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Sustainability

The sustainability minor, which is open to all majors, is one of the first of its kind. The program is designed to familiarize students with the core values of sustainability, and gain an in-depth knowledge of why and how sustainability is approached.

Catalog Description

From the 2021-2022 catalog: https://catalog.clemson.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=33&poid=8413

A minor in Sustainability requires 18 credits, including SUST 2010 and 15 additional credits selected from ACCT 4100, AGM 3010, AGRB 3570, AGRB 4570#, ANTH 3250, ANTH 4230, ARCH 4250, ARCH 4710#, BE 4400, BE 4510, BE 4640, BIOL 2040#, BIOL 3130, BIOL 4410, BIOL 4860, BT 2200, CE 4360, CE 4370, CE 4400, CHE 4140, CHE 4500, COMM 3070#, CSM 3070, ECE 4200, ECE 4570, ECON 3190, ECON 4570#, EES 4860, ENGL 4340#, ENR 3120#, ENR 4130, ENR 4290#, ENSP 1250, ENSP 2000, ENSP 2010, ENSP 3150, ENSP 4000#, ENSP 4720, ENT 3000, ETOX 4370, FOR 4340, FOR 4510, GEOG 4300, GEOL 1120, GEOL 1200, GEOL 1250, GEOL 2700#, GEOL 3000, HIST 1240#, HIST 3920#, HORT 1010, HORT 3080, HORT 3090, HORT 4610#, LARC 1150, LARC 4230#, ME 4260, ME 4570, MKT 4450, MSE 4330, PES 3150, PES 4220, PES 4450#, PES 4760, PES 4900, PHIL 3260#, PHIL 3400#, PHIL 3440, PHIL 3450#, PHYS 2450, PHYS 4200, PKSC 3680#, POSC 4160#, PRTM 4300#, RS 4010#, SOC 4030#, SOC 4330#, SOC 4590#, STS 2150#, WFB 3130, WFB 4300, and WS 4230. At least nine credits must be selected from 3000- or 4000-level courses. At least three and no more than 12 credits must be from courses addressing the social dimension of sustainability. These courses are identified by a number sign in the list above.

For more information about this minor, please contact Dr. Caye Drapcho.

Flow of the Minor

SUST 2010, Sustainability Leadership, is intended as the first course students will take in the minor. The course includes brief coverage of the student learning outcomes listed below. As part of this course, students work with the instructors to select learning objectives from this list and use these learning objectives to develop their plan for completing the minor.

 

Student Learning Outcomes

Scales of sustainability:

  • Define sustainability in 3 dimensions (environmental, social, economic)
  • Apply sustainability concepts on local and global scales
  • Integrate sustainability study and practice into the surrounding community
  • Evaluate the history of development through mercantilism, imperialism, capitalism
  • Assess the long term cultural and environmental impacts that shape our world today

Fundamental issues of sustainability:

  • Evaluate current and potential future impacts of sustainability issues including: Global climate and climate change; Food; Energy; Water; Environmental Degradation
  • Evaluate how sustainability impacts social and intergenerational justice

Systems thinking for sustainability:

  • Understand basic principles of systems thinking
  • Evaluate the role of their major in sustainability issues
  • Recognize interrelated systems

Evaluate tools for implementing/measuring sustainability:

  • Evaluate the costs and benefits of sustainability (see that it is not always more expensive)
  • Perform a Life cycle analysis and assessment
  • Measure impacts of point source pollution prevention; and cradle-to-cradle and lean manufacturing

Change agents for sustainability:

  • Practice change agent skills for sustainability
  • Practice group processes
  • Identify and address the root of problems, even when it seems to go against the status quo or social norms
  • Apply a new or changed mindset to your personal life