What is sustainability?
Sustainability is balancing environmental integrity, economic prosperity, and social equity without compromising the needs of future generations.
Why minor in Sustainability Studies?
The Sustainability Studies minor explores the complex interplay among environmental justice and protection, economic vitality, and social equity through interdisciplinary, action, and field-based learning that blends the social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences. The minor is designed to encourage undergraduate students from any discipline to explore the three pillars of sustainability (economic, social, and environmental) beyond coursework in their major. It offers students broad opportunities for internships and experiences that can lead to fulfilling jobs upon graduation.
Topics Covered
- Climate change and sustainable energy
- International sustainable development
- Political ecology
- Sustainable urban planning and design
- Sustainable transportation
- Sustainable food systems
Outcomes
- Students develop the ability to apply sustainability as a framework for achieving ecological health, economic vitality, and social equity across multiple domains of human society.
- Students deepen their familiarity with many interrelated social and environmental problems facing Earth and innovative solutions-based thinking being applied to these.