Professional Certificate in Global Conservation Leadership
This includes three courses and takes about 45 hours. One live course you take with a cohort, plus two electives you choose. Built by Conservation Futures Academy for people who already do conservation work and now have to run it.
- Professional certificate
- Next cohort starts October 14, 2026
Three courses
~45 hours totalOne live core course
Eight weeks with a cohortTwo electives
Chosen from seven$997
$1,197 if bought separately
You were promoted for the work. Now you have to run it.
People advance in conservation because they are good at the technical or field work. Then the job changes. Suddenly it is managing a team, defending a budget, overseeing a grant and making decisions under real uncertainty. Those are different skills, and many people never get formal preparation for them.
This certificate is built to close that gap. It is practical and sized to fit alongside your full-time work.
You finish with a Leadership Survival Kit built against a real conservation challenge you choose, and you keep it as a portfolio piece for boards, funders and partners.
How it works
One core course, two electives you choose
The core course is required. The two electives are yours to pick, and you do not have to choose the electives before you enroll.
The electives
Seven courses, pick the two you need
Each elective is self-paced, runs about 15 hours and carries its own certificate and badge. Bought on its own, each costs $399.
Forestry and Carbon Project Fundamentals
Evaluate forest inventory data, make credible carbon estimates and judge whether a project is sound enough to proceed.
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Conservation and Nature Finance
How finance mechanisms are designed and structured, and how to translate conservation impact into terms investors can act on.
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Conservation Technology Innovations: AI, Drones and GIS
A practical introduction to GIS, remote sensing, drone monitoring and AI, including the ethics of collecting and publishing data.
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Applied GIS and Habitat Mapping for Conservation
Design tourism that protects the place it depends on, earns trust from communities and regulators, and still works financially.
Learn more
Nature-Positive Tourism
Design tourism that protects the place it depends on, earns trust from communities and regulators, and still works financially.
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Indigenous Knowledges and Data Sovereignty
How conservation data is governed decides whether a partnership is accountable or extractive. Redesign projects with Indigenous communities as governing partners.
Learn more
Foundations of AI for Conservation
Use AI responsibly in conservation work, from prompting through managing bias and hallucination, ending with a documented case study of your own.
Learn moreWhat you will learn
Skills that matter more as your responsibilities grow
- Lead programs
Set direction, manage budgets and deliver measurable results. - Build partnerships
Work across agencies, funders and communities to move projects forward and keep them on track. - Anticipate what is coming
Turn new research, technologies and policy shifts into plans your team can act on. - Make stronger decisions
Use practical frameworks to weigh options, make decisions and explain the thinking behind them.
Who it is for
Practitioners moving into program leadership
- Mid-career professionals and leaders
People responsible for strategy or decisions who want to deepen their conservation expertise. - Professionals expanding into sustainability
Leaders in business, government or nonprofits bringing environmental considerations into their work. - Professionals driving cross-sector impact
Anyone working across policy, operations or environmental initiatives who wants more influence. - Organizations developing their bench
Executive and NGO country directors preparing the people who will take on more responsibility next.
From the newsroom
The credential
A verified certificate from Conservation Futures Academy
Complete all three courses and you earn a verified professional certificate from Conservation Futures Academy, the professional learning arm of the Rob Walton School of Conservation Futures at ASU. You learn from faculty and practitioners working at the intersection of science, policy and implementation.
Certificate details
Dates, format and what it costs
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October 14, 2026
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Three courses. One live and cohort-based, two self-paced electives
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Tuesdays from 10:00 - 11:00 am (AZ MST) on the following dates: Oct 20, Oct 27, Nov 3, Nov 17, Dec 1, Dec 8
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About 45 hours across three courses, 15 hours each
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$997 for all three. The same three courses bought separately total $1,197.
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Verified professional certificate from Conservation Futures Academy
Connect with Conservation Futures Academy
Looking for new credentials to advance your career? Request more information about the Conservation Futures Academy course offerings.