Sustainability Studies (B.A.)
Be part of the solution
Our global society faces many challenges to creating resilient, healthy, and socially equitable ways of living that ensure future generations will have access to the resources on which we depend.
Sustainability studies focuses on the interdisciplinary benefits of the sustainability concept. We explore how to make a more sustainable and equitable future by developing combined skill sets from fields including business, the social sciences, the arts and humanities, environmental science, and public health. Students:
- Engage in interdisciplinary learning at multiple scales (local, national, global)
- Learn systems-thinking approaches for identifying and resolving sustainability-related problems
- Develop skills to promote equitable community, collaboration, and collective action while addressing sustainability-related challenges
- Develop professional and transferable skills for employment in sustainability professions
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Curriculum & Requirements
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Major Requirements 1 | ||
| ³§±«Ìý2111 | Introduction to Sustainability Studies | 4 |
| ±Êµþ±áÌý2000 | Foundations of Public Health (WECO) | 4 |
| ³§±«Ìý3112 | Social Science Perspectives on Sustainability (DICO,GACO) (DICO, GACO) | 4 |
| ³§±«Ìý3113 | Conversations in Sustainability | 1 |
| ³§±«Ìý3115 | Economic and Ecological Sustainability (GACO,QRCO) (QRCO) | 4 |
| ³§±«Ìý3333 | Environmental Humanities (WRCO) (WRCO) | 4 |
| ³§±«Ìý4111 | Sustainability Project Design | 4 |
| Methods Courses (Choose two, at least one must be a TECO) | 8 | |
´¡³ÒÌý2100 | Design Software Basics (TECO) | |
´¡±·Ìý4415 | Methods of Social Research (TECO) | |
³Ò·¡Ìý2050 | GIS I: Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (QRCO,TECO) | |
°ä²ÑÌý2775 | Media and Cultural Studies (TECO) | |
°ä²ÑÌý3095 | Technical Communication (TECO,WRCO) | |
±Êµþ±áÌý2200 | Assessment and Communication in Public Health (TECO) | |
°ä²ÑÌý2007 | Strategic Communication | |
´¡¸éÌý1045 | Art Foundations 2D: Composition and Content | |
´¡¸éÌý1075 | Art Foundations Drawing: Line and Language | |
°ä²ÑÌý2915 | Communication and Leadership | |
°ä²ÑÌý3400 | Interactive Web Communication | |
·¡±·Ìý2710 | Creative Writing | |
·¡±·Ìý3125 | Advanced Composition | |
·¡±·Ìý3135 | Non-Fiction Workshop | |
·¡³§±ÊÌý4405 | Environmental Outreach and Communication | |
³Ò·¡Ìý3050 | GIS II: Advanced Geographic Information Systems | |
³Ò·¡Ìý4010 | Remote Sensing and Digital Image Processing | |
³Ò·¡Ìý4050 | Geospatial Technology Applications | |
²Ñ´¡Ìý2300 | Statistics I (QRCO) | |
±Êµþ±áÌý3010 | ||
±Êµþ±áÌý3200 | ||
SS/SW 3705 | Social Statistics (QRCO) | |
| Focus Courses: Choose 6 courses from list below or Methods list above (cannot double count) | 18-24 | |
| Arts, Humanities, and Communication | ||
´¡¸éÌý3575 | Art and Sustainability | |
´¡³ÒÌý2100 | Design Software Basics (TECO) | |
´¡³ÒÌý3200 | Imagery | |
´¡±·Ìý3115 | ||
´¡¸éÌý3015 | Painting | |
´¡¸éÌý3125 | Painting: Process Exploration | |
´¡¸éÌý3295 | Printmaking: Cut, Carve, Etch | |
´¡¸éÌý3325 | Printmaking: Silkscreen and Alternative Processes | |
°ä²ÑÌý2995 | Professional Social Media | |
±á±õÌý3342 | New Hampshire and New England History | |
| Economy and EntrepreneurshipÌý | ||
µþ±«³§Ìý1400 | Principles of Economics (GACO) | |
µþ±«Ìý3220 | Business and the Environment | |
·¡±·°ÕÌý3030 | Social Entrepreneurship | |
