Minor in Sustainability Studies

Application and Requirements

Auburn University is now offering a Minor in Sustainability. In order to pursue a minor in sustainability studies, students should file a Plan of Study, in consultation with the Director of Academic Sustainability Programs (Dr. Nanette Chadwick chadwna@auburn.edu), as early as possible. The Plan of Study is ideally completed within the first semester of taking courses toward the minor. The completion and filing of the Plan of Study is a prerequisite to enrolling in the senior capstone class.

Requirements-15 Semester Hours

All students are required to take:

SUST 2000, Introduction to Sustainability
SUST 5000, Senior Capstone in Sustainability
9 additional hours of electives:
- At least 3 elective hours outside their major college 6 elective hours must be at the 3000 level or above (9 hours must be at the 3000 level or above, the senior capstone counts for 3 of those hours)

I. Knowledge of Sustainability--Required--3 Credit Hours

SUST 2000, Introduction to Sustainability (3) required for all students, and is highly recommended to be taken before taking other courses to be applied to the minor. Prerequisite: minimum of sophomore standing.

SUST 2000 also is approved as a course for the minor in Community and Civic Engagement, which is housed in the College of Liberal Arts. This course may count as credit toward either of these minors, but not toward both at the same time.

II. Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary Understanding-9 Credit Hours

Choose 3 courses from the following list of electives. The student will choose classes that cover at least two of principal issues in sustainability: general economic issues, environment, and social justice. There may be classes not on this list that are appropriate for the minor and may be approved by the Director of Academic Sustainability Programs as credit toward completion of the minor.

III.Demonstration of Knowledge--Required--3 Credit Hours

SUST 5000, Senior Capstone in Sustainability (3)*required for all students. Prerequisites: SUST 2000, Program of Study filed with Director of Academic Sustainability Programs. Completion of at least 6 hours of approved electives. All elective course credits must be completed before or concurrently with the capstone course. Students may take no more than one elective concurrently with this class. Strongly recommended to be taken in senior year.

Electives

(NOTE: Not every course is offered every semester. If you have trouble finding courses to fulfill your requirements, talk to your advisor or email the Director of Academic Sustainability Programs, Dr. Nanette Chadwick, at chadwna@auburn.edu.)

Society and Markets:

CAHS 2000: Global Consumer Culture (3)
MKTG 4600: Green Marketing (3) PR MKTG 3310
RSOC 3190: Food, Agriculture, and Society (3)
RSOC 5650: Sociology of Natural Resources and the Environment (3) PR junior or senior standing
FOWS 4310: Ecotourism (3)
FOWS 5320: Environmental Services (3)

Environment:

FORY 4970/7970: Urban Ecology (3)
ARCH 4900: Readings in Landscape Architecture (3) PR permission of instructor
CPLN 5500 and 5600:Environmental Planning (3) PR junior or senior standing
HIST 3550: American Environmental History (3)
HIST 3620: Landscape and Culture (3)
RSOC 3190: Food, Agriculture, and Society (3)
RSOC 5650: Sociology of Natural Resources and the Environment (3) PR junior or senior standing
GEOG 2020: Physical Geography (3)
AGRN 5000: Soils and Environment Quality (3) PR AGRN 2040
AGRN 5400: Bioenergy and the Environment (3) PR junior standing
BIOL 3060: Ecology, PR 8 hrs Biology (3)
BIOL 5090: Conservation Biology (3) PR Ecology
BSEN 3230: Natural Resource Conservation Engineering (3) PR CIVL 3110
BSEN 3500: Natural Resource Systems Conservation (3) PR MATH 1130
FOWS 4310: Ecotourism (3)
FOWS 5320: Environmental Services (3)
BIOL 5150: Community Ecology (3) PR Ecology
MECH 5970 Renewable Energy Resources and Applications (3) PR Thermo I (ENGR 2010) or Intro. to Thermal Sciences (ENGR 2200) or permission of instructor.
*MATL 2210 Materials for Sustainable Energy Production and Storage (1)

*MATL 2220 Materials and the Environment (1)

*MATL 2230 Mineral Resources: Availability and Processing (1), PR Chemistry or permission of the instructor. (*Take all 3 to count as one 3-credit elective.)

Social Justice:

HUSC 2000/2007: Hunger: Causes, consequences and responses (3)
ANTH 3700: Political Ecology (3)
HDFS 4700: Gender in Close Relationships (3)
RELG 4970: Religion and the Environment (3)
RSOC 3190: Food, Agriculture, and Society (3)
RSOC 5650: Sociology of Natural Resources and the Environment (3) PR junior or senior standing
FORY 5310: Environmental Ethics (3) PR junior or senior standing
HIST 3550: American Environmental History (3)
HIST 3620: Landscape and Culture (3)
FOWS 4310: Ecotourism (3)
FOWS 5320: Environmental Services (3)
ADS 2010: Animals and Society (3)

Last Updated: Oct. 2, 2012