Sustainability Undergraduate Major (BS, HBS)
This program is available at the following locations:
- Corvallis
- Ecampus
- OSU-Cascades
The Sustainability undergraduate major is a concurrent degree subject to Academic Regulation 26. This interdisciplinary double degree pairs well with all undergraduate majors.
Contact Information
Corvallis and Ecampus
Agricultural and Life Sciences Building (ALS)
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR 97331
Phone: 541-737-2441
Email: sus.advising@oregonstate.edu
OSU-Cascades Campus
Matt Shinderman
Forest Ecosystems and Society
Oregon State University Cascades
Phone: 541-322-3159
Email: matt.shinderman@osucascades.edu
Major Code: 870
Upon successful completion of the program, students will meet the following learning outcomes:
- Describe the structure and interdependence of social and ecological systems.
- Interpret data critically and demonstrate understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of data as a decision support tool.
- Design and evaluate responses to conditions that compromise sustainability by employing systems thinking. Envision future scenarios in which natural environments and human communities are healthy and resilient.
- Describe the use of sustainability assessment tools and the measurement of sustainability outcomes across all dimensions of sustainability.
- Communicate clearly and effectively with diverse groups using oral, written, and other modalities. Demonstrate the ability to discuss complex sustainability concepts and problems with people from a variety of disciplines, cultures, and perspectives.
All OSU undergraduate students may obtain a second degree in Sustainability by completing 32 credits in addition to the 180 credits required for one Bachelor degree, for a total of 212 credits. Post-baccalaureate students may obtain a degree in Sustainability by completing the requirements below and the requirements for a subsequent degree as outlined in Academic Regulation 26b.
Courses in the major may be taken S/U.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Sustainability Core | ||
| SUS 304 | *SUSTAINABILITY ASSESSMENT | 4 |
| SUS 350 | *SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES | 4 |
| Ecological Dimensions of Sustainability | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 3-4 | |
| *HUMAN IMPACTS ON ECOSYSTEMS | ||
| *ENVIRONMENTAL ECOLOGY | ||
| *INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY + | ||
| Social Dimensions of Sustainability | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 3-4 | |
| SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF SUSTAINABILITY | ||
| *ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIOLOGY | ||
| *SOCIETY AND NATURAL RESOURCES | ||
| *SUSTAINABILITY, JUSTICE, AND ENGAGEMENT | ||
| SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF SUSTAINABILITY + | ||
| Economic Dimensions of Sustainability | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 3-4 | |
| *INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS AND POLICY | ||
| *NATURAL RESOURCE ECONOMICS AND POLICY | ||
| *ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS AND POLICY | ||
| ^BENEFIT-COST ANALYSIS | ||
| Practicum | ||
| Select one of the following: 1 | 3-12 | |
| RESEARCH | ||
| INTERNSHIP 2 | ||
| SPECIAL TOPICS | ||
| Remaining elective credits ++ | 0-12 | |
| Total credits required for graduation is 212 | ||
Courses that can be used to fulfill remaining elective course requirements are listed below. Students are not limited to taking courses within their primary major of study. The Sustainability Double Degree Advisor(s) will approve courses not listed here if they have an obvious link to sustainability and fulfill the intent of the Sustainability Double Degree and the student's path of study.
Remaining Electives
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Business and Economics | ||
| AEC 243 | *GLOBAL POVERTY AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT | 3 |
| AEC 250 | *INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS AND POLICY | 3 |
| AEC 253 | *ENVIRONMENTAL LAW, POLICY, AND ECONOMICS | 4 |
| AEC 351 | *NATURAL RESOURCE ECONOMICS AND POLICY | 3 |
| AEC 352/ECON 352 | *ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS AND POLICY | 3 |
| BA 270 | BUSINESS PROCESS MANAGEMENT | 4 |
| BA 314 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS OPERATIONS | 4 |
| BA 351 | MANAGING ORGANIZATIONS | 4 |
| BA 352 | MANAGING INDIVIDUAL AND TEAM PERFORMANCE | 4 |
| BA 362 | SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SOCIAL INITIATIVES | 4 |
