The 18-credit minor in sustainability offers students a rigorous platform to examine critical sustainability issues and solutions. The program begins with Introduction to Sustainability, which equips students with a strong foundation in global sustainability principles and paradigms. Students build on this foundation by further investigating sustainability through the lenses of ecosystems, economies, communities, and practices. The experiential learning requirement provides students with a structure for applying what they’ve learned through a semester-long internship, service, and/or research project. Students are empowered to consider the competing perspectives of stakeholders, the unintended consequences of decisions, and how interventions at different levels and scales affect systems and their component parts. Ultimately, students gain the tools necessary for creating healthy and thriving resource systems.  Visit the Alliance for a Sustainable Future website for additional information regarding the minor.

Program requirements

Students in the minor program must take SUST 1001 Introduction to Sustainability, at least one course in each of the four pillars listed below, and at least 3 credits in experiential learning. At least 9 credits in coursework (e.g., SUST 1001; and SUST 3096 Research in Sustainability or SUST 3097 Culminating Experience in Sustainability; and one pillar course) must be unique to the minor and cannot be double counted toward any other major and/or minor program. At least 6 credits must be taken at the 2000-level or above (e.g., SUST 3096 or SUST 3097 and one pillar course).

 The sustainability minor rests on four pillars:

  • Pillar I: Sustainable Ecosystems—Earth Sciences and Public Health
  • Pillar II: Sustainable Economies—Business, Markets, Technology, and Trade
  • Pillar III: Sustainable Communities—Culture, Politics, and Society
  • Pillar IV: Sustainable Practices—Leadership, Values, Norms, and Behaviors

The experiential learning requirement is a capstone for the minor. Students can fulfill this requirement in their junior or senior year through community service, fieldwork, an internship (paid or unpaid), or directed research. Students can enroll in either SUST 3096 or SUST 3097 to fulfill the requirement. Successful completion of SUST 1001 and the approval of the course instructor are required prior to enrollment in SUST 3096 or SUST 3097.

Each semester, GW departments and programs offer special topics courses that can fulfill the pillar requirement. Topics relevant to the minor must be approved by the program director or their designee. Consult the Schedule of Classes for topics offered.

With prior approval of the program director or academic advisor for the sustainability minor, courses taken in study abroad programs can be used to fulfill one of the pillar requirements.

Sustainable Ecosystems: Earth Sciences and Public Health Pillar

One 3-credit course from this pillar must be selected as part of the minor program. If a course fits the pillar but is not listed here, it can be approved by the program director. This list of course options does not include special topics courses. Topics relevant to the pillar can count toward the minor with the prior approval of the program director. Visit the sustainability minor website for current course offerings. 

Columbian College of Arts and Sciences
BISC 1005The Biology of Nutrition and Health
BISC 1006The Ecology and Evolution of Organisms
BISC 1007Food, Nutrition, and Service
BISC 1008Understanding Organisms through Service Learning
BISC 2454General Ecology
CHEM 2085Environmental Chemistry
CHEM 3140Geochemistry
GEOG 1002Introduction to Physical Geography
GEOG 2134Energy Resources
GEOG 2136Water Resources
GEOG 2137Environmental Hazards
GEOG 3275Sustainable Food Systems
GEOL 1001Physical Geology
GEOL 1005Environmental Geology
GEOL 2106Oceanography
GEOL 3131Global Climate Change
GEOL 3138Hydrogeology
GEOL 3191Geology of Energy Resources
Interdisciplinary Courses
GFI 2034Soil Health and Regenerative Agriculture
GFI 3003World on a Plate
SUST 2004Introduction to Sustainability Communication
SUST 3002Climate Change and Policy
School of Engineering and Applied Science
CE 1020Introduction to a Sustainable World
CE 2510Environmental Sustainability
CE 3520Environmental Engineering Design: Drinking Water Treatment
CE 3521Environmental Engineering Laboratory
CE 3604Physical Hydrology
CE 4530Wastewater Treatment Design and Reuse
School of Public Health and Health Services
PUBH 3132Health and Environment
PUBH 3133Global Health and Development
PUBH 3150Sustainable Energy and Environmental Health

Sustainable Economies: Business, Markets, Technology, and Trade

Required

One 3-credit course from this pillar must be selected as part of the minor program. If a course fits the pillar but is not listed here, it can be approved by the program director. This list of course options does not include special topics courses. Topics relevant to the pillar can count toward the minor with the prior approval of the program director. Visit the sustainability minor website for current course offerings.

