Sustainability Studies Minor: Courses and Program Requirements

Program Requirements

Students must complete 18 credits and a capstone experience to earn a minor in sustainability studies. The program’s interdisciplinary approach encourages students to take courses from a variety of departments. The program is structured as follows:

• All students will take SUST 201: Introduction to Sustainability.
• Students must then take at least 12 credits from Category A, defined as courses in which substantial content is foundational to engagement with sustainability. These credits must be distributed across three “clusters,” each of which denotes a major aspect of sustainability (see below). Having taken one course from each of the three clusters, students will then be able to take the remaining Category A credits from a cluster of their choosing.
• Only three credits may come from Category B, defined as courses in which significant content is foundational to engagement with sustainability. Because their content may vary, courses from Category B must be approved by the program director to count for the minor.
• At least six credits must be at the 300 level or above.
• Only one course may come from the student’s major.
• With the exception of SUST courses, no course prefix may be used more than twice without written permission from the program director.
• Special topics, independent study courses, and internship courses may be applied to either Category A or Category B with the approval of the Sustainability Studies Committee.
• Students should consult with the program director to determine if there are any prerequisites for the courses listed below. Through counseling, the program coordinator will work with individual departments to determine if students may qualify for prerequisite exemptions.
• Students will work with an advisor from the Sustainability Studies program to develop a capstone experience that synthesizes their knowledge and skills related to sustainability. This requirement may be fulfilled by one of the following options: a portfolio, conference presentation, or other scholarly activity approved by the program director

What Category A courses are part of the Sustainability Studies Minor?

What Category B courses are part of the Sustainability Studies Minor?

Please also refer to the current Undergraduate Catalog for additional information about the minor which is housed in both the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and the Kopchick College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.