Campus Sustainability

Sustainable Development Minor

Sustainable Development is an interdisciplinary minor with courses in sustainability and environmental studies from departments and colleges across the university. Courses emphasize experiential, project-based service learning. The minor is designed to prepare students for the challenges and obligations of the 21st century, specifically by contributing to UCCS and local organizations on issues relating to the environment and social equity, promoting economic vitality, and recognizing civic responsibilities both at home and abroad.

Sustainable development, often defined as "meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" (Brundtland 1987), is achieved by paying equal attention to issues of environmental impact, social equity, and economic prosperity. Education for sustainability is an imperative for colleges and universities; so much so, that the United Nations has named 2005-2015 the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development. Because universities are an integral part of the global economy/community, we have a fundamental responsibility to teach, train and conduct research for sustainability - creating a framework for addressing environmental, social, and economic factors. We believe the success of higher education in the future will be judged in part by our ability to put forth a bold agenda, making sustainable development a cornerstone of our academic and administrative practices.

Expected outcomes of students who complete the Sustainable Development minor are listed below:

• Identify core concepts and critiques of sustainable development,
• Describe interconnections between community structures and influences on the environment,
• Examine environmental, economic, and social aspects of sustainability from multiple academic disciplines,
• Understand the disciplinary overlap of sustainability issues and approach holistic real-world problems from diverse perspectives,
• Critically read, evaluate, and discuss sustainable development literature,
• Demonstrate knowledge of the ever-increasing scholarship within the sustainable development literature.

Academic Requirements

Students seeking the Minor in Sustainable Development must complete a minimum of 18 credit hours of coursework, 12 of which must be upper division. There are three components or general areas in sustainability - environment, equity, and economy. A student must choose one core course in at least two of the three areas outlined below and select at least one course from any listed under the third area. The student must also complete the one credit course, GES 480 - Sustainability Seminar. This one hour course is an independent research project, with the project usually completed in the context of another course. The student receives the one hour of credit by expanding and presenting this work at a Sustainability Symposium at the end of the student's final semester.

Special topic courses, internships, independent studies or other courses that are not listed below but may qualify to be included on an ad hoc basis in the minor require the consent of the Director of the Sustainable Development Minor. Students may double count up to nine credit hours between a major and the Sustainable Development Minor. Such double counting is permitted for at most one major and one stand-alone minor pair. Coursework applied toward a minor may also be applied toward general education requirements.

For more information about the Sustainable Development minor, please visit the web site or contact the director, Dr. David Havlick.

Required 1 Credit Course

Core Course Selections

Choose at least one course from each of two of the following three core areas.

Additional Course Selections

The remaining credits will come from the following list -- at least one course must be taken in an area not taken in the core course section.