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What Can You Do with a Sustainable Architecture Master’s Degree?

July 10, 2025
by Michael Mahaffey

Buildings are the cornerstone of the built environment and a fundamental part of the human experience. When designing your home, business, a high-rise office building, school or a sports stadium, it takes a profound understanding of the impacts your building will make on the people and environment to create a structure that can not only stand the test of time, but provide for a healthy environment.

Earn Your Online Master’s in Sustainable Architecture at OU

Earning an online Master of Science in Sustainable Architecture from the University of Oklahoma prepares you to become a leader in modern sustainable design and construction. Our 100% online, 30-credit-hour program enables you to master an eco-friendly and efficient approach to design and construction, emphasizing the new methods and analytical tools that architects, engineers, and design professionals use to make informed design decisions.

The program is a post-professional degree designed for individuals already working within the building industry to gain the latest knowledge and skills related to sustainable design practices in as few as 15 months. While it does not lead to licensure as an architect, the program gives experienced professionals the sustainable design knowledge they need to make their current projects more environmentally friendly. Furthermore, the skills you will develop within the program will help you lead sustainable design projects.

Sustainability is Smart Business

“Sustainable Architecture is not about saving owls in forests,” said Lee Fithian, director of OU Online’s Sustainable Architecture program. “It has to do with saving money and protecting the health and welfare of the people. This program will help you to sit at the table where sustainable design decisions are being made. You can have a profound impact on changing building response in the built environment, and you will learn the practical tools to be able to do that.”

The program, which includes learning the American Institute of Architecture (AIA) Framework for Design Excellence, will prepare you with the training and knowledge needed to earn Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Associate (LEED GA), WELL Building Standard Accredited Professional (WELL AP), and Life-Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) and the Circular Economy certifications.

You’ll discover how to transform building performance through evidence-based analysis alongside renowned faculty from OU’s Gibbs College of Architecture and working experts in building and urban design. You’ll also unlock the power of advanced analytical tools to create compelling, data-driven design solutions that not only elevate project outcomes, but also strengthen your ability to articulate the “why” behind every decision to clients and teams.

“We teach that it is part of your design process to do it this way,” said Fithian. “It’s not just an art project. It is a science project, as well. We’re trying to give the client the best product they can have. We want it to be beautiful, of course. It’s not just a technical exercise, but beauty can be functional and performance oriented.”

Who Should Apply: Architects, Engineers, Designers & More

As a student in the program, you’ll dive into real case studies, learn from industry leaders and join interactive live sessions where you’ll discover what materials, practices and processes make buildings sustainable. We’ll help you spot the difference between buildings that just look green and ones that are genuinely environmentally friendly.

You’ll also get hands-on experience with professional-grade software that shows you how natural light flows through spaces, how air moves through buildings, and other key metrics — all with instant visual feedback so you can tweak your designs on the spot.

Fithian said students come from all corners of the construction world — architects, engineers, planners, interior designers, building designers, carpenters, project managers, real estate professionals, teachers and more. Although courses are online, students interact with one another often and become close throughout the program.

Although courses take place online, students interact with one another often and become close throughout the program.

“The discussions that happen in class, and the experiences that they bring in are varied and engaging,” Fithian said. “The cohorts become really tight. They learn a lot and develop professional associations with each other that are just amazing.”

Graduate Ready to Lead in Sustainable Design and Construction

When you graduate from the program, you will be able to research and evaluate emerging science and technology related to green architecture and sustainable design and put that information into practice. You’ll know how to use the tools to analyze the design and performance of building systems, select code-compliant materials and evaluate financing and life cycle cost accounting strategies used in green building initiatives according to AIA Framework for Design Excellence standards. And you’ll be able to explain all of it to your clients in a way that is easy to understand.

Careers in sustainable architecture are expected to grow faster than average through 2033, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Depending on the area you work in, median pay in the field can range from $65,000 per year for construction and design professionals to $96,690 for architects and up to $106,000 per year for individuals with civil or mechanical engineering backgrounds.

Shape the Future of Architecture with OU Online

“This program will help you sit at the table where sustainable design decisions are being made,” Fithian said. “You can have a profound impact on changing building response in the built environment, and you will learn the practical tools to be able to do that. Sustainable architecture and green design are where the industry is going. It’s what the AIA is telling the industry it’s required to do. It is the future and the focus.”

There has never been a better time to take your career as a professional in the built environment to a new level. Sustainable design is not simply cutting-edge design. It is quickly becoming the standard of how buildings are designed and built.

Interested in an online degree from OU? Visit the OU Online website for more information about our online programs, including the Master of Science in Sustainable Architecture program.