Sustainability Studies (BA)

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
Course Title Credits
Major Requirements 1
SU 2111Introduction to Sustainability Studies4
PBH 2000Foundations of Public Health (WECO)4
SU 3112Social Science Perspectives on Sustainability (DICO,GACO) (DICO, GACO)4
SU 3113Conversations in Sustainability1
SU 3115Economic and Ecological Sustainability (GACO,QRCO) (QRCO)4
SU 3333Environmental Humanities (WRCO) (WRCO)4
SU 4111Sustainability Project Design4
Methods Courses (Choose two, at least one must be a TECO)8
Design Software Basics (TECO)
Methods of Social Research (TECO)
GIS I: Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (QRCO,TECO)
Media and Cultural Studies (TECO)
Technical Communication (TECO,WRCO)
Assessment and Communication in Public Health (TECO)
Strategic Communication
Art Foundations 2D: Composition and Content
Art Foundations Drawing: Line and Language
Communication and Leadership
Interactive Web Communication (INCO,INCP)
Creative Writing
Advanced Composition
Non-Fiction Workshop
Environmental Outreach and Communication
GIS II: Advanced Geographic Information Systems
Remote Sensing and Digital Image Processing
Geospatial Technology Applications
Statistics I (QRCO)
Epidemiology and Biostatistics for Public Health (QRCO)
Social and Behavioral Health Psychology (INCO,INCP)
Social Statistics (QRCO)
Focus Courses: Choose 6 courses from list below or Methods list above (cannot double count)18-24
Arts, Humanities, and Communication
Art and Sustainability
Design Software Basics (TECO)
Imagery
Environmental Anthropology: Culture, Ecology, and Conservation
Painting
Painting: Process Exploration
Printmaking: Cut, Carve, Etch
Printmaking: Silkscreen and Alternative Processes
Professional Social Media
New Hampshire and New England History
Economy and Entrepreneurship 
Principles of Economics (GACO)
Business and the Environment
Social Entrepreneurship
Foundations of Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Intermediate Macroeconomics
Intermediate Microeconomics
Current Topics in Economics
Executing for Growth and Sustainability (Executing for Growth and Sustainability)
Economic Geography
Ecotourism
Ethics and Equity 
Society, Ethics, and the Law (DICO)
Global Perspectives in the Media (GACO)
Ethics, Social Justice, and Policy in Public Health
Women in World Politics
Politics and Conflict in the Middle East (GACO,INCO,INCP)
Environmental Ethics (INCO,INCP,WECO)
Business Ethics (DICO,INCO,INCP)
Sociology of Race and Ethnicity (DICO)
Social Welfare Policy and Services
Diversity and Oppression
Environmental sciences
Natural History and Ecology for Adventure Educators
Biological Science I (TECO)
Biological Science II
Botany
Conservation (DICO,GACO,INCO,INCP)
Freshwater Ecology
Ecology (QRCO,WRCO)
Current Environmental Issues
Environmental Chemistry (INCO,INCP)
Introduction to Permaculture
Introduction to Environmental Science and Policy I
Introduction to Environmental Science and Policy II
Climate, Risk, and Adaptation (GACO,INCO,INCP)
Environmental Geology (TECO)
Advanced Conservation Ecology
Fundamentals of Meteorology and Climatology (GACO)
Climate Change (INCO,INCP)
Public Health, Policy and Governance
Foundations of Environmental Policy (WRCO)
Environment and Health (WECO)
Special Topics in Environmental Policy
Decision Making in Environmental Management
Program Planning for Public Health (WRCO)
Ethics, Social Justice, and Policy in Public Health
Public Administration (DICO)
Political Analysis and Policy (WRCO)
Sustainable Development and Planning 
Community Planning
Environmental Planning
Sustainable Structures
Climate, Risk, and Adaptation (GACO,INCO,INCP)
Environment and Health (WECO)
Decision Making in Environmental Management
Urban Geography
GIS II: Advanced Geographic Information Systems
Remote Sensing and Digital Image Processing
Topics in Geospatial Technologies
Disaster, Crisis, and Chaos
Environment and Society (INCO,INCP)
Sustainability in Practice (WECO)
Cultural and Heritage Tourism
General Education
EN 1400Composition4
IS 1115Tackling a Wicked Problem4
MAMathematics Foundations3-4
CTDICreative Thought Direction3-4
PPDIPast and Present Direction3-4
SIDIScientific Inquiry Direction3-4
SSDISelf and Society Direction3-4
Directions (choose from CTDI, PPDI, SIDI, SSDI) 24-8
GACOForeign Language 36-8
Electives27
Total Credits120
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). 

3

The foreign language requirement for all BA degrees calls for 0-8 credits:  one year of one language (6-8 credits); or one 3000/4000 level world language course (3 credits); or being a native speaker of a language other than English (zero credit). American Sign Language I and II fulfill this requirement; however, American Sign Language does not satisfy the Global Awareness Connection.

Plan of Study Grid
Year OneCredits
SU 2111 Introduction to Sustainability Studies 4
SU 3333 Environmental Humanities (WRCO) 4
MAMathematics Foundations 3-4
IS 1115 Tackling a Wicked Problem 4
EN 1400 Composition 4
PPDIPast and Present Direction 3-4
SSDISelf and Society Direction 3-4
 Credits25-28
Year Two
PBH 2000 Foundations of Public Health 4
SU 3115 Economic and Ecological Sustainability (GACO,QRCO) 4
SU 3113 Conversations in Sustainability 1
CTDICreative Thought Direction 3-4
SIDIScientific Inquiry Direction 3-4
Directions (choose from CTDI, PPDI, SIDI, SSDI) 4-8
One Focus Area Course 3-4
Electives 6-8
 Credits28-37
Years Three and Four
Four Focus Area Courses 12-16
Two Methods Courses (one TECO) 6-8
SU 3113 Conversations in Sustainability 1
INCPIntegrated Capstone 3-4
GACOForeign Language 8
Electives 17-21
SU 4111 Sustainability Project Design 4
 Credits51-62
 Total Credits120
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.
 
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
 
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
 
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
 

Sustainability Coordinator, Sustainability Analyst, Sustainability Project Manager, Sustainability Marketer, Nonprofit Administrator, Sustainability Communicator, Sustainability Entrepreneur, Planner