Director of GHG Accounting Certificate
About Certificate:
This certificate in GHG Accounting includes four (4) courses that were designed in collaboration with industry professionals. Each course is online, interactive, and built around real-world learning activities. The courses are designed to be taken in series with the content building on previous courses in order to promote skill development and proficiency in GHG accounting.See also
Professional Certificate in GHG Accounting page for more informationResources for current students
CSS Faculty & Staff
- Charles Linkenheil - Caitlin Brogan - Aku Quarshie-Mackin Von Schipmann-Dani Logan - Mary Beth Bayruns- Amy Wolkowinksy- Hailey Baker - Noah Humphrey
Greenhouse Gas Accounting, Graduate Certificate
This online certificate program will provide you with the technical skills required to quantify, report, analyze and verify greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with individual products or commodities, business operations, and entire organizations such as cities or Universities. It will also provide training in how to use reported GHG emissions to design effective emission reduction and mitigation strategies. Given the scale and challenges of climate change and the associated impacts, there is a strong need for professionals with the skills to track, report, and manage GHG emissions. This certificate provides that training.
Requirements Accordion Open
- Graduate certificate programs require a minimum of 12 credit hours. Many graduate certificate programs require more than 12 credit hours.
- No more than one 400-level NAU course (3 - 4 units) may be used on a graduate certificate program.
- No more than twenty-five percent of the units required for the certificate program may be transferred from another university.
- A 400-level course (undergraduate course) completed at another university is not eligible for transfer credit.
- A minimum grade point average of 3.0 must be achieved to obtain a graduate certificate. No more than three units of coursework with a Grade of "C" may be used in a certificate program.
- A graduate student may pursue a graduate certificate concurrently with a graduate degree. Each graduate degree program must decide which, if any, certificate courses can be counted toward the graduate degree.
- Students who are admitted to a graduate certificate program will be eligible for the official posting of the graduate certificate to their transcripts when all applicable coursework has been successfully completed and approved by the academic unit and the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies.
Please be aware that federal financial aid is not available for some certificates if the certificate is pursued and completed as a stand-alone certificate (i.e., not completed concurrently with a degree program). See the “Details” tab for additional information.
Overview Accordion Closed
In addition to University Requirements:
- Complete individual plan requirements.
Students may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.
| Minimum Units for Completion | 12 |
| Some online/blended coursework | Required |
Purpose Statement
Currently, there are over 40 developed and developing countries that have mandatory emission reporting programs, with many others voluntarily reporting their emissions. Regardless of the nature of these reporting practices, entities and nations are increasingly moving towards quantifying and reporting their GHG emissions as a step towards proactive risk management, improving their energy efficiency, and/or demonstrating their commitment to environmental issues. This online certificate program will provide students and professionals with a means to gain technical skills required to quantify, report, analyze and verify GHG emissions associated with individual products or commodities, business/corporation operations, and communities, including cities and Universities. It will also train individuals in how to use reported GHG emissions to design effective emission reduction and mitigation strategies. Given the scale and challenges of climate change and the associated impacts, there is a strong need for professionals with a robust skillset to track, report, and manage GHG emissions. This certificate will provide that training.
Student Learning Outcomes
- Identify, manage, and track activity data for greenhouse gas emission calculations, and apply and/or derive appropriate emission factors for that activity data.
- Quantify and report greenhouse gas emissions associated with individual products or commodities, business/corporation operations, and communities using appropriate protocols and standards.
- Verify the greenhouse gas emissions reported by others using recognized standards and procedures.
- Use reported GHG emissions, together with appropriate economic metrics, to design and justify effective emission management, reduction, and mitigation strategies.
- Communicate findings of greenhouse gas inventory, emission trends over time, and/or emission reduction recommendations using multiple methods such as written reports, professional presentations, or oral/written press releases.
Details Accordion Closed
Graduate Admission Information
The NAU graduate online application is required for all programs. Admission to many graduate programs is on a competitive basis, and programs may have higher standards than those established by the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies.
Admission requirements include the following:- Transcripts.
- Undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution with a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale ("A" = 4.0), or the equivalent.
Visit the for additional information about graduate school application deadlines, eligibility for study, and admissions policies.
Ready to apply? Begin your now.International applicants have additional admission requirements. Please see the .
Certificate Requirements
Take the following 12 units:
- , , ,
This certificate may be pursued and completed concurrently with a degree program or as a stand-alone certificate. Under both circumstances, federal financial aid can be used for this certificate.
Additional Information
Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.
When can I start? Accordion Open
The GHG Accounting GCert starts every fall semester with the first course: Foundations in GHG Accounting I. Each course is 7.5 weeks long. The courses are offered in sequence, and must be taken in order.
- Foundations in GHG Accounting I (first 7.5 weeks of fall semester)
- Foundations in GHG Accounting I (second 7.5 weeks of fall semester)
- Value-Chain GHG Accounting (first 7.5 weeks of spring semester)
- GHG Mitigation and Management (second 7.5 weeks of spring semester)
Course format Accordion Closed
The courses in the GHG Accounting Certificate are designed to be taken in series with the content building on previous courses to promote skill development and proficiency in GHG accounting. All of the courses in the certificate are online, interactive, mostly self-paced, and include a series of very applied activities based on real-world scenarios and data.
Cost Accordion Closed
If you are an existing NAU student working towards your Master’s or Ph.D. degree, the GHG certificate courses may qualify as elective courses towards your degree. Consult with your major advisor to see if the certificate will add any time or cost onto your current education goals.If you are interested in pursuing the GHG Accounting Certificate as a stand-alone program and you are not co-enrolled in any other graduate program at NAU, the tuition costs are based on . You can estimate the costs of the certificate by assuming 6 credit hours per semester (a total of 12 credit hours for the certificate).The GHG Accounting Certificate has also been approved through the Department of Education’s Federal Financial Aid system, so students who apply for the GHG Accounting certificate as a stand-alone credential will be able to apply for Federal Financial Aid.
Instructor Accordion Closed
All courses are taught by Dr. Debbie Huntzinger, an engineer and climate scientist that has been teaching GHG accounting skills to students for over a decade. Dr. Huntzinger feels strongly that training in GHG accounting provides a fundamental skill set that makes students highly competitive for jobs in the growing climate solutions job market. She is an engaged educator that works closely with students to foster learning. Even though the courses are online, students become part of a community of learners working together towards a common goal of building their GHG accounting knowledge and skills.
Testimonials
NAU’s graduate certificate in GHG Accounting more than prepared me for a career as a carbon analyst. We learned both the fundamentals of conducting a variety of greenhouse gas inventories using real world data, learned about renewable energy markets and market based calculations, dove headfirst down the Scope 3 emissions value chain rabbit hole, and finally learned all about greenhouse mitigation strategies and decision making processes. It is a challenging certificate but I feel more than capable working in the real world. I cannot recommend this graduate certificate enough! If you are interested in being on the frontlines of emissions reductions and climate change mitigation this is the graduate certificate for you! You’ll learn all of the fundamentals and many of the nuances of GHG accounting with real world data and scenarios. Debbie is a fantastic mentor who knows this stuff inside and out! This certificate has been the best part of my graduate school education.
The certificate program provides hands-on, applied practice with the techniques needed to dive into the professional GHG Accounting world. Each module provides the resources and support needed to build a foundational understanding of the week's topic, but then challenges you to test that understanding with real-world inventory activities. This innovative program focuses on the flexible problem-solving skills that help students go on to be successful in diverse work environments.
Due to the unique nature of this certificate program, you build skill sets that are in high demand. You do not need to have any special skills to start the certificate program. You just need to want to make a difference in the world of climate change. You also build your Excel skills, which is transferable into many fields. The GHG certificate program offered at NAU is very robust and the professor is super amazing and always ready to help. You should definitely take this program!
This certificate has been invaluable to my education. I have never had a teacher who has been so open and willing to help, explain, and hear feedback. It is also so easily accessible being online so that you can do a majority of the coursework at your own pace.
This program has helped me so much to stand out for future job opportunities. Deborah Huntzinger is also an amazing professor. It gave me structured content and specific knowledge that helped me secure my current position.”
The GHG Accounting Certificate provided me with essential knowledge of GHG accounting concepts and practice with real data. This certificate program is a gateway to an increasingly in-demand career. It strengthened my data analysis skills and provided me with insight into an emerging field within sustainability.”
The GHG Accounting Certificate gave me foundational knowledge in applying industry standard methodologies to prepare and report a verifiable greenhouse gas emissions inventory for corporate clients. My current job focuses on community and state-level inventories, but the skills cross over beautifully.
The certificate directly contributed to me landing two internships related to GHG accounting and climate consulting. I was able to intelligently respond to interview questions, design and lead a company’s first GHG inventory, and complete advanced Excel tasks for inventory calculations. Based on conversations with industry professionals, having a strong background in GHG accounting is extremely valuable. I would absolutely encourage you to pursue the certificate because there is no other comparable training program out there that is as in depth as this certificate program. I have used every single skill I learned in the certificate in my work. The design of this program really supports learning.
This program gave me great real-world insight into the carbon accounting world, and taught me a new perspective in looking at how crucial carbon markets are for shaping our future world. This short yet dense program can provide anyone who is willing to learn, the skills and confidence needed to be a carbon analyst or simply understand how carbon markets impact every sector.