·¡±·°ÕÌý2040 | Foundations of Innovation and Entrepreneurship | |
·¡°ä±·Ìý3100 | Intermediate Macroeconomics | |
·¡°ä±·Ìý3200 | Intermediate Microeconomics | |
·¡°ä±·Ìý4400 | Current Topics in Economics | |
·¡±·°ÕÌý3052 | Executing for Growth and Sustainability (Executing for Growth and Sustainability) | |
³Ò·¡Ìý3080 | Economic Geography | |
°Õ²Ñ±ÊÌý3060 | Ecotourism | |
| Ethics and EquityÌý | ||
°ä´³Ìý3157 | Society, Ethics, and the Law (DICO) | |
°ä²ÑÌý3485 | Global Perspectives in the Media (GACO) | |
±Êµþ±áÌý4000 | Ethics, Social Justice, and Policy in Public Health | |
±Ê°¿Ìý3355 | Women in World Politics | |
±Ê°¿Ìý3505 | Politics and Conflict in the Middle East (GACO,INCO) | |
±Ê³ÛÌý3310 | Environmental Ethics (WECO) | |
±Ê³ÛÌý3330 | Business Ethics (DICO,INCO) | |
³§°¿Ìý3375 | Sociology of Race and Ethnicity (DICO) | |
³§°ÂÌý3450 | Social Welfare Policy and Services | |
³§°ÂÌý3490 | ||
| Environmental sciences | ||
´¡±ÊÌý2500 | Natural History and Ecology for Adventure Educators | |
µþ±õÌý1110 | Biological Science I (TECO) | |
µþ±õÌý1120 | Biological Science II | |
µþ±õÌý2070 | Botany | |
µþ±õÌý3240 | Conservation (DICO,GACO) | |
µþ±õÌý3260 | Freshwater Ecology | |
µþ±õÌý4050 | Ecology (QRCO,WRCO) | |
µþ±õÌý4800 | Current Environmental Issues | |
°ä±áÌý3600 | Environmental Chemistry (INCO) | |
·¡±Ê³¢Ìý3150 | Introduction to Permaculture | |
·¡³§±ÊÌý2100 | Introduction to Environmental Science and Policy I | |
·¡³§±ÊÌý2110 | Introduction to Environmental Science and Policy II | |
·¡³§±ÊÌý3325 | Climate, Risk, and Adaptation (GACO,INCO) | |
·¡³§±ÊÌý3335 | Environmental Geology (TECO) | |
·¡³§±ÊÌý4310 | Advanced Conservation Ecology | |
²Ñ°ÕÌý2000 | Fundamentals of Meteorology and Climatology (GACO) | |
MT/ESP 4440 | ||
| Public Health, Policy and Governance | ||
·¡³§±ÊÌý2305 | Foundations of Environmental Policy (WRCO) | |
·¡³§±ÊÌý3550 | Environment and Health (WECO) | |
·¡³§±ÊÌý3600 | Special Topics in Environmental Policy | |
·¡³§±ÊÌý4325 | Decision Making in Environmental Management | |
±Êµþ±áÌý3400 | Program Planning for Public Health (WRCO) | |
±Êµþ±áÌý4000 | Ethics, Social Justice, and Policy in Public Health | |
±Ê°¿Ìý2025 | Public Administration (DICO) | |
±Ê°¿Ìý3060 | Political Analysis and Policy (WRCO) | |
| Sustainable Development and PlanningÌý | ||
·¡±Ê³¢Ìý2105 | Community Planning | |
·¡±Ê³¢Ìý3100 | Environmental Planning | |
·¡³§±ÊÌý3270 | ||
·¡³§±ÊÌý3325 | Climate, Risk, and Adaptation (GACO,INCO) | |
·¡³§±ÊÌý3550 | Environment and Health (WECO) | |
·¡³§±ÊÌý4325 | Decision Making in Environmental Management | |
³Ò·¡Ìý3030 | Urban Geography | |
³Ò·¡Ìý3050 | GIS II: Advanced Geographic Information Systems | |
³Ò·¡Ìý4010 | Remote Sensing and Digital Image Processing | |
³Ò·¡Ìý4040 | ||
³§°¿Ìý3040 | Environmental Justice | |
³§°¿Ìý3395 | ||
³§°¿Ìý3605 | Sustainability in Practice (WECO) | |
°Õ²Ñ±ÊÌý3070 | Cultural and Heritage Tourism | |
| General Education | ||
| ·¡±·Ìý1400 | Composition | 4 |
| ±õ³§Ìý1115 | Tackling a Wicked Problem | 4 |
| MA | Mathematics Foundations | 3-4 |
| CTDI | Creative Thought Direction | 3-4 |
| PPDI | Past and Present Direction | 3-4 |
| SIDI | Scientific Inquiry Direction | 3-4 |
| SSDI | Self and Society Direction | 3-4 |
| Directions (choose from CTDI, PPDI, SIDI, SSDI) 2 | 4-8 | |
| GACO | Foreign Language 3 | 6-8 |
| Electives | 27 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
- 1
At least half of the credits in the major must be at the 3000/4000 level.
