Universities incorporating sustainability across multiple disciplines

Universities nationwide are expanding sustainability education beyond the traditional settings of environmental science and studies curricula.

By doing so, they hope that principles of sustainability reach more students who can then address future environmental challenges.

Since 2004, the Academy for the Environment at the University of Nevada at Reno has awarded environmental degrees which integrate humanities, arts and social sciences courses.

The integration encourages students to take multiple approaches to environmental challenges, according to the academy’s Web site.

Jen Huntleysmith, associate director for academics and outreach at the academy, said they encourage students to think across the disciplines.

She cited a group of students who created an organic farm on campus, addressing environmental challenges within the local community.

“We’re pretty localized because we don’t have the resources to reach out across the county,” she said.

The Curriculum for the Bioregion at Evergreen State College requires faculty to incorporate sustainability studies into introductory courses in all academic disciplines, not just environmental science.

That effort extends to 32 colleges and universities in the Puget Sound region.

“The idea is to enable more undergraduates to develop environmental literacy and to build the literacy in the context of where they live, work and play,” said Jean MacGregor, director of the curriculum.

While the programs differ, they have the common theme of educating students to become better stewards of the environment.

“I think that college students should feel empowered and hopeful about the future,” said Huntleysmith.

The UNC Institute for the Environment keeps environmental education within two majors slated to be housed in their own separate curriculum within the College of Arts and Sciences.

The institute currently awards two undergraduate degrees, a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies.

Tony Reevy, senior associate director of the institute, said he hopes the program will provide students not only with the skills to address environmental challenges, but also with a comfortable place within the department.

“Students that go into our majors go into this because they see this as one of the issues of the day,” Reevy said, adding that the curriculum has the ability to also give students good job prospects.

“I think that the hope of Carolina in many ways is to provide North Carolina, the nation and the world with the best future leaders,” he said.



Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.