Sustainability Studies, B.A.

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This program immerses students in the three pillars of sustainability: society, economy, and environment. Through interdisciplinary coursework, the major focuses on the connections that exist between social equity, economy, and environmental problems, and it builds student understanding of sustainable solutions that will meet the present and future needs of people and the biosphere. The major provides students with skills needed to pursue graduate studies or employment in a range of sustainability fields. Students are encouraged to incorporate internships and directed studies into their program with the approval of the Sustainability Studies Coordinator.

Program Learning Outcomes

Demonstrate an understanding of the concept and practice of sustainability at personal, community, national, and global scales.
Analyze complex systems in the context of social, economic, and environmental dimensions.
Engage in sustainability research and/or outreach that applies and integrates knowledge and methods from multiple disciplines.
Demonstrate critical thinking, writing, and oral communication skills to address the challenges and opportunities of sustainability.

Total Credits Required to Complete Major: 44-54

Basic Requirements: (17-18 Credits)

SUST 124 - Sustainability & Environmental Issues Credit(s): 3
BIOL 105 - N/Contemporary Biology Credit(s): 3 and
BIOL 106 - N/Contemporary Biology Laboratory Credit(s): 1
or
BIOL 116 - N/General Biology Laboratory Credit(s): 2 and
BIOL 117 - General Biology: Cells, Genetics, Evolution Credit(s): 3
ECON 110 - Introductory Microeconomics Credit(s): 3 *
GEOG 123 - S/M/The Developing World Credit(s): 3
GEOG 111 - N/Physical Geography Credit(s): 3 and
GEOG 112 - N/Physical Geography Laboratory Credit(s): 1
or
GSCI 120 - N/Our Geological Environment Credit(s): 3 and
GSCI 121 - N/Our Geological Environment Laboratory Credit(s): 1
or
GSCI 160 - N/Physical Geology Credit(s): 3 and
GSCI 161 - N/Physical Geology Laboratory Credit(s): 1

Sustainability Dimension Courses (21-28 Credits)

Seven courses with at least two in each dimension. At least 15 credits must be at the 300-level or higher and at least 3 credits at the 200-level or higher

Dimension 1: Society, Culture and Humanities (2 Classes - 6-8 credits)

AMST 201 - U/Topics in American Studies: (subtitle) Credit(s): 4
ANTH 231 - S/Language and Gender Credit(s): 3 *
ARTH 174 - F/Visual Culture Today Credit(s): 3
ARTH 310 - Women Gender and Art Credit(s): 3 *
ARTH 378 - Museum Studies Credit(s): 3 *
BIOL 384 - Communicating Science Credit(s): 3
BLKS 200 - Introduction to Black Studies Credit(s): 3 or
BLKS 220 - Black Lives Matter: (subtitle) Credit(s): 3
COMN 200 - Theory and Practice of Public Relations Credit(s): 3 or
COMN 248 - Perspectives on Organizational Communication Credit(s): 3
ENGL 318 - Black British Literature and Culture Credit(s): 4 or *
ENGL 335 - Asian American Literature Survey Credit(s): 4 or *
ENGL 336 - Native American Literature Credit(s): 4 or *
ENGL 337 - African-American Literature Credit(s): 4 *
ENGL 427 - Literary Representations of Disability Credit(s): 4 *
ENGL 432 - Metropolis Credit(s): 4 *
GEOG 201 - Introduction to Urban and Regional Planning Credit(s): 3
GEOG 300 - Environmentalism & Natural Resource Management Credit(s): 3
GEOG 350 - Urban Historical Geography Credit(s): 3
GEOG 376 - Political Geography Credit(s): 3
GEOG 377 - Urban Geography Credit(s): 3
GEOG 384 - Geography of Food Credit(s): 3
HIST 260 - S/U/Issues in the History of American Women Credit(s): 4
HIST 261 - M/U/Native American History Credit(s): 4
HIST 415 - Environmental History of Modern America Credit(s): 4
HUMN 222 - W/H/Black Humanities Credit(s): 4
MUSC 336 - Music, Gender, and Sexuality: (subtitle) Credit(s): 3 *
MUSC 337 - Music, Race, and Ethnicity: (subtitle) Credit(s): 3
PLSC 374 - Public Administration Credit(s): 3
PLSC 411 - Public Opinion and the Mass Media Credit(s): 3
PLSC 413 - Political Leadership Credit(s): 3
PLSC 414 - American Public Policy Credit(s): 3
PHIL 201 - Environmental Ethics Credit(s): 3
PHIL 204 - Feminist Philosophy Credit(s): 3
PSYC 275 - S/Environmental Psychology Credit(s): 3 *
SOCL 102 - S/Introduction to Social Problems and Public Policy Credit(s): 3
SOCL 218 - Sociology of Environmental Issues Credit(s): 3 *
SOCL 317 - Gender and Law Credit(s): 3
SOCL 318 - Environmental Sociology Credit(s): 3
WGST 310 - Race, Class, and Gender Credit(s): 3

