Program: Sustainability, B.A. in Liberal Arts and Sciences - San Diego State University

Apr 09, 2025

2020/2021 University Catalog

All candidates for a degree in liberal arts and sciences must complete the graduation requirements listed in the section of this catalog on “Graduation Requirements .” No more than 48 units of sustainability courses can apply to the degree.

A minor is not required with this major; however, it is recommended that majors in sustainability consider a minor in an area of expertise that helps to ground interdisciplinary work in a focused area or discipline. It is also recommended that students secure competency in a chosen region and/or culture, tied to their choice of a language other than English and study abroad experience.

Individual master plans are filed with the sustainability undergraduate adviser.

Preparation for the Major

(15-16 units)

SUSTN 100 - Environmental Sciences Units: 3 also listed as
ENV S 100 - Environmental Sciences Units: 3
ECON 102 - Principles of Economics Units: 3
GEOG 101 - Earth’s Physical Environment Units: 3

One Course Selected from

ECON 201 - Statistical Methods Units: 3
LING 270 - Elementary Statistics for Language Studies Units: 3
PHIL 120 - Introduction to Logic Units: 3
POL S 201 - Elementary Statistics for Political Science Units: 3
PSY 280 - Statistical Methods in Psychology Units: 4
SOC 201 - Elementary Social Statistics Units: 3
STAT 119 - Elementary Statistics for Business Units: 3
or
STAT 250 - Statistical Principles and Practices Units: 3

Three Units Selected from

GEOG 170 - Sustainable Places and Practices Units: 3
PSFA 100 - Sustainable Self-Development Units: 3

Language Requirement

Competency (successfully completing the third college semester or fifth college quarter) is required in one language other than English to fulfill the graduation requirement. Refer to section of catalog on “Graduation Requirements .”

Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement

Passing the Writing Placement Assessment with a score of 10 or completing one of the approved upper division writing courses (W) with a grade of C (2.0) or better. See “Graduation Requirements ” section for a complete listing of requirements.

International Experience Requirement

All sustainability majors are required to complete an international experience. This may involve a study abroad program, student exchange, international internship, coursework abroad, summer program, international volunteer program, or other international activity approved by the undergraduate adviser. In consultation with the undergraduate adviser, when appropriate or when accredited coursework in involved, the international experience can waive three units of the field distribution. See the undergraduate adviser to make arrangements to meet the international experience requirement.

Major

(three units)

A minimum of 33 upper division units to include:

SUSTN 495 - Internship in Sustainability Units: 1-3

12 Units of Integrative Core Courses

SUSTN 332 - Environmental Ethics Units: 3 also listed as
PHIL 332 - Environmental Ethics Units: 3
SUSTN 353 - Sustainability and Culture Units: 3 also listed as
ANTH 353 - Sustainability and Culture Units: 3
BIOL 315 - Ecology and Human Impacts on the Environment Units: 3
or
GEOG 370 - Conservation Science and Policy Units: 3 But not both.
HIST 441 - Unnatural Disasters: History of Current Environmental Problems Units: 3
or
SUSTN 334 - Politics of the Environment Units: 3 But not both also listed as
POL S 334 - Politics of the Environment Units: 3

18 Units Selected from

18 units selected from three of the following fields, at least three units of which must be 500 level courses.

Field A, Human-Nature Interface

(3-12 units)

ANTH 355 - Exploring Primate Behavior Units: 3
ANTH 402 - Dynamics of Biocultural Diversity Units: 3
ANTH 510 - Environmental and Ecological Anthropology Units: 3
ECON 455 - Environmental Economics Units: 3
ENGL 305 - Literature and Environment Units: 3
ENGL 491 - Contemporary Topics in Literature Units: 3 (with relevant content)
HIST 441 - Unnatural Disasters: History of Current Environmental Problems Units: 3 (if not applied to the core)
HIST 584 - Topics in Environmental History Units: 3
ISCOR 310 - Our Global Future: Values for Survival Units: 3
PHIL 496 - Experimental Topics Units: 1-4 (with relevant content)
REL S 376 - Nature, Spirituality, Ecology (D) Units: 3
SUSTN 334 - Politics of the Environment Units: 3 also listed as
POL S 334 - Politics of the Environment Units: 3 (if not applied to the core)
WMNST 580 - Women, Development, and the Global Economy Units: 3
WMNST 582 - Feminist Science and Activism Units: 3

Field B, Applied and Regional Studies

(3-12 units)

ANTH 532 - Anthropology of Development and Conservation Units: 3
ASIAN 320 - Asian Environmental Issues Units: 3
ENV E 320 - Designing Solutions for Environmental Problems Units: 3
GEOG 340 - Geography of Food Units: 3
GEOG 354 - Geography of Cities Units: 3
GEOG 426 - Regional Field Studies Units: 3
GEOG 440 - Food Justice Units: 3 also listed as
POL S 440 - Food Justice Units: 3
GEOG 554 - World Cities: Comparative Approaches to Urbanization Units: 3
GEOG 572 - Land Use Analysis Units: 3
GEOG 575 - Geography of Recreational Land Use Units: 3
LATAM 545 - The Latin American City Units: 3
OCEAN 320 - Oceans of Change Units: 3
POL S 564 - Political Ecology of Latin America Units: 3
RTM 305 - Wilderness and the Leisure Experience Units: 3
RTM 470 - Global Sustainable Tourism Management Units: 3
RTM 487 - Environmental and Cultural Interpretation Units: 3
SOC 350 - Population and Contemporary Issues Units: 3
WMNST 580 - Women, Development, and the Global Economy Units: 3

Field C, Scientific and Analytical Thinking

(3-12 units)

BIOL 315 - Ecology and Human Impacts on the Environment Units: 3 (if not applied to the core)
BIOL 324 - Life in the Sea Units: 3
BIOL 327 - Conservation of Wildlife Units: 3
BIOL 354 - Ecology and the Environment Units: 3
BIOL 517 - Marine Ecology Units: 3
BIOL 540 - Conservation Ecology Units: 3
BIOL 544 - Terrestrial Ecosystems and Climate Change Units: 3 also listed as
ENV S 544 - Terrestrial Ecosystems and Climate Change Units: 3
ECON 455 - Environmental Economics Units: 3
ECON 456 - Economics of Natural Resources Units: 3
GEOG 370 - Conservation Science and Policy Units: 3 (if not applied to the core)
GEOG 375 - Environmental Hydrology Units: 3
GEOG 401 - Geomorphology Units: 3
GEOG 409 - Global Climate Change Units: 3
GEOG 440 - Food Justice Units: 3 also listed as
POL S 440 - Food Justice Units: 3
GEOG 454 - Sustainable Cities Units: 3
GEOG 506 - Landscape Ecology Units: 3
GEOG 507 - Geography of Natural Vegetation Units: 3
GEOG 512 - World on Fire Units: 3
GEOG 554 - World Cities: Comparative Approaches to Urbanization Units: 3
GEOG 570 - Environmental Conservation Practice Units: 3
GEOG 572 - Land Use Analysis Units: 3
GEOG 573 - Population and the Environment Units: 3
GEOG 574 - Water Resources Units: 3
GEOL 305 - Water and the Environment Units: 3
P H 304 - Environment and Public Health Units: 3
P H 362 - International Health Units: 3

Note

Core courses not selected for the core may be used to satisfy the field distributions as indicated.