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Sustainability Minor

This minor requires a multidisciplinary study of the environmental, social, and economic dimensions of sustainability

Requirements

To obtain a minor in sustainability a student must complete at least 30 credits (at least 15 of which must be taken in residence at PSU), to include the following:

Courses

ESM 150Orientation to Environmental Sciences and Management

1
UnSt 224Environmental Sustainability

4
ESM 222Applied Environmental Studies: Policy Consideration

4
Upper-division credits (see below)

15-16

For the upper-division credits (15-16), students must take a total of four courses, including at least one course from each of the following categories and one additional course from any of the categories.

Economics and Business Issues

Ec 332UEconomics of Environmental Issues

4
Ec 444Economics of Green Power

4
Ec 433/ESM 433Advanced Natural Resource Economics

4
Ec 434/ESM 434Business Environmental Management Economics

4
Ec 443/ESM 443Global Environmental Economics

4
USP 490Green Economics and Sustainable Development

3
Ec 430Resource and Environmental Economics

4
ESM 357UBusiness Solutions for Environmental Problems

4

Social and Management Issues

Arch 367UFundamentals of Environmental Design

4
Geog 340UGlobal Water Issues and Sustainability

4
Geog 345UResource Management

4
Geog 346UWorld Population and Food Supply

4
Geog 347UEnvironmental Issues and Action

4
Geog 442Sustainable Cities

4
Hst 339UThe Environment and History

4
Phl 310UEnvironmental Ethics

4
PS 319UPolitics of the Environment

4
Sci 321UEnergy and Society I

4
Sci 322UEnergy and Society II

4
Soc 341UPopulation Trends and Policy

4
Soc 465Environmental Sociology

4
SySc 334UModeling Social-Ecological Systems

4
USP 313UUrban Environmental Issues

4
USP 325UCommunity and the Built Environment

4
USP 419/Soc 441Population and Society

4

Environmental and Ecological Issues

ESM 355UUnderstanding Environmental Sustainability I

4
ESM 356UUnderstanding Environmental Sustainability II

4
ESM 420Ecological Toxicology

4
ESM 424Wetland Ecology

4
ESM 426Ecology of Streams and Rivers

4
ESM 428Urban Ecology

4
ESM 445Old-growth Forest Ecology

4
ESM 460/CE 488Air Quality

4
Sci 335UWater in the Environment I

4
Sci 336UWater in the Environment II

4
Sci 352UScience and Policy of Climate Change

4
In addition, students must choose an appropriate capstone or internship:
UnSt 421Capstone

6
ESM 450Case Studies in Environmental Problem Solving

4-6
ESM 404Cooperative Ed/Internship ESM Sustainability Minor

6

(A list of acceptable capstone and internship courses will be prepared for each year).

Total Credit Hours: 30-31

Courses taken under the undifferentiated grading option (pass/no pass) will not be accepted toward fulfilling minor requirements. Courses with omnibus numbers 401, 404, 405, 406, and 407 are not allowed for the minor. Additional courses may be required as prerequisites. Only grades of C- or above count toward satisfying the minor requirement. 

NOTE: Students earning the minor in sustainability may not also earn the sustainable urban development minor offered by the Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning unless the courses presented for the minors differ by at least 12 credits. Only grades of C- or above count toward satisfying the minor requirements.