Dimension 2: Development, Economics, and Global Perspective (2 Classes - 6-8 Credits)

ANTH 226 - M/Anthropology of Latin America and the Caribbean Credit(s): 3
ANTH 307 - Anthropology of Development Credit(s): 3
ANTH 313 - Global Health Issues Credit(s): 3
ANTH 316 - Human Ecology Credit(s): 3
ANTH 343 - Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Women’s Health Credit(s): 3
ARTH 205 - Museum Studies: Art and Global Politics Credit(s): 3
ARTH 250 - F/Contemporary Art and Globalization Credit(s): 3
BIOL 318 - M/Health and Developing World Credit(s): 3
BIOL 344 - Biology and Global Health Credit(s): 4
CMLT 200 - Reading Transnationally: (subtitle) Credit(s): 4
COMN 317 - Culture and Communication Credit(s): 4 or
ECON 340 - Environmental Economics Credit(s): 3
ECON 355 - Economic Development and Growth Credit(s): 3
ECON 356 - Women and the Economy Credit(s): 3
ENGL 308 - M/Modernity in West Africa Credit(s): 4
ENGL 342 - World Literature Credit(s): 4
GEOG 362 - M/Geography of Latin America Credit(s): 3 or
GEOG 363 - M/Geography of Sub-Saharan Africa Credit(s): 3 or
GEOG 365 - M/The Geography of Islam Credit(s): 3 or
GEOG 366 - M/Geography of the Western Pacific Rim Credit(s): 3
MUSC 233 - Introduction to Ethnomusicology Credit(s): 3
PHIL 202 - M/World Religions & Contemporary Issues Credit(s): 3
PHIL 237 - Ethical Issues in Business Credit(s): 3
PLSC 350 - Democratization Credit(s): 3
PLSC 355 - Politics of East Asia Credit(s): 3 or
PLSC 356 - Politics of South Asia Credit(s): 3 or
PLSC 360 - Developing World Politics Credit(s): 3 or
PLSC 362 - Government and Politics in Africa Credit(s): 3
PLSC 372 - Community, State, and Regional Politics Credit(s): 3
PLSC 376 - Social and Political Philosophy Credit(s): 3
PLSC 440 - International Law Credit(s): 3
PLSC 442 - Human Rights in a Global Perspective Credit(s): 3
PLSC 425 - Politics of Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean Credit(s): 3 or
PLSC 426 - Government and Politics of South America Credit(s): 3 or
PLSC 428 - Middle East Politics Credit(s): 3
SOCL 105 - S/M/Introduction to Global Social Change Credit(s): 3
SOCL 325 - Global Social Change Credit(s): 3
WGST 340 - Gender and Global Education Credit(s): 3

Dimension 3: Environment and Physical Science (at least 2 Classes - 6-8 Credits)

