Sustainability, BS

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Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of a BS in Sustainability, graduates will:

Apply their interdisciplinary knowledge of environmental, social, and economic components of sustainability to properly contextualize ill-structured, or wicked, sustainability problems.
Communicate effectively about sustainability.
Evaluate information sources, analyze hypotheses, and address sustainability problems utilizing quantitative and qualitative analysis before reaching conclusions.
Act as global citizens and engage in civic activities helping their community addressing sustainability, equity, and well-being.

Requirements for the Major

1. Fulfill baccalaureate degree requirements.

Complete a total of 180 credits including a minimum of 55 credits in upper division Environmental Science, Policy and Sustainability or related courses, 36 credits of which must be completed at SOU.

2. Grade and GPA expectations:

Students must have no grade lower than a C- in all coursework that will be applied to the major and have a minimum 2.5 GPA in SOU Sustainability courses required for graduation. Note: Only practicum (ES 409) and internship (ES 498) courses are P/NP; no other lower division Sustainability core courses or upper division Sustainability courses may be taken P/NP.

3. Complete the core requirements for the Sustainability major.

Sustainability Requirements (88-89 credits)

Lower Division Core

ES 100 - The Southern Oregon Bioregion 2 credits
ES 101 - Introduction to Environmental Science: Earth Science 4 credits and corresponding lab
ES 102 - Introduction to Environmental Science: Biological Science 4 credits and corresponding lab
ES 103 - Introduction to Environmental Science: Social Science 4 credits
ES 210 - Environmental Challenges and Solutions 4 credits
EC 201Z - Principles of Microeconomics 4 credits
STAT 243Z - Elementary Statistics I 4 credits or ES 255 .

Lower DivisionExperience Focus

Choose one of these 6-credit lower-level focus areas:

ES 120 - Sustainable Food Systems: The Harvest 2 credits
ES 121 - Sustainable Food Systems: The Land 2 credits
ES 122 - Sustainable Food Systems: The Planting 2 credits
or
ES 220 - Environmental Justice 4 credits or ES 222 - Gender and the Environment
ES 230 - EcoAdventure 1-6 credits

Methods Sequence

ES 210 - Environmental Challenges and Solutions 4 credits
ES 310 - Environmental Research Design 4 credits

Upper Division Core

Pick 3 of the following courses:

ES 421 - Ecological Economics and Sustainable Development 4 credits
ES 423 - Sustainability and Natural Resources 4 credits
BA 483 - Sustainability Leadership 4 credits
SOAN 311 - Sustainable Communities 4 credits
SOAN 420 - Environment, Culture, and Society 4 credits

Electives (24 credits)

Select 6 courses, at least 2 courses must be from ES: