I finished it with walnut oil, shellac, and polycrylic, and it is ready for its full and beautiful life ahead!
BSSD: How has the BSSD Opportunity Scholarship supported your academic or professional development?
EK: Without this scholarship, I wouldn`t have been able to take risks and discover the beauty of a hobby that produces beautiful objects and changes the creator along the way. I`ve so enjoyed learning the art of woodworking and this scholarship made the process stress free as new issues arose and I rushed to fix them.
As I continue my creative work, the ability to present my projects in different mediums will help me communicate goals and visions for projects more effectively... With the skills learned from making this furniture piece, I will be able to take it into my future work as a planner. That could look like drafting design solutions for public space, building them myself, or having a greater understanding of all elements in a proposal.
Congratulations Elise!