- 2
Directions should total 20 credits (unless the major has a waiver for a specific Direction).Ìý
- 3
The foreign language requirement for all BA degrees calls for 0-8 credits:Ìý one year of one language (6-8 credits); or one 3000/4000 level world language courseÌý(3 credits); or being a native speaker of a language other than English (zero credit).ÌýAmerican Sign Language I and II fulfill this requirement; however, American SignÌýLanguage does not satisfy the Global Awareness Connection.
| Year One | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| ³§±«Ìý2111 | Introduction to Sustainability Studies | 4 |
| ³§±«Ìý3333 | Environmental Humanities (WRCO) | 4 |
| MA | Mathematics Foundations | 3-4 |
| ±õ³§Ìý1115 | Tackling a Wicked Problem | 4 |
| ·¡±·Ìý1400 | Composition | 4 |
| PPDI | Past and Present Direction | 3-4 |
| SSDI | Self and Society Direction | 3-4 |
| Ìý | Credits | 25-28 |
| Year Two | ||
| ±Êµþ±áÌý2000 | Foundations of Public Health | 4 |
| ³§±«Ìý3115 | Economic and Ecological Sustainability (GACO,QRCO) | 4 |
| ³§±«Ìý3113 | Conversations in Sustainability | 1 |
| CTDI | Creative Thought Direction | 3-4 |
| SIDI | Scientific Inquiry Direction | 3-4 |
| Directions (choose from CTDI, PPDI, SIDI, SSDI) | 4-8 | |
| One Focus Area Course | 3-4 | |
| Electives | 6-8 | |
| Ìý | Credits | 28-37 |
| Years Three and Four | ||
| Four Focus Area Courses | 12-16 | |
| Two Methods Courses (one TECO) | 6-8 | |
| ³§±«Ìý3113 | Conversations in Sustainability | 1 |
| INCP | Integrated Capstone | 3-4 |
| GACO | Foreign Language | 8 |
| Electives | 17-21 | |
| ³§±«Ìý4111 | Sustainability Project Design | 4 |
| Ìý | Credits | 51-62 |
| Ìý | Total Credits | 120 |
Objective 1: Promote interdisciplinary learning at multiple scales (local, national, global) with respect to sustainability
Outcomes: Students emerging from this major will be able to:
1A: Engage in holistic thinking/learning about sustainability across socio-environmental perspectives
1B: Describe scientific and ethical aspects of key sustainability and resilience concepts (e.g. planetary carrying capacity, population growth, social and environmental justice, climate change, and ecological footprints)
1C: Explain how socio-cultural perspectives, values and actions affect sustainability and resilience at multiple levels.
Ìý
Objective 2: Promote systems-thinking for identifying and resolving sustainability-related problems
Outcomes:
2A: Exhibit critical thinking skills and a systems-thinking approach to identify feedback loops, tradeoffs, and synergies with respect to complex problems
2B: Demonstrate interconnectedness between and among societal and environmental nodes (e.g. water security, food production, health care, energy production and consumption, environmental management)
2C: Express the importance of eco-centric approaches to sustainability
Ìý
Objective 3: Promote equitable community, collaboration, and collective action while addressing sustainability-related challenges
Outcomes:
3A: Connect the theories of sustainability to organizational and social change and become effective change agents
3B: Facilitate collaboration among stakeholders, including nonhumans entities
3C: Assess community readiness to promote sustainability and resilience
3D: Identify, develop, and evaluate community- and policy-level intervention strategies to promote sustainability
3E: Identify barriers to and benefits of behavioral change for sustainability
3F: Apply social justice principles while solving sustainability-related challenges
Ìý
Objective 4: Develop professional and transferable skills to operationalize sustainability
Outcomes:
4A: Communicate effectively using multiple, innovative approaches (stakeholder engagement, visualization, messaging, facilitation, conflict resolution)
4B: Apply theories of sustainability to practice (ie., praxis)
4C: Create professional presence through portfolio and network development In addition to the skills and knowledge developed by all students in the program, graduates will also develop additional specialized knowledge and skills through the individualized focus they create within the individualized cluster program they create
Ìý
Sustainability Coordinator, Sustainability Analyst, Sustainability Project Manager, Sustainability Marketer, Nonprofit Administrator, Sustainability Communicator, Sustainability Entrepreneur, Planner
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