Sustainability Studies Minor

Among the most critical societal challenges of the next 50 years are the rapidly growing and linked ecological and social crises arising from stresses on supplies of energy, water, food, and other natural resources. These crises are not simply about the adequacy of supply relative to demand, however; they are also the result of the complex social relations within and among societies, in the past, present, and future. Dealing with such socio-ecological problems therefore requires robust interdisciplinary collaborations among engineers, social scientists, and natural scientists. Moreover, in today’s rapidly-changing economy, college graduates will need to be flexible and adaptable, able to learn new knowledge and skills rapidly, and cognizant of the complex organization of society and technology. The minor in sustainability studies  administered by Rachel Carson College takes a “learning by doing” approach to prepare students as change-makers equipped with professional conduct, analytic abilities, and practical know-how.  

The pedagogical underpinnings of this minor are premised on relationships between classroom learning, character development, community engagement, and research and application. Broad interdisciplinarity and individual facility in both STEM and social sciences are critical elements at the center of the minor’s core courses. The curriculum is therefore structured to 1) facilitate interdisciplinary academic and research collaborations among faculty and students across multiple UC Santa Cruz divisions  (drawing on but outside of the divisional structure) and in the off-campus community; 2) teach and train students in ecology and sustainability for regenerative design thinking, entrepreneurship and impact assessment  in the built and natural environment; 3) integrate the use of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills and social science knowledge to these ends; and 4) meet undergraduate demand for a sustainability curriculum with focuses distinct from those offered in existing UCSC departments.

The program is designed to graduate students who can design and conduct interdisciplinary design research projects in issues and topics that are related to sustainability, including energy, food, water, the built environment, life-cycle analysis, waste disposal and recycling, coastal and marine conservation, and natural resource management. During the program, students will design and participate in service-learning projects in collaboration with on- and off-campus units, agencies, and organizations; and apply the knowledge and skills acquired through the minor.

No specific prior preparation or prerequisites are required for entry to the minor.

Program learning objectives are as follows:

• Demonstrate whole system awareness with the ability to identify and understand interconnectedness (intersecting, related and/or connected systems; synergies and rebound effects) and how all human-made designs rely upon and are embedded within nested ecological systems. 

• Demonstrate awareness that a design is a system, that users interact with designs and that designs and users are embedded in higher level systems that include environmental ecosystems and the life they sustain.

• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of whole life-cycle and closed-loop systems thinking as related to the impact of mitigation work (e.g., understanding of life-cycle burdens of design alternatives).

• Comprehend and apply understanding of the causes, features, data, complexities, policies, and practices giving rise to and needed to address a perceived crisis in the contemporary global socioecological context including the role of production, consumption, politics, policies, markets and human behavior in this crisis.

• Show proficiency in applying basic STEM skills needed for evaluation and design  practices in real-world applications including quantitative and qualitative metrics for impact and risk assessments and a selection of software and hardware-specific skills (e.g.. computer animated design, 3D printing, Arduino programming etc.)  Use cognizance of appropriate social science knowledge/methods and entrepreneurial practices to design and implement social enterprise and service learning projects in sustainability and ecological design and practice.

• Demonstrate the ability to forecast the near- and long-term costs and value of their work to the environment and society through the efficient use of resources (e.g., efficient for whom?) and socially/culturally responsible engagement with stakeholders.

• Show awareness of risks and opportunities related to changing environments on their work (e.g., extended costs, value, trade-offs, partnerships, regulations, policies, etc.).

• Demonstrate the ability to identify relevant cultural implications and influences in the context of their work (e.g., cultural expressions and sensitivities, services and goods procurement, heritage site appreciation) as well as equity awareness (e.g., gender, race, ethnicity, class, etc.).

• Feel familiar with ways to create robust, dynamic, and resilient systems and ways to develop transdisciplinary stakeholder networks.

• Understand ethical implications relative to social impact of their work.