Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Design
Incorporating the disciplines of design, architecture, landscape architecture, and urban and regional planning, the Sustainable Design major focuses on the places, things, systems, and policies needed to help solve problems in a sustainable society.
Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Design
The College of Fine and Applied Arts recognized a unique opportunity to draw on the expertise from across the college to create a new degree program: the Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Design. Incorporating the disciplines of design, architecture, landscape architecture, and urban and regional planning, this undergraduate major will focus on the places, things, systems, and policies needed to help solve problems in a sustainable society. Through a combination of existing and newly developed classes, students will experience an innovative, interdisciplinary, and unique course of study that will prepare them to enter jobs in the public or private sector guiding institutions and society to greater sustainability or continue their educational pursuits in a variety of graduate programs.
Why a Degree in Sustainable Design?
- Rigorous broad-based education in design with a focus on building sustainable communities through intentional design of environmentally sensitive products, buildings, landscapes, and cities
- Draws on disciplines of design, architecture, landscape architecture, and urban and regional planning
- Focuses on the places, things, systems, and policies needed to help solve problems in a sustainable society
- Prepares you for the future in a sustainable world where ideas from many disciplines will be necessary to solve complex problems
- After graduation
- Enter jobs in design firms, planning agencies, industry, nonprofits, and public policy institutes
- Continue preparation in a variety of graduate or professional programs such as landscape architecture, architecture, industrial design, graphic design, urban design, and urban planning or accelerated graduate design programs at Illinois
Study sustainable design at Illinois, a 2022 Gold STARS campus for sustainability performance awarded by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.
Opportunities and Events for Sustainable Design Majors
Join Sustainable Design and related organizations in these ongoing events and activities, virtually and in person! As the faculty committee learns of relevant opportunities related to the major, they will be listed here. RSOs can email sustaindesign@illinois.edu to have their events included.
BSSD Newsletter Archives
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Sarah Bingham received a BSSD opportunity scholarship last year to support LEED certification. Swipe to learn about the scholarship’s impact and read her advice to fellow students.
How did you use the opportunity scholarship?
I used the BSSD opportunity scholarship to pay for the Leading Green LEED study prep material and the LEED GA exam. I learned so much about LEED and how to work towards certifying a building over the summer in my internship, but the test prep material was essential in knowing the format and wording of questions that would be on the exam. Having LEED GA accreditation has furthered my knowledge of sustainability of the built environment and will hopefully make me more competitive as a job applicant.
How did BSSD help prepare you?
LEED credits are multidisciplinary and include sustainability of materials, location, design, HVAC systems, water usage, construction processes, etc. similar to this multidisciplinary approach BSSD has in their curriculum. BSSD prepared me with a lot of baseline knowledge and vocabulary needed to understand the sustainability factors within these processes.
Swipe to read more
Check out these great projects by BSSD students in Professor Eric Benson’s ART 451: Ethics of a Designer in a Global Economy (EDGE) course this fall 🔥🤩
The class presents complex problems of ethics within the graphic design practice. They hosted an open house on November 3rd featuring many projects. Here are photos of just a few!
This was the assignment: “Locate a design field that interests you (landscape architecture, architecture, packaging, UIUX, fashion, etc.) and collect 5-10 examples of the best ethical design in that area to serve as case studies. Develop a list of what makes them ethical and good. Use your ethics manifesto and propose something better. You can also take (recommended) what you proposed as an unethical design and make it the best it can be.”
🍁🌟S’mores and Gourd Games are next week! 🏆🍂
Join Sustainable Design, the BSSD Student Advisory Committee, and Epsilon Eta Epsilon @treee_uiuc for a fun-filled friendly competition. Work in teams to build s’mores structures and paint gourds to make a delicious scene. The winning teams will come away with FAA / BSSD swag. No team, no problem — join a team when you arrive. Bring a friend (BSSD or otherwise)!
⏰ When: Tuesday, November 18, 5:00 -6:30 PM
🗺️ Where: Lower floor of Siebel Center for Design in the annex outside of The Shop
🌟Meet four of our eight 2025-2026 BSSD Student Advisory Committee Members: Jude Andalora, Myles Chang, Lea Huang-Yanez, and Cheyanne Pauley! 🌟
These dedicated students design social events and opportunities, and advocate for their peers by providing valuable feedback and recommendations throughout the academic year. Together, they help shape the Sustainable Design program experience for everyone.
Stay tuned to learn about what they’re planning and about additional committee members soon! 🌱
Nov 3 – Priority Registration for Spring 2026 semester begins & Spring 2026 graduation applications open
Nov 5 – Guest Lecture: Arturo Masol Deyá, Executive Director of Casa Pueblo, an organization leading community-driven energy transition in Puerto Rice from fossil fuel dependence to sustainable, renewable sources. Temple Buell Hall, Plym Auditorium at 5:30 pm
Nov 6 – BSSD 4+2 MLA info session in Temple Buell Hall room 325, 5:00- 6:15 pm. If you’re interested in accelerating your path to a Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) come meet faculty and current grad students and learn about the program, application process, and key timelines!
Nov 7 - BAUSP/BSSD-MUP 4+1 Info session in Temple Buell Hall room 225, 4:00-5:00 pm. Faculty and staff will discuss program requirements and the application process before welcoming questions from attendees. Students planning to apply for the upcoming admissions cycle are strongly encouraged to attend (attendance is not a factor in your admissions decision, but will ensure you know all the relevant info). Students considering applying in a future admissions cycle are also welcome to attend to learn more.
💫 Sustainable Design students, are you interested in accelerating your path to a Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA)?
Join us for the BSSD-MLA 4+2 Information Session to learn about the program, application process, and key timelines!
Thursday, November 6, 5:00–6:15 PM
Temple Buell Hall, Room 325
Meet MLA faculty and current graduate students and explore how you can fast-track your graduate studies in landscape architecture.
Sustainable Design Students! This course counts as a major elective! go.illinois.edu/fashionitaly for details
APPLICATION DEADLINE EXTENDED TO NOV. 10
BSSD is hiring two tenure stream Professors of Sustainable Design at the Assistant or Associate level. Visit https://go.illinois.edu/BSSDProfessor for additional details and to apply.
These interdisciplinary positions will have joint appointments across two of the academic units that contribute courses to the BSSD (detailed below), with a firm primary tenure home established in one of those units. We seek colleagues who bring vision, intellectual rigor, and expertise in emerging as well as traditional forms of sustainable design inquiry and research.
The curriculum draws on the research and teaching expertise of faculty from the School of Architecture, School of Art and Design, Department of Landscape Architecture, and Department of Urban and Regional Planning. Students engage in a rigorous, cross-disciplinary course of study that emphasizes systems thinking, ecological stewardship, and design excellence. Through this integrated approach, the program prepares students to shape sustainable communities, systems, and policies.
The ideal candidate will engage sustainable design from their area of research specialization, leading and collaborating on research across and between the units that support the BSSD curriculum within and beyond the College of Fine and Applied Arts.
The successful candidate will be expected to teach and develop new critical insights in one or more areas central to the BSSD curriculum.
In addition to teaching and research, the candidate will demonstrate a strong commitment to fostering a collaborative environment across teaching, learning, departmental service, and research activities. They will contribute to advancing the educational mission of the University of Illinois, a land-grant institution dedicated to access, education, research, and public service at both local and global scales.
Candidates must possess a doctorate or other appropriate terminal degree (e.g. MArch, MFA, MLA) in or related to sustainable design, architecture, landscape architecture, or urban planning.
