Sustainability Certificate
The certificate program provides an interdisciplinary combination of courses in a liberal arts setting that will prepare students for careers in environmental and sustainability education, advocacy, and management. 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. Students attracted to the environmental and sustainability management certificate 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 certificate program 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 certificate 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 liberal arts experience with courses in the social sciences, humanities, natural sciences, education and business.
Student Learning Goals
- Comprehend the three pillars of sustainability: Environmental, Social and Economic.
- Explain their inter-relationships Environmental, Social and Economic sustainability.
- Identify sustainability principles within their academic specialty.
- Be able to begin to analyze local, national and global problems using sustainability principles
- Be able to begin to apply principles of sustainability to propose solution local, national and global problems.
- Document how sustainability principles have influenced personal and professional values.
University Residency Requirement
Students must complete 50% of the required credit hours for a certificate in residence at IU Southeast. Some departments may have additional Residency requirements.
Sustainability Residency Requirement
No additional residency requirement for the Sustainability Certificate.
Sustainability Certificate Requirements
All courses listed below require a grade of C or better.
- Primary Courses - All courses required
- Secondary Courses - Complete one course from each discipline
- Environmental Science
- Social Sustainability
- Economic Sustainability
- Specialization Area - Choose one area and complete a minimum of 8 credit hours in that area
- Environmental Sustainability
- Social Sustainability
- Economic Sustainability
- Internship - A maximum of 2 credits of Internship may be applied toward specialization area
| Dept. | Course Number | Title | Credit Hours | Minimum Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PHYS-P | 120 | Energy & Technology | 3 | C |
| PHIL-P | 237 | Environmental Ethics | 3 | C |
| SOC-S | 309 | The Community | 3 | C |
| Dept. | Course Number | Title | Credit Hours | Minimum Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EDUC-Q | 450 & 550 | Science Technology & Society in a Changing World | 3 | C |
| BIOL-L | 200 | Environmental Biology | 3 | C |
| Dept. | Course Number | Title | Credit Hours | Minimum Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SOC-S | 305 | Populations & Human Ecology | 3 | C |
| SOC-S | 308 | Global Society | 3 | C |
| Dept. | Course Number | Title | Credit Hours | Minimum Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ECON-E | 363 | Environmental & Natural Resources | 3 | C |
| POLS-Y | 376 | International Political Economy | 3 | C |
| Dept. | Course Number | Title | Credit Hours | Minimum Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIOL-L | 303 | Field Biology | 3 | C |
| BIOL-L | 343 | Applied Conservation Biology | 5 | C |
| BIOL-L & BIOL-L |
473 & 474 |
Ecology & Ecology Lab |
3/2 | C |
| BIOL-L | 579 | Community Ecology | 3 | C |
| CHEM-C | 303 | Environmental Chemistry | 3 | C |
| CHEM-C | 305 | Environmental Chemistry Seminar | 1 | C |
| CHEM-C | 318 | Spectrochemistry & Separations | 3 | C |
| CHEM-C | 333 | Experimental Environmental Chemistry | 2 | C |
| GEOG-G | 213 | Introduction to Economic Geography | 3 | C |
| GEOG-G | 307 | Biogeography | 3 | C |
| GEOG-G | 315 | Environmental Conservation | 3 | C |
| GEOG-G | 338 | Geographic Information Science | 3 | C |
| GEOG-G | 432 | Current Issues in Environmental Conservation | 3 | C |
| GEOG-G | 438 | Advanced Geographic Information Systems | 3 | C |
| GEOG-G | 439 | Seminar in Geographic Information | 3 | C |
| GEOL-G | 400 | Energy: Sources and Needs | 3 | C |
| MICR-M | 420 | Environmental Microbiology | 5-6 | C |
| PHYS-P | 310 | Environmental Physics | 3 | C |
| Dept. | Course Number | Title | Credit Hours | Minimum Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| REL-R | 371 | Religion, Ethics, and the Environment | 3 | C |
| POLS-Y | 303 | Formation of Public Policy | 3 | C |
| SOC-S | 457 | Topics in Psychology: Environmental Psychology & Sustainable Living | 3 | C |
| SOC-S | 305 | Populations & Human Ecology | 3 | C |
| SOC-S | 308 | Global Society | 3 | C |
| Dept. | Course Number | Title | Credit Hours | Minimum Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ECON-E | 363 | Environmental & Natural Resources | 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, & Community | 3 | C |
| Dept. | Course Number | Title | Credit Hours | Minimum Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COAS-S | 399 | Internship | 1-2 | C |
Financial Aid
Students may not receive Financial Aid for the Sustainability Certificate.