 
Columbian College of Arts and Sciences
ECON 2151Economic Development
ECON 2136Environmental and Natural Resource Economics
ECON 2180Survey of International Economics
GEOG 2148Economic Geography
GEOG 3275Sustainable Food Systems
PSC 2439International Political Economy
Interdisciplinary Courses
GFI 2002US Food Production and Agricultural Policy
GFI 2003Introduction to Regional Food Systems
GFI 3003World on a Plate
SUST 2005Responsible Fashion
SUST 3093Topics in Sustainability (Measuring Sustainability)
School of Business
BADM 2001Markets and Politics
or BADM 2001W Markets and Politics
IBUS 4401Managing the Multinational Enterprise
IBUS 4402Managing in Developing Countries

Sustainable Communities: Culture, Politics, and Society Pillar

Required

One 3-credit course from this pillar must be selected as part of the minor program. If a course fits the pillar but is not listed here, it can be approved by the program director. This list of course options does not include special topics courses. Topics relevant to the pillar can count toward the minor with the prior approval of the program director. Visit the sustainability minor website for current course offerings. 

Columbian College of Arts and Sciences
AMST 2440The American City
AMST 3810Planning Cities
ANTH 3501Anthropology of Development
ANTH 3502Cultural Ecology
ANTH 3513Anthropology of Human Rights
ANTH 3804Origins of the State and Urban Society
CIAR 4560Topics in Interior Architecture (Sustainability and Human Wellness in Today's Built Environment)
ENGL 1365Literature and the Environment
GEOG 2127Population Geography
GEOG 2141Cities in the Developing World
GEOG 3143Urban Sustainability
or GEOG 3143W Urban Sustainability
PHIL 2133Philosophy and Nonviolence
PHIL 2134Philosophy of Human Rights
PHIL 2281Philosophy of the Environment
PPPA 2701Sustainability and Environmental Policy
PSC 2240Poverty, Welfare, and Work
PSC 2367Human Rights
SMPA 3195Selected Topics in Journalism and Mass Communication (Climate, Politics, Policy, and Media)
SOC 2169Urban Sociology
Interdisciplinary Courses
GFI 2033Global Agriculture, Climate Change, and Gender
SUST 2002The Sustainable City
SUST 3002Climate Change and Policy
SUST 3093Topics in Sustainability (Gender and Sustainable Development)
School of Public Health and Health Services
EXNS 1114Community Nutrition
PUBH 2114Environment, Health, and Development

Sustainable Practices: Leadership, Values, Norms, and Behaviors

Required

One 3-credit course from this pillar must be selected as part of the minor program. If a course fits the pillar but is not listed here, it can be approved by the program director. This list of course options does not include special topics courses. Topics relevant to the pillar can count toward the minor with the prior approval of the program director. Visit the sustainability minor website for current course offerings.

Columbian College of Arts and Sciences
ANTH 3407Conservation in a Changing World: Human and Animal Behavior
GEOG 3132Environmental Quality and Management
HSSJ 1100Introduction to Human Services and Social Justice
HSSJ 2200Principles of Ethical Leadership
PSC 2220Public Opinion
Interdisciplinary Courses
GFI 3005Systems Thinking for Sustainable Agrifood System Transformation
GFI 3011Hands-On Comprehensive Food and Garden Education For Youth
SUST 2004Introduction to Sustainability Communication
SUST 3093Topics in Sustainability (Environmental Ethics and Justice)
School of Business
MGT 3305Human Capital Sustainability
ORSC 2116Leading Change
ORSC 2123Negotiation and Conflict Resolution
PSTD 1010Introduction to Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution
School of Public Health and Health Services
PUBH 3151Current Issues in Bioethics