Schools

School of Natural Sciences

Sustainability and Regeneration (Bachelor of Science)

Program Description

The Brundtland Commission (formerly, the World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987) envisioned the concept: sustainable development is development that “meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” The logical components of a sustainable development strategy encompass environmental, economic, social, and political elements. This bachelor's curriculum is a truly multidisciplinary program, based on the three pillars of sustainability: environmental, social and economic.

Students attracted to the sustainability degree are expected to work for governments, private businesses, and special interest organizations that seek to sustain and improve both current and future conditions for life on earth. The interdisciplinary degree seeks to provide them with skills and perspectives that will serve the development of their own rewarding careers in this field.


The strengths of the BS program are:

  • Offers a holistic interdisciplinary approach.
  • Engages students in relevant civic engagement opportunities in the Southern Indiana - Louisville metropolitan region.
  • Provides an alternative program for students interested in environmental issues but less interested in scientific occupations.
  • Enhances the practical experience with courses in the social sciences, humanities, natural
  • sciences, and business.
  • Requires application of knowledge with independent research in a project.

Degree Requirements

  • General

Complete 120 total credit hours, with at least 30 at the 300-400 (upper division) level, and a program cumulative grade point average of 2.0.

  • General Education Requirements (30 credit hours)

Complete theUniversity General Education requirements. Note: Some of the course options in some categories of the General Education curriculum also fulfill specific major requirements. Please see annotations in major grid below, identifying these double-duty courses, for maximizing your degree completion efficiency.

  • Major
    • Breadth Requirements (15 credit hours)
Dept. Course Number Title Credit Hours Minimum Grade Pre-Requisites
Mathematics and Statistics
MATH-A 1181 Finite Math for Social and Biological Sciences 3 C MATH-M 101 with a C- or better or ALEKS Score >25
and
MATH-K 300 Statistical Techniques for Health Professions 3 C MATH-M 101 with a C- or better or ALEKS Score >25
or
PSY-P 341 Research in Psychology I 3 C PSY-P 101, 102, and MATH-A or MATH-M 118
or
SOC-S 380 Methods of Social Research 3 C Co-Req: SOC-S 260
or
ECON-E 280 Applied Statistics for Business and Economics MATH-M 122 and BUS-K 201
Social and Natural Sciences
GEOG-G 338 Geographic Information Science 3 C None
or
ECON-E 338 Business and Economic Applications of Geographical Information Systems 3 C ECON-E 200 and ECON-E 280 with C- and Junior Standing
and
SOC-S 1632 Social Problems 3 C None
or
SOC-S 203 Sociological Concepts and Perspectives 3 C None
Research Writing: Choose one
ENG-W 2313 Professional Writing Skills 3 C ENG-W 131
ENG-W 2343 Technical Report Writing 3 C ENG-W 131
ENG-W 2703 Argumentative Writing 3 C ENG-W 131

1 Fulfills General Education Quantitative Reasoning requirement too.

2Fulfills General Education Social and Behavioral Sciences requirement too.

3 Fulfills General Education Second Level Written Communications Requirements too.

 

  • Primary Sustainability Courses (12 credit hours)
Dept. Course Number Title Credit Hours Minimum Grade Pre-Requisite
SUST-S 211 Sustainability and Regeneration: The Essentials 3 C None
PHYS-P 120 Energy and Technology 3 C None
PHIL-P 237 Environmental Ethics 3 C ENG-W 131
SOC-S 309 The Community 3 C 3 credits in Sociology
  •  Secondary Sustainability Courses (9 credit hours)

Complete one course from each discipline, Environmental, Social, and Economic Sustainability

Dept. Course Number Title Credit Hours Minimum Grade Pre-Requisites
Environmental Sustainability: Choose one
EDUC-Q 450/550 Science Technology and Society for a Changing World 3 C None
BIOL-L 200 Environmental Biology and Conservation None
Social Sustainability:Choose one
SOC-S 305 Population 3 C SOC-S 163 or 3 credit hours of introductory sociology.
SOC-S 308 Global Society 3 C SOC-S 163 or 3 credit hours of introductory sociology.
Economic Sustainability:Choose one
POLS-Y 376 International Political Economy 3 C None
ECON-E 363 Environmental and Natural Resource Economics 3 C ECON-E 201 and ECON-E 202

 

  • Specialization Area (12-13 credit hours)

Choose one specialization area and complete a minimum of 12-13 credit hours in that
area, beyond what was taken for Secondary Sustainability area above. Upper level (300-400 level) courses not used to fulfill the required secondary courses above may be used to fulfill this requirement. Course list is subject to change. Please consult with academic advisor for current offerings. Check schedule of classes for necessary pre-requisites.

