Sustainability

Catalog 2024-2025

Bachelor of Science

The Sustainability program prepares students to work in the rapidly growing fields of conservation and sustainable development, environmental planning and management, green construction, sustainable agriculture and support of local agriculture, sustainable forestry, green business practices, conservation design, recycling and waste reduction, community green design, land use policy and regulation, and alternative energy and energy efficiency. In preparation for careers in this field, students will be provided with a program of study that integrates the natural, social, and management sciences. In addition, the program aims to help students develop tangible tools, including remote sensing and GIS, for assessing and managing sustainable enterprises, while providing an opportunity to develop creativity and curiosity through curriculum flexibility and open and restricted electives. 

At the end of the program students will be able to:

  • Integrate political, social, economic, technological, and ecological dimensions of conservation and resource sustainability to make appropriate land use decisions.
  • Analyze concepts, issues and practices related to sustainable food systems from farm to fork at individual, family, community, regional and global levels.
  • Analyze concepts, issues and practices related to cultural sustainability and preservation of traditional arts at individual, family, community, regional and global levels.
  • Develop, implement, and evaluate sustainable, entrepreneurial business strategies and projects that incorporate environmental and social consciousness into economic practice.
  • Facilitate opportunities for collaboration and public participation around natural resource and cultural sustainability and work to create and maintain effective collaborations under a range of social-economic conditions. 

Degree Requirements:

The Sustainability (SUST) program requires a total of 120 credits with 45 credits in 300/400 level courses and 60 credits in the Liberal Arts and Sciences.

 

Semester 1

BIO 110

Biology I
3

BIO 111

Biology I Lab
1

ENG 101

Effective College Writing I
3

FYS 101

First Year Seminar
3

NRS 110

Introduction to Environment & Society
3

SOC 115

Adirondack Studies
3

Semester 2

COM 201

Interpersonal Communications
3

ENG 102

Effective College Writing II
3

EST 200

Intro Nature and Culture
3

MS

Math Skills
3
Courses
MAT 110 Finite Math 3
MAT 125 Algebra 3

ELEC

ELECTIVE
3
Courses
ENV 475 Wetland Ecosystems and Management 3
FWS 109 Foundations of Fisheries and Wildlife Science 3
FWS 332 Techniques in Fish and Wildlife 3
FWS 472 Applications in Fisheries and Wildlife Science 3
MGT 310 Human Resource Management 3
NRS 120 Introduction to Natural Resources Management 3
NRS 307 Structured Decision in Making Natural Resources 3
NRS 321 Hunting History, Ethics and Management 3
NRS 493 Natural Resources Management Capstone Planning 2
NRS 494 Natural Resources Conservation Management Capstone 2
PRK 350 Park Management 3
PRK 350 Park Management
SOC 204 Advocacy & Activism 3

Semester 3

ENV 110

Foundations of Environmental Science
4

POL 202

Politics Of The Environment
3

SUS 120

Sustainable Community Agriculture
3

SUS 200

Conservation Design: Green Communities
3

__ __

Humanities
3-4
Courses
ENG 103 Hearts and Minds: Making Good Arguments 3
ENG 105 Food Writing 3
ENG 111 Working- Class America 3
ENG 112 Wild About Westerns 3
ENG 115 Wilderness In American Literature 3
ENG 200 Advanced Composition 3
ENG 210 Early American Literature 3
ENG 211 Modern American Literature 3
ENG 220 Introduction to Creative Writing 3
ENG 240 Women In Literature 3
ENG 340 Contemporary Environmental Writers 3
ENG 350 World Literature 3
ENG 360 Literature & Science: Imagining Climate Futures 3
ENG 400 Writing On Nature And The Environment 3
HST 201 History Of The US Through 1887 3
HST 202 History Of The US 1877 To Present 3
HST 215 The Adirondacks 3
HUM 105 Art Of Film 3
HUM 115 Western And World Music 3
HUM 120 Western Culture 3
HUM 135 Photography 3
HUM 150 Survey of Art: Various Topic 1
HUM 200 Studio Art 3
HUM 201 Games & Gamification 3
HUM 202 Religions of the World 3
HUM 270 Ethics 3
HUM 300 Philosophy Of Nature 3
HUM 320 Latin American & Caribbean Studies 3
HUM 325 Wellness & Wildness 3
HUM 400 Nature And Art 3
HUM 420 The Stirring of an Ecological Conscience 3
HUM 425 Perennial Visions 3
LAN 101 Elementary Spanish I 3
LAN 102 Elementary Spanish II 3
LAN 103 Elementary French I 3
LAN 104 Elementary French II 3
LAN 201 Intermediate Spanish I 3
LAN 202 Intermediate Spanish II 3
LAN 203 Intermediate French I 3
LAN 204 Intermediate French II 3

Semester 4

ECN 200

Principles of Economics
3

SOC 220

Social Research
3

MGT 250

Sustainable Practices Entrepreneurship
3

SUST_SUSTAINABLE

SUST: Sustainable Practitioner Cluster
3
Courses
CUL 140 MapleSweet&Savory:Maple Uses in Cul, Bak 1
ENG 105 Food Writing 3
ENG 400 Writing On Nature And The Environment 3
ENV 400 Ecological Restoration 3
FOR 150 Wood Properties & Production Processes 3
FOR 225 Greenhouse-Turf Practice 3
FOR 270 Draft Horse Management 3
FOR 305 Developing Profitable Sugaring Operation 2
HUM 200 Studio Art 3
MKT 200 Principles of Marketing 3
NRS 300 Ecological Restoration 3
REC 320 Sustainable Nature-Based Tourism 3
SUS 296 Sustainable Studies Field Experience 3

