Programs Offered
Minor
We offer a Minor in Sustainability to all the matriculated undergraduate students of IITM. Availing any 4 out of a basket of ~30 ongoing courses gives students an opportunity to build a multidimensional understanding of sustainability by delving deeper into environmental, social, and economic challenges of the day. Learn “Why is this Minor for you!”
ID Core Course: Ecology and Environment
The mandatory undergraduate course "ID1200 Ecology and Environment" is designed for sensitizing students towards real-world sustainability scenarios. Offered as a flipped classroom, this interdisciplinary course renders the fundamentals of sustainability (e.g., climate change, ecosystems, energy, waste, economics, and ethics) as well as their applied aspects (e.g., natural resource management, environmental impact assessment, Life Cycle Analysis).
Executive Education
It's a comprehensive 6-week online Certificate Programme that takes a multidimensional lens at Sustainability. Targeted at mid-career level industry professionals, this case study-laden program helps develop a critical knowledge of the existing and upcoming sustainability frameworks and of business implications of India's shifting policy landscape, thereby building confidence & competence in actioning Sustainability in respective business ecosystems.
Postgraduate Programs
IIT Madras offers several postgraduate programs in the area of Sustainability.
Environmental Engineering
IIT Madras offers a 2 year M.Tech program, an M.S (Masters by Research) and a PhD program in the area of environmental engineering. Students in this program will be exposed to concepts related to water conservation, air quality, waste management and circularity. For more information, click the below link
Hydraulics and Water Resources Engineering
IIT Madras offers a 2 year M.Tech program, an M.S (Masters by Research) and a PhD program in the area of Hydraulics and Water Resources Engineering. Students in this program will be exposed to concepts related to hydrology, water resources management, hydraulic engineering, flood management and disaster mitigation. For more information, click the below link
Energy Systems
IIT-Madras offers an Interdisciplinary Dual Degree Programme in Energy Systems. Any undergraduate student of the Institute with certain minimum norms of academic performance can apply for this programme in their 5th semester. This program helps students grasp energy use and conversion, preparing them for real-world challenges. Courses cover Thermal Energy Conversion, Renewable Energy, Energy Storage Materials, and Energy Economics. For details,
Atmospheric and Climate Sciences
IIT-Madras offers an Interdisciplinary Dual degree program in Atmospheric and Climate Sciences. The objective of this program is to provide detailed understanding about atmospheric processes and their interactions covering the range from molecular to global scale, helping in improved knowledge about climate change. For more information, click the below link
ABCD Program
IIT-Madras, along with RWTH Aachen, AIT Bangkok and TU Dresden offers a joint Master’s program on Water Security and Global Change. This program is open to applicants from all nationalities and provides an integrated and holistic approach to the topic of water security. 4 of the 11 core courses offered in the program are being offered by IIT Madras. For more information, click the below link
Ethics Courses
Courses and Assessments on Sustainability
Assessment Tools
IIT Madras is deeply invested in imparting a knowledge base essential to think and act sustainably at all stages of life. The mandatory undergraduate course 'ID1200 Ecology and Environment' is, thus, designed for sensitising students towards real-world sustainability scenarios. As an assessment tool, a multiple-choice exam involving knowledge and skill-based questions is offered at the end of the course. During 2024-25, 93% students secured Satisfactory (= GPA10) grade, highlighting intellectual investment in sustainable literacy programs among IIT Madras's student body.