Environmental Sustainability Track Options

Dept. Course Number Title Credit Hours Minimum Grade
BIOL-L 303 Field Biology 3 C
BIOL-L 343 Applied Conservation Biology 3 C
BIOL-L 473/474 Ecology (lecture+ lab) 3 C
CHEM-C 303 Environmental Chemistry 3 C
CHEM-C 305 Environmental Chemistry Seminar 1 C
CHEM-C 318 Spectrochemistry and Separations 3 C
CHEM-C 333 Experimental Environmental Chemistry 2 C
EDUC-Q 450 Science, Technology, & Society for a Changing World 3 C
GEOG-G 304 Physical Climatology 3 C
GEOG-G 307 Biogeography 3 C
GEOG-G 308 Disasters: Natural and Human Induced 3 C
GEOG-G 314 Urban Geography 3 C
GEOG-G 315 Environmental Conservation 3 C
GEOG-G 338 Geographic Information Science 3

C

GEOG-G 369 Geography of Food 3

C

GEOG-G 404 Geography of Soils 3

C

GEOL-G 300 Environmental and Urban Geology 3

C

GEOL-G 400 Energy:Sources and Needs 3

C

GEOL-G 430 Principles of Hydrology 3

C

GEOG-G 438 Advanced Geographic Information Systems 3

C

GEOG-G 439 GIS and Environmental Analysis 3

C

MICR-M 420 Environmental Microbiology 3

C

PHYS-P 310 Environmental Physics 3

C

 

Social Sustainability Track Options

Dept. Course Number Title Credit Hours Minimum Grade
HIST-F 350 The Environment in Latin American History 3 C
HIST-F 360 Natural Disasters in Latin American History 3 C
HIST-H 243 Environmental History 3 C
HIST-H 373 History of Science and Technology 3 C
PSY-P 488 Environmental Psychology and Sustainable Living 3 C
POLS-Y 303 Policy Making in the U.S 3 C
REL-R 371 Religion, Ethics, and the Environment 3 C
SOC-R 463 Inequality and Society 3 C
SOC-S 305 Populations 3 C
SOC-S 308 Global Society 3 C
SUST-S 361 Substantiality Abroad 3 C

 

Economic Sustainability Track Options

Dept. Course Number Title Credit Hours Minimum Grade
ECON-E 363 Environmental and Natural Resource Economics 3 C
POLS-Y 376 International Political Economy 3 C
SOC-S 360 Topics in Social Policy 3 C
SOC-S 419 Social Movements and Collective Action 3 C
SOC-S 403 Industry, Labor, and Community 3 C

Internship Option

Students may elect a COAS-S 399 Internship as part of the specialization area. A maximum of 2 credit hours of internship credit may be applied to the specialization area; and must be pre-approved by faculty member sponsoring the internship.

  • Required Associated Discipline Minor (15-20)

Bachelor's of Science students choose and complete a minor related to their area of specialization. Courses taken elsewhere in the degree may count toward the minor requirements.


Environmental Sustainability

Social Sustainability

Economic Sustainability:

  • Senior Experience Requirements (6 credit hours)

To begin work on the Senior Experience, students must have completed all primary and secondary coursework as well as a minimum of 5 credits of specialization courses. As part of the Senior Experience, all students must complete one Experiential Learning Course and the Sustainability Capstone course.

Dept. Course Number Title Credit Hours Minimum Grade Pre-Requisite
Experiential Learning Option
SUST-S 491 Internship in Sustainability 3 C Instructor Permission
SUST-S 415 Research in Sustainability and Regeneration 3 C Instructor Permission
Capstone Course
SUST-S 410 Readings in Sustainability and Regeneration 3 C Completion of all primary and secondary courses; and 5 credits toward specialization.

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