The Minneapolis College of Art and Design is pleased to announce the launch of a new 18-credit Professional Certificate in Sustainable Design. This fully online program was created to cater to the busy lives of working professionals. It is lean and customized to meet our students’ individual needs. Check out the top 18 reasons to learn sustainable design online at MCAD.

1. You’ll get what you want: We’ll create a customized program that fits your interests, needs, time frame, and budget. Contact us. We look forward to personally helping you out.

2. You’ll work when it works for you: All of our online classes are asynchronous which means that you log in when you have the time and energy to do your most productive work. Sundays after a cup of joe or at midnight; it’s up to you. (90% of our students have fulltime jobs). We’ll help you find a balance of work, family, and school.

3. You’ll work where you learn best: You’ll learn from your home, your office, the subway, the pool, your favorite coffee house, or all of the above. We’re ready when and where you are.

4.You’ll learn from experts: All of our faculty are leaders in their professional fields who put sustainable design theory into practice on a daily basis. They are packaging, graphic, product, service, and infographic designers, as well as engineers, architects, biologists, city planners, business people, career and leadership coaches, and entrepreneurs.

5. You’ll be noticed: All of our classes are capped at 18 students. Forget competing for instructor attention. 15 spaces remain for the Fall 2011 cohort. Contact us today to reserve your space. Classes begin August 29, 2011.

6. You’ll be attended to: “Students first” is the tried and true value at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Our school is small and personal and wants to stay that way. Our programs are carefully crafted to serve students needs and we take the charge seriously. The student advisor for our Sustainable Design program meets individually with every student, every semester for personalized advising.

7. You can enroll anytime: We accept students to our program year round. But, why wait? Enroll today!

8. You do NOT need to apply: We’ve removed the complicated and time consuming application process. Simply fill out the enrollment form (all online; one-step process) and we’ll get back to you about our customized program.

9. You will NOT pay an application fee: It’s unbelievable but true. There is no fee to enroll. That’s cool enough to repeat: there is no fee to enroll.

10. You do NOT require an undergraduate degree: Yes, it’s true! We are interested in attracting highly-motivated professionals who are interested in making a difference in their lives, communities, and careers – pronto. We’ve discovered that there a lot of people out there that have incredible knowledge, skills, and experience to bring to the conversation but few avenues to enroll in programs. We’ll consider all of your hard work in lieu of a degree. Let’s talk.

11. You’ll learn in culturally diverse classrooms: Students in our program hail from around the world (India, US, China, Brazil, Spain, Uruguay, Canada, you name it!), as do our faculty. The online setting permits active discourse between students from across the planet about the planet, it’s people, and how we can all prosper through conscious, socially-just and environmentally-responsible design. Learn more about our program by downloading our brochure.

12. You’ll cross-disciplines: You’ll engage with students and faculty from across disciplines (see list above) and be encouraged to think out of the box and step out of your comfort zone. You’ll learn more than you would ever expect through interdisciplinary collaboration.

13. You’ll finish in a year: By taking 2 course/semester, you are able to complete the certificate in one-year. Take 1 course/semester and spread the degree over two-years. You decide. Either way, you’ll only pay $13,500 for the entire professional certificate.

14. You’ll innovate in studio courses: Yes, studio courses can happen online! You’ll even collaborate on sustainable product and service designs using novel innovation tools and techniques, sustainability frameworks, biomimicry concepts and tools, and online meeting platforms.

15. You’ll build a dynamic professional network. You’ll get to know and work with a network of sustainable design colleagues. In fact, you can start today: consider joining our MCAD Sustainable Design Program LinkedIn Group now to begin the conversation, listen to our tweets @MCADsustainableDSGN, and/or become a fan on Facebook.

16. You’ll change your life. We can promise that the way you approach design, think about design and create designs will change for the better; it’s enviable. Check out some student testimonials.

17. You’ll change your career: Even if you decide to stay at your current job, your career will change. You’ll be recognized as a leader in sustainable design. You’ll be called upon. You’ll lead change how you work and where you work. As MCAD Sustainable Design Program alumus Rita Penrod says, “Get a life. Get a career.”

18. You’ll change the world. Enough said.

18 image courtesy of Flickr CC @Marc from Borft.