The MS in Sustainable Development is an interdisciplinary graduate program awarded by the Graduate College. The MS is awarded with or without a thesis.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must meet the Admission Requirements of the Graduate College and the department offering the degree program (review the department's web site or the General Catalog for departmental requirements).

Estimated Cost of Attendance

Tuition and fees vary by degree program and the type of student you are.

Engineering, Estimated Costs

Application Deadlines

  • Fall semester-January 30 is the priority date to be considered for financial aid. After this date, applications will be considered until July 15 for U.S. students and April 15 for international students.
  • Spring semester—December 1 (October 1 for international students)
  • Summer session—not offered

Application Procedures

The graduate application process has two steps:

  • You must first submit the online application to the Graduate College and pay the $60 application fee by credit card ($100 for international applicants).  If you are interested in an application fee waiver please contact sdg-grad@uiowa.edu
  • Once you have submitted your application, you will receive an email instructing you on how to upload your supporting documents and submit letters of recommendation.  A few programs require materials be sent directly to them. However, almost all supplemental material can and should be uploaded from your Admissions Profile in MyUI, our online service center for applicants and students.  You can only access this AFTER you have submitted your application.

Degree Program Supplemental Materials

  • A one-to-two-page self-statement describing why you are interested in the Sustainable Development Graduate Program, how your formal and informal experiences make you a good fit for the program, and how you can uniquely contribute to the program.  This statement should briefly discuss the career path(s) you intend to pursue upon the completion of the degree.
  • Résumé

Recommendations

The application requirement section of your Profile includes an electronic letter of recommendation feature. If your program of study requires letters of recommendation, you will be asked to give the contact information of your recommenders including their email on your Admissions Profile. The recommender will then get an email giving them instructions on how to upload the recommendation letter and/or form.

  • Three letters of recommendation

Materials to send to Admissions

  • A set of your unofficial academic records/transcripts uploaded on your Admissions Profile. If you are admitted, official transcripts will be required before your enrollment. For international records, all records should bear the original stamp or seal of the institution and the signature of a school official.  Documents not in English must be accompanied by a complete, literal, English translation, certified by the issuing institution.
  • International students may also be required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or DuoLingo scores to comply with the university's English Language Proficiency Requirements.
  • Once recommended for admission, international students must send a Financial Statement.

Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Sustainable Development

The University of Iowa
4105 Seamans Center
Iowa City, IA 52242
sdg-grad@uiowa.edu
319-335-5647