Sustainability Studies

In 1987, the Brundtland Commission of the United Nations defined sustainable development as “Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” As sustainability professionals, we work to enact effective change within our disciplines and organizations to align with this development mindset. Our curriculum explores the many ways human activity supports or conflicts with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, as well as how we can more broadly embrace the triple bottom line of social, economic, and ecological sustainability.

The minor complements any major on campus and provides both intellectual breadth and depth in a challenging new area of inquiry that is gaining a high level of interest in businesses, government agencies, and non-governmental organizations. A minor in Sustainability Studies and a major in any discipline will provide excellent thinking and problem-solving skills for you as a citizen, employee, or graduate student. 

Please note that students wishing to declare the minor must do so one full academic year in advance of graduation. For example, students graduating in Spring 2020 must declare the minor no later than the drop/add period in Fall 2019.

Sustainability Studies Minor students are strongly encouraged to gain career-related experience. Not only does the minor focus on thematic area courses like Science and Technology, Policy and Institutions, and Social and Human Dimensions but students also see the full picture of sustainability by choosing elective courses such as the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem, science writing, and sustainability analytics. Experiential learning is an important part of the minor, there are several approved study aboard courses, providing a unique way to get hands-on experience and the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of sustainability and what it means to different people and cultures around the world.