Sustainability Studies (Minor)

Sustainability Studies Minor

Program Goals

  1. Provide students with a multi-disciplinary foundation for thinking about sustainability.
  2. Discuss the concept of sustainability from a biogeochemical perspective.
  3. Address the social and economic facets of sustainability.
  4. Discuss the challenges that face humanity in becoming sustainable.

Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to:

  1. Create a personal definition of sustainability.
  2. Analyze human impacts on natural systems and processes that affect the ability of humanity to live sustainably.
  3. Interpret sustainability issues in the context of element cycles.
  4. Compare and contrast the role of public and private entities in creating sustainable societies.
  5. Identify facets of social/economic/industrial structures that could be changed to make society more sustainable.


Sustainability Studies Minor: 24 Total credit hours

(ESM 105 is a prerequisite)

Required Courses: 18 Credit Hours

  • ESM 220 Environmental Sustainability: Theories, Issues, and Management 3 cr.
  • ESM 251 Community Decision-Making OR ESM 351 Planning for Sustainable Communities OR SOCI 245 Environmental Sociology 3 cr.
  • SM 377 Business Ecology OR ESM 351 Planning for Sustainable Communities 3 cr. (Students who choose ESM 351 to meet requirement (2) must take ESM 377 to meet this requirement)
  • CROP 368 Sustainable Agriculture 3 cr.
  • GEOL 350 Geological Destinies of Nations 3 cr.
  • AGEC 450 Introduction to Natural Resource Economics 3 cr.

Directed Electives: 6 Credit Hours

  • ESM 109, ESM 251*, ESM 300, ESM 303, ESM 305, ESM 343, ESM 351*, ESM 377* 2-3 cr.
  • GEOG 366 3 cr.
  • GEOL 202, GEOL 269, GEOL 330 3 cr.
  • SOIL 325 3 cr.
  • AGEN 325 3 cr.
  • ENGL 228 3 cr.
  • CHEM 200 3 cr.
  • SOCI 245* 3 cr.
    (*This course counts as EITHER a requirement OR a directed elective.)