Sustainability Program Requirements for 2025-2026

B.A. in Sustainability

All required and elective courses that may apply to the major are included in the determination of the grade point average in the major.

Requirements

Required Courses – 36 credits

  • SUST 101 - Intro to Sustainability (3)
  • ECON 105C – P3 Principles of Microeconomics (3)
  • ECON 221 - SQ Statistics I (3)
  • POSC 211 – Intro Public Policy (3)
  • PHIL 235 – P2 Environmental Ethics (3)
  • SOCI 231 - Social Power, Cultural Values, and Our Environment (3)
  • SUST 210 – P4 Systems Thinking (3)
  • BIOL 395 – Career Seminar (1)
  • MGMT 334 – Business of Sustainability (3)
  • SUST 302 – Environmental Sci Workshop (4)
  • SUST 390 – Intro to Comm Sustainability (1)
  • SUST 430 – Earth Systems (3)
  • SUST 490 – Sustainability Experience (3)

Elective Courses – 3 or 4 credits

Choose one elective from the following list:

  • BIOL 408 – Ecology (3)
  • BIOL 409 – Ecological Field Methods (3)
  • BIOL 410 – Conservation Biology (3)
  • BIOL 419 – Restoration Ecology (3)
  • CHEM 230 – Geology Workshop I (4)
  • ECON 360 – Environmental Economics (3)
  • POSC 322 – Environmental Law (3)
  • SPST 255 – Sustainability in Sport (3)
  • WGST 202 – Theories of Gender (3)
  • Any SUST course at the 300 or 400 level, excluding SUST 390, SUST 490, SUST 491 and SUST 496

 Total: 39-40 credits

B.S. Inclusive Childhood Education Major with a Liberal Arts Concentration in Earth Science

Students pursuing teaching certification in inclusive childhood education may complete a concentration in Earth science. In addition to meeting all of the inclusive childhood education requirements (see Inclusive Childhood Education for details), the Sustainability Program, in conjunction with the Education Department, has outlined the following courses which meet the New York state requirement for a liberal arts concentration in Earth science. Students must earn grades of "C" or higher in all courses in the content area.

  • SUST 101 - Intro to Sustainability (3)
  • SUST 210 - Systems Thinking (3)
  • SUST 302 - Environmental Science Workshop (4)
  • PHYS 111 - Astronomy (3)
  • CHEM 230 - Geology Workshop I (4)
  • SUST 430 – Earth Systems (3)
  • MATH 109C - College Algebra (3) or MATH 114C - P4 Math for Teachers (3) or MATH 119C - P4 Precalculus (3) or MATH 120C - Calculus 1 (4)
  • 7 additional credits in BIOL, CHEM, PHYS, or SUST in the 100, 200, 300, or 400 level excluding any Fisher Core class, SUST 390, SUST 490, SUST 491, and SUST 496.
    • For childhood, highly recommended electives include BIOL 151 and BIOL 152
    • For middle school extension, highly recommended electives include PHYS 141 and PHYS 142

Total: 30 credits

B.S. Inclusive Adolescence Education with a Liberal Arts Concentration in Earth Science

Students pursuing teaching certification in inclusive adolescence education (Earth science) may complete a concentration in Earth science. In addition to meeting all of the inclusive adolescence education requirements (see Inclusive Adolescence Education for details), the Sustainability Program, in conjunction with the Education Department, has outlined the following courses which meet the New York state requirement for Earth science certification. Students must earn grades of "C" or higher in all courses in the content area.

  • SUST 101 - Intro to Sustainability (3)
  • SUST 210 - Systems Thinking (3)
  • SUST 302 - Environmental Science Workshop (4)
  • PHYS 111 - Astronomy (3)
  • CHEM 230 - Geology Workshop I (4)
  • SUST 430 - Earth Systems (3)
  • MATH 109 - College Algebra (3) or MATH 114C - P4 Math for Teachers (3) or MATH 119C - P4 Precalculus (3) or MATH 120C - Calculus 1 (4)
  • 7 additional credits in BIOL, CHEM, PHYS, or SUST in the 100, 200, 300, or 400 level excluding any Fisher Core class, SUST 390, SUST 490, SUST 491, and SUST 496.
    • For inclusive adolescent education, highly recommended electives include PHYS 141 and PHYS 142

Total: 30 credits

Minor in Sustainability

A grade point average of 2.00 is required for all courses taken in residence that may be applied to the minor.

Requirements

Introductory Courses – 9 credits

  • BIOL 101C – P4 Environmental Issues (3)
  • PHIL 235 – P2 Environmental Ethics (3)
  • ECON 105C – P3 Principles of Microeconomics (3)

Electives – 9 credits

All of the following courses either provide skills that are vital to advanced critical thinking in sustainability issues or are an in-depth integration of sustainability to a specific field.

Choose THREE electives from the following group. Each elective must carry a different course prefix (with the exception of SUST), with at least one at the 200 level or above.

  • AMST/WGST 216 – P2 Feminist Theory (3)
  • ANTH 320 – Disaster, Hazard, and Risk (3)
  • BIOL 408 – Ecology (3)
  • BIOL 410 – Conservation Biology (3)
  • CHEM 315 – Analytical Chemistry (3)
  • ECON 360 – Environmental Economics (3)
  • EDUC 335 – Differentiated Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) (3)
  • ENGL 204 – P1 Nature Writing (3)
  • ENGL 2190 - Science Writing for Public (3)
  • HIST 2308 – History of Hunting (3)
  • MATH 170 – P4 Mathematical Modeling (3)
  • POSC 211 – Intro Public Policy (3)
  • PSJS 270 – CC Ethics & World Ecology (3)
  • PSJS 275 – P3 Sustainable Futures (3)
  • SPST 255 – Sustainability in Sport (3)
  • SUST 138 – P4 Green Chemistry (3)
  • SUST 210 – P4 Systems Thinking (3)
  • SUST 301 – Environmental Science (3)
  • SUST 310 – Topics in Sustainability (3)

Capstone Course – 1 credit

  • SUST 400 – Sustainability Minor Capstone (1)

Total: 19 credits

Note: The program requirements listed are for the current academic year. Past and future program requirements may differ.