Sustainability Studies Minor

Minor
On Campus, Day
Humanities

In Short

Students will gain the knowledge and skills to develop sustainable solutions to the problem of climate change and environmental degradation.

Overview

This 18-credit minor focuses on the issue of sustainability from an interdisciplinary perspective. It introduces the intellectual frameworks, technological innovations, and sociopolitical developments that will bring us closer to a more sustainable and equitable global community. Students will also learn about the rapidly-expanding career opportunities within the field of sustainability.

  • Students will attain an understanding of the scope of sustainability studies, and explain how natural, economic, and social systems interact to foster or prevent sustainability.
  • Students will learn a range of interdisciplinary approaches and systems thinking as they apply to the interrelated issues of sustainability, and learn to analyze local, national, and global sustainability using these frameworks. 
  • Students will gain a general knowledge of the different solutions being developed to tackle the challenges of sustainability, and the career possibilities they offer.
  • Students will consider how their own ethos, actions and lifestyle relate to the goals of sustainability.

Careers include: consulting, nonprofit management, government, energy, green technology/engineering, environmental engineering, etc.

Data from 2020 US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a steady growth rate of 8% in careers in sustainability for the next decade. 

Curriculum and Requirements

Visit our University Catalog for more information about this minor