Become a Certified Sustainability Communicator in just eight weeks.
Efficient, practical, highly applied.
With unmatched expertise at the intersection of media, training, and climate communication, our global network of scientists, communication scholars, and seasoned practitioners will arm you with the background, data, and strategies you need to excel in a rapidly changing climate communication landscape.
Program Dates
Application Deadline
August 24, 2026
Program Orientation
September 2, 2026
Program Dates
September 8 to October 30, 2026
Certificate Success Stories
“I have been studying sustainability in various forms for many years, especially at Harvard and Cornell. There I learned about a wide array of subjects from Medicinal Plants to Sustainable Landscape Design, Soil Health, Organic Agriculture and Sustainable Ocean Environments. I realized that after all of that intense work, the most useful and practical program I have ever taken is the Certificate in Sustainability Communications at USC Annenberg. It literally changed my life.”
– Leslie C., Summer 2025 cohort
The first-of-its-kind program for climate storytelling
Whether crafting a sustainability report for a corporation, developing a brand strategy for a clean tech startup, or advancing the environmental work of a nonprofit, communicating about climate change is of greater importance than ever. Yet, sustainability and climate initiatives can be difficult to communicate about due to the politicized nature of climate change and the complexity and interconnectedness of the systems that are in crisis.
What are the most effective strategies for telling resonant climate stories that spur positive change? America’s first online, non-credit certificate program is designed to answer that question, to demystify climate and sustainability and climate communications, and to equip participants across sectors with a powerful new skillset.
Participants in our selective program benefit from carefully curated small cohorts and uncommon access to field-leading experts. They will learn how to convey sustainability messaging with accuracy and balance, avoiding both greenwashing and misinformation/disinformation, and will showcase these skills through a final project.
Key Concepts
- Understand the science behind climate change and its impacts on the economy, policy, and human behavior
- Leverage climate communication best practices from experts and industry leaders to inform corporate and nonprofit communications
- Practice different forms of data-driven climate storytelling across media to effectively apply best practices
- Learn to ethically and responsibly use artificial intelligence in climate communication
- Recognize and remediate challenges within climate and sustainability communications such as greenwashing, greenhushing, and misinformation through case studies
- Learn to critically evaluate and creatively communicate climate solutions
Who Will Benefit
This program is for individuals and teams who address or aspire to address sustainability and climate change for a non-specialist audience. Some examples of people who may benefit from this program may include:
- Entrepreneurs and investors
- Corporate communications professionals
- Corporate social responsibility professionals
- Philanthropy professionals
- Public relations and public information professionals
- Leaders of local environmental organizations
- Any aspiring sustainability communication professionals, including recent graduates and early-career professionals working in the environment sector
What you earn
In addition to a digital and printed certificate in Climate Communication from USC Annenberg Center for Climate Journalism and Communication, you will gain:
- A strong understanding of climate change and its impacts, as well as the challenges it poses
- Skills needed to practice data-driven climate and sustainability storytelling across different forms of media
- Resources and tools to leverage your communication skills
- Access to a network of experts in various fields related to climate change and sustainability
Schedule
Session 3:
- September 8 to October 30, 2026 (8 weeks)
Synchronous component: (online sessions)
- Lecture: Tuesdays from 5:30-7pm PT/ 8:30-10pm ET
- Discussion: Thursdays from 5-7pm PT/8-10pm ET
Asynchronous components: (4-6 hours per week)
- Reading material
- Assignments
- Office hours with instructors
Curriculum
The program draws upon the Center for Climate Journalism and Communication’s training modules that have been delivered to hundreds of leading journalists, scientists, and other specialists across the globe to increase the frequency and impact of their climate communications.
Seven modules:
- Understanding climate change: science and language
- Foundations of climate communication: best practices
- Leveraging psychology for climate communication
- Telling climate stories: narratives and solutions
- Incorporating data and visuals into climate storytelling
- Addressing energy, technology and artificial intelligence
- Climate communication on the global level
Why USC Annenberg?
The Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California uses journalism, communication, public diplomacy and public relations to deepen our understanding of complex challenges like climate change, to reinvent how we engage with our communities around these issues, and to advance a more just, equitable and sustainable world.
As an international leader in education and scholarship, USC Annenberg offers graduate and undergraduate degree programs that prepare the most promising minds to inquire, innovate and lead at the global crossroads of media, technology and culture.
Leveraging USC’s academic scholarship, targeted research initiatives and professional training expertise, the USC Center for Climate Journalism and Communication empowers students, scholars and professionals to bolster climate change communication.
In just two years, the Center has trained more than 100 journalists across 50+ markets, both foreign and domestic, 70 experts ranging from architects to scientists, and hundreds of students at USC.
FAQs
Q: Who is eligible for the program?
A: This program is intended for professionals with at least a high school GED who are proficient in English and are actively engaged in learning about climate communication.
The ideal participant is someone with a few years of professional experience and is looking to bolster their knowledge about climate and sustainability communication through this program. However, if you don’t meet the criteria and would still like to be a part of the inaugural cohort of the program, please reach out to us at redhot@usc.edu.
Q: How much does the application cost?
A: The application is free for all. A complete application requires links to 1-2 writing samples as well as a short statement of purpose to demonstrate your interest in the program.
Upon submitting the application, you can expect to receive confirmation about your enrollment within a week. To confirm your enrollment, you must submit a $250 non-refundable enrollment fee that will be included within the program fee.
Q: What are the requirements to successfully complete the course?
A: Participants must attend at least 4 out of the 5 synchronous lecture sessions to successfully complete their attendance requirements for the course. Participants must successfully complete the final project requirements for the course to receive the certificate.
Q: What materials and resources will I have access to after completing the course?
A: The instructors will provide a PDF workbook covering all the materials in the course, as well as links and resources shared with participants throughout the course. Participants will have access to all the materials shared during the course until 60 days after the last day of the program.
Q: How do I enroll in this course?
A: Please fill out our application form here and one of our team members will reach out with more details.
Q: Do you offer any scholarships or financial aid for the program?
A: The availability of scholarships and financial aid for this program varies from cohort to cohort. Please contact us at redhot@usc.edu to inquire more about current scholarships.
Q: Can I use this certificate as credit toward a degree?
A: This non-credit certificate may not be used toward progress for any USC degree and will not appear on any transcript or grade report.
Q: Can my employer pay for my training program?
A: Yes! We offer special packages for group signups. Please contact us at redhot@usc.edu if you are an organization interested in signing up for group training.
Q: Is this training program tax-deductible?
A: As the university is under the nonprofit designation, any donations are considered tax-deductible. Employers can benefit from tax credits if they pay for their employee’s continuing education through this training program.
For individuals paying their own tuition, there are several governmental tax credit programs including the American Opportunity Credit as well as Student Loan Interest Deduction Credits that many taxpayers qualify for. Find out more about those here.
Q: Can I get a refund if I decide to drop out? What is the refund period?
A: You may request a withdrawal with a refund up until 48 hours after the start of your program, minus the $250 nonrefundable enrollment fee.
If you wish to defer your enrollment to a future session, you may be able to do so by requesting a deferral with a refund up to 48 hours after the start of your program. If you cannot finish the program requirements and wish to defer completion to a future term, you can do so but will not be eligible to receive a refund.
How to apply
Fill out our enrollment form here, and a team member will reach out with more details on how to sign up.
You can also email our team directly at redhot@usc.edu for more information about the program and how to enroll.
Process:
- Fill out our application form
- A team member from the Center will reach out to you with a decision on your application
- Submit the non-refundable enrollment fee to confirm your participation in the program
Requirements:
- High school/college diploma
- CV/Resume
- Short statement of purpose (500 words)
- 1-2 writing samples
- If international, proof of English language proficiency
Program fee: $2,250
This includes a $250 non-refundable enrollment fee.