__ __

Humanities
3-4
Courses
ENG 103 Hearts and Minds: Making Good Arguments 3
ENG 105 Food Writing 3
ENG 111 Working- Class America 3
ENG 112 Wild About Westerns 3
ENG 115 Wilderness In American Literature 3
ENG 200 Advanced Composition 3
ENG 210 Early American Literature 3
ENG 211 Modern American Literature 3
ENG 220 Introduction to Creative Writing 3
ENG 240 Women In Literature 3
ENG 340 Contemporary Environmental Writers 3
ENG 350 World Literature 3
ENG 360 Literature & Science: Imagining Climate Futures 3
ENG 400 Writing On Nature And The Environment 3
HST 201 History Of The US Through 1887 3
HST 202 History Of The US 1877 To Present 3
HST 215 The Adirondacks 3
HUM 105 Art Of Film 3
HUM 115 Western And World Music 3
HUM 120 Western Culture 3
HUM 135 Photography 3
HUM 150 Survey of Art: Various Topic 1
HUM 200 Studio Art 3
HUM 201 Games & Gamification 3
HUM 202 Religions of the World 3
HUM 270 Ethics 3
HUM 300 Philosophy Of Nature 3
HUM 320 Latin American & Caribbean Studies 3
HUM 325 Wellness & Wildness 3
HUM 400 Nature And Art 3
HUM 420 The Stirring of an Ecological Conscience 3
HUM 425 Perennial Visions 3
LAN 101 Elementary Spanish I 3
LAN 102 Elementary Spanish II 3
LAN 103 Elementary French I 3
LAN 104 Elementary French II 3
LAN 201 Intermediate Spanish I 3
LAN 202 Intermediate Spanish II 3
LAN 203 Intermediate French I 3
LAN 204 Intermediate French II 3

Semester 5

EST 300

Ecological Change & Society
3

SUS 310

Conservation Design: Green Construction
3

SUS 340

Sustainable Food Systems
3

SUS 360

Global Water Studies
3

__ __

LA ELECTIVE
3-4
Courses
ENV 340 Watershed Science 3
ENV 473 Wetland Ecosystems and Management 3
HUM 201 Games & Gamification 3

Semester 6

ENV 455

Sustainable Development
3

SOC 315

Community Organization & Outreach
3

__ __

LA ELECTIVE - UD
3-4

Select any Upper Division (300 or 400 level) Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) course.

Courses
ENV 340 Watershed Science 3
ENV 473 Wetland Ecosystems and Management 3
HUM 425 Perennial Visions 3

__ __

ELECTIVE
3-4
Courses
ENV 475 Wetland Ecosystems and Management 3
FWS 109 Foundations of Fisheries and Wildlife Science 3
FWS 332 Techniques in Fish and Wildlife 3
FWS 472 Applications in Fisheries and Wildlife Science 3
MGT 310 Human Resource Management 3
NRS 120 Introduction to Natural Resources Management 3
NRS 307 Structured Decision in Making Natural Resources 3
NRS 321 Hunting History, Ethics and Management 3
NRS 493 Natural Resources Management Capstone Planning 2
NRS 494 Natural Resources Conservation Management Capstone 2
PRK 350 Park Management 3
PRK 350 Park Management
SOC 204 Advocacy & Activism 3

Semester 7

NRS 410

Natural Resource Economics
3

SUS 330

Community Disaster Resilience Plannning
3

__ __

ELECTIVE - UD
3-4

__ __

LA ELECTIVE
3-4
Courses
ENV 340 Watershed Science 3
ENV 473 Wetland Ecosystems and Management 3
HUM 201 Games & Gamification 3

__ __

ELECTIVE
3-4
Courses
ENV 475 Wetland Ecosystems and Management 3
FWS 109 Foundations of Fisheries and Wildlife Science 3
FWS 332 Techniques in Fish and Wildlife 3
FWS 472 Applications in Fisheries and Wildlife Science 3
MGT 310 Human Resource Management 3
NRS 120 Introduction to Natural Resources Management 3
NRS 307 Structured Decision in Making Natural Resources 3
NRS 321 Hunting History, Ethics and Management 3
NRS 493 Natural Resources Management Capstone Planning 2
NRS 494 Natural Resources Conservation Management Capstone 2
PRK 350 Park Management 3
PRK 350 Park Management
SOC 204 Advocacy & Activism 3

Semester 8

SUS 350

Alternative Energy & Energy Efficiency
3

SUS 496

Sustainability Capstone
4

__ __

ELECTIVE - UD
3-4

__ __

ELECTIVE - UD
3-4

__ __

ELECTIVE - UD
3-4

Total Credits 120 xx

Contact Information
Environment & Society

Dr. Vance Jackson

Pickett Hall 107

518-327-6045

vjackson@paulsmiths.edu