Accelerating Futures in Sustainable Design

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By Mariana Seda

Earning an advanced degree can be a launchpad for careers in arts and design, whether you need the skills and accreditation that comes with a Master of Architecture, or you need the training and industry connections that only an MFA in Acting can provide. Often spanning two or three years, master’s programs demand time and significant financial resources.

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The College of Fine and Applied Arts is helping students offset those costs by offering a selection of accelerated graduate programs to students excelling in the Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Design (BSSD) program, and it is already making an impact. Thanks to the major’s interdisciplinary foundation in the environmental arts, Sustainable Design students can fast track their path to graduate programs, completing coursework that counts toward master’s degrees in Landscape Architecture, Urban Planning, or Design before even receiving their bachelor’s diploma.

Entering the university as a Division I women’s volleyball athlete and an undeclared major, Sarah Bingham was looking for purpose and passion in her studies. She found that with Sustainable Design. “I’ve always cared about the environment and sustainability,” said Bingham. “But I also care deeply about social equity—and this program has helped me explore how those things intersect.”

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In a class project, Bingham worked with Illinois Athletics to tackle the issue of single-use cup waste at campus sporting events. She researched reusable cup programs at other universities and stadiums and proposed a practical solution to reduce landfill impact while considering the human behavior of sports fans.

As a junior she applied for the accelerated BSSD / Master of Urban Planning 4+1 program and was accepted. She spent her last year of undergraduate studies immersed in graduate courses and working on her capstone project. “The Sustainable Design program is already so interdisciplinary,” explained Bingham. “So, transitioning into graduate-level work felt natural.

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Similarly, Anna Hruska arrived at Sustainable Design eager to address climate and equity issues through design thinking and a critical theory lens—an ambition that led her to explore what sustainability means, how built environments reflect the systems behind them, and how those systems shape the lives within.

When she learned about Sustainable Design’s accelerated Master of Urban Planning program, the opportunity was too good to pass up. “It’s a really seamless transition, and I think that’s because Sustainable Design sets us up with a wide breadth of knowledge,” she said. “The five-year programs are such a time saver and having that direct pipeline is really useful.”

In addition to the Urban Planning track, Sustainable Design also offers a Master in Landscape Architecture 4+2 program and a Master of Fine Arts in Design for Responsible Innovation 4+2 program.

Admission to an accelerated program can also boost students’ confidence in themselves. “Balancing the extra planning coursework alongside my two minors has been challenging, but it’s encouraging to know that by planning strategically and putting in the work, I can achieve substantial results,” said Hruska. Her advice? “If you know you need a master’s for your career, an accelerated program is a smart path because it saves you time, money, and allows you to stay with the same faculty and resources you’re already familiar with.”

For Bingham, the accelerated master’s program is helping her build the advanced skills she’ll need to succeed in a competitive, impact-driven career. “I really want to do work that benefits communities and is thoughtful of both people and the planet,” she said. “Having that extra year of advanced education is going to make me much more prepared for the kind of career I want to have in sustainability and design.”