BIOL 203 - Principles of Ecology Credit(s): 3
BIOL 305 - Biological Conservation Credit(s): 4
BIOL 314 - Biodiversity: (subtitle) Credit(s): 3
BIOL 315 - Sustainability Science Credit(s): 3
BIOL 317 - Marine Biology Credit(s): 4
BIOL 348 - Plant Diversity Credit(s): 4
CHEM 104 - Chemistry and Society Credit(s): 3 and
CHEM 105 - N/Chemistry and Society Laboratory Credit(s): 1
or
CHEM 116 - Chemistry I Credit(s): 3 and
CHEM 119 - N/Introductory Chemistry Lab Credit(s): 2
GEOG 220 - Weather and Climate Credit(s): 3
GEOG 230 - Biogeography Credit(s): 3
GEOG 382 - Climate Change and Variability Credit(s): 3
GSCI 140 - N/Environmental Science Credit(s): 3 and
GSCI 141 - N/Environmental Science Laboratory Credit(s): 1
GSCI 150 - N/The Geology of Climate Change and Energy Credit(s): 3 and
GSCI 151 - N/The Geology of Climate Change and Energy Laboratory Credit(s): 1
GSCI 200 - Environmental Geology Credit(s): 3
GSCI 331 - Geomorphology Credit(s): 3
GSCI 335 - Paleoclimatology Credit(s): 3
GSCI 347 - Groundwater Hydrology Credit(s): 3
GSCI 352 - Sedimentation Credit(s): 3
PHYS 104 - N/Sustainable Energy Credit(s): 4
PHYS 113 - General Physics I Credit(s): 3 and
PHYS 114 - N/Physics I Lab Credit(s): 1
or
PHYS 123 - Analytical Physics I Credit(s): 3 and
PHYS 114 - N/Physics I Lab Credit(s): 1
or
PHYS 123 - Analytical Physics I Credit(s): 3 and
PHYS 124 - N/Analytical Physics I Laboratory Credit(s): 1

An additional course (3-4 credits) from any one of the three dimensions.

Integrative and Applied Learning Experience: (3-4 credits)

Course selected must be at the 300-level or above:
SUST 366 - Sustainability & Environmental Stewardship Credit(s): 3
SUST 395 - Sustainability Internship Credit(s): 3
SUST 399 - Sustainability Directed Study Credit(s): 3
or other internship, directed study, capstone, or study abroad course, pre-approved by the Sustainability Studies Coordinator.

Related Requirements (3-4 Credits)

One of the following:
BIOL 340 - Modeling Biological Systems Credit(s): 3
BIOL 350 - Foundations of Biostatistics Credit(s): 3
ECON 205 - Business and Economic Statistics Credit(s): 3
GEOG 278 - R/Statistics in Geography Credit(s): 3
GEOG 286 - Introduction to Geographic Information Systems Credit(s): 4
GSCI 333 - Geologic Applications of Remote Sensing Imagery Credit(s): 3
MATH 228 - Calculus II for Biologists Credit(s): 4
MATH 242 - R/Elements of Probability and Statistics Credit(s): 3
MATH 262 - R/Applied Statistics Credit(s): 3
PLSC 251 - R/Modern Political Analysis Credit(s): 3
PSYC 250 - R/Introduction to Behavioral Statistics Credit(s): 3
SOCL 211 - R/Statistics for Social Research Credit(s): 3

Minimum Competence Requirement

A grade of C- or better is required for all courses used in fulfillment of the Sustainability Studies major.

Department Writing Requirement

Students will meet the department writing requirement for Sustainability Studies majors by writing a reflective essay in consultation with the Sustainability Studies Coordinator after completion of the Integrative and Applied Learning requirement.

Footnotes:

A three-credit lecture taken with its one-credit co-requisite lab constitutes one course.
Three to four internship credits may be used to satisfy one sustainability dimension course or the integrative and applied learning requirement with the approval of the Sustainability Studies Coordinator.
Three to four credits of directed study may be used to satisfy one sustainability dimension course or the integrative and applied learning requirement with the approval of the Sustainability Studies Coordinator.
SUST 366 - Sustainability & Environmental Stewardship or SUST 399 - Sustainability Directed Study may be used to satisfy one sustainability dimension course or the integrative and applied learning requirement with the approval of the Sustainability Studies Coordinator.