| BA 432 | *ENVIRONMENTAL LAW, SUSTAINABILITY AND BUSINESS | 3 |
| BA 466 | INTEGRATIVE STRATEGIC EXPERIENCE | 4 |
| ECON 202 | *INTRODUCTION TO MACROECONOMICS | 4 |
| ECON 311 | INTERMEDIATE MICROECONOMIC THEORY | 4 |
| ECON 315 | INTERMEDIATE MACROECONOMIC THEORY | 4 |
| MGMT 452 | LEADERSHIP | 4 |
| Engineering | ||
| BEE 221 | FUNDAMENTALS OF ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING | 3 |
| BEE 320 | BIOSYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND MODELING | 4 |
| BEE 322 | ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING THERMODYNAMICS AND TRANSFER PROCESS | 4 |
| CCE 422 | GREEN BUILDING MATERIALS | 3 |
| CHE 450 | CONVENTIONAL AND ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SYSTEMS | 3 |
| CHE 451 | SOLAR ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES | 3 |
| ECE 438 | ELECTRIC AND HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLES | 4 |
| ENGR 350 | *SUSTAINABLE ENGINEERING | 3 |
| ENVE 321 | ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING FUNDAMENTALS | 4 |
| HEST 310 | *INTRO TO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY-BASED DESIGN | 3 |
| Natural Sciences | ||
| AEC 411 | *INTRODUCTION TO FOOD SYSTEMS: LOCAL TO GLOBAL | 3 |
| BI 301 | *HUMAN IMPACTS ON ECOSYSTEMS | 3 |
| BI 306 | *ENVIRONMENTAL ECOLOGY | 3 |
| BI 347 | *OCEANS IN PERIL | 3 |
| BI 348 | *HUMAN ECOLOGY | 3 |
| BI 351 | MARINE ECOLOGY | 3 |
| BI 370 | ECOLOGY | 3 |
| BRR 325 | ENERGY TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIAL CHANGE | 3 |
| CH 390 | ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY | 3 |
| FES 341 | FOREST ECOLOGY | 3 |
| FES 365 | *ISSUES IN NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION | 3 |
| FES 435/TOX 435 | *GENES AND CHEMICALS IN AGRICULTURE: VALUE AND RISK | 3 |
| FES 445/FW 445 | ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION | 4 |
| FES 455/HORT 455 | URBAN FOREST PLANNING, POLICY AND MANAGEMENT | 4 |
| FES 477/NR 477 | *AGROFORESTRY | 3 |
| FES 485 | *CONSENSUS AND NATURAL RESOURCES | 3 |
| FES 486 | ^PUBLIC LANDS POLICY AND MANAGEMENT | 3 |
| FOR 462 | NATURAL RESOURCE POLICY AND LAW | 3 |
| FW 251 | PRINCIPLES OF FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION | 3 |
| FW 303 | SURVEY OF GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN NATURAL RESOURCE | 3 |
| FW 321 | APPLIED COMMUNITY AND ECOSYSTEM ECOLOGY | 3 |
| FW 324 | *FOOD FROM THE SEA | 3 |
| FW 325 | *GLOBAL CRISES IN RESOURCE ECOLOGY | 3 |
| FW 326 | INTEGRATED WATERSHED MANAGEMENT | 3 |
| FW 419 | THE NATURAL HISTORY OF WHALES AND WHALING | 3 |
| FW 435 | ^WILDLIFE IN AGRICULTURAL ECOSYSTEMS | 3 |
| FW 462 | ECOSYSTEM SERVICES | 3 |
| FW 489 | EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS IN FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE SCIENCE | 3 |
| GEO 306 | *MINERALS, ENERGY, WATER, AND THE ENVIRONMENT | 3 |
| GEOG 250 | *LAND USE PLANNING FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES | 3 |
| GEOG 300 | *SUSTAINABILITY FOR THE COMMON GOOD | 3 |
| GEOG 324 | ^ECOLOGICAL BIOGEOGRAPHY | 4 |
| GEOG 330 | *GEOGRAPHY OF INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND GLOBALIZATION | 3 |
| GEOG 331 | *POPULATION, CONSUMPTION, AND ENVIRONMENT | 3 |
| GEOG 360 | GISCIENCE I: GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND THEORY | 4 |
| GEOG 430 | RESILIENCE-BASED NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT | 3 |
| GEOG 431 | GLOBAL RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT | 3 |
| GEOG 441 | THE WORLD'S WATER | 3 |
| GEOG 450 | LAND USE IN THE AMERICAN WEST | 3 |
| GEOG 451 | PLANNING PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES FOR RESILIENT COMMUNITIES | 4 |
| GEOG 452/ENSC 452 | ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT | 3 |
| HORT 260 | ORGANIC FARMING AND GARDENING | 3 |
| NR 201 | MANAGING NATURAL RESOURCES FOR THE FUTURE | 3 |
| NR 202 | NATURAL RESOURCE PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS | 3 |
| NR 312 | CRITICAL THINKING FOR NATURAL RESOURCE CHALLENGES | 3 |
| NR 351 | *WHEN SCIENCE ESCAPES THE LAB: SCIENCE AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT | 3 |
| OC 333 | *OCEANS, COASTS, AND PEOPLE | 3 |
| PH 313 | *ENERGY ALTERNATIVES | 3 |
| SOIL 499 | SPECIAL TOPICS | 1-16 |
| SUS 103 | *INTRODUCTION TO CLIMATE CHANGE | 4 |
| TRAL 351 | OUTDOOR RECREATION MANAGEMENT ON PUBLIC LANDS | 3 |
| TRAL 352 | WILDERNESS MANAGEMENT | 3 |
| TRAL 354 | COMMUNITIES, NATURAL AREAS, AND SUSTAINABLE TOURISM | 3 |
| WSE 111 | WOOD INNOVATIONS FOR SUSTAINABILITY | 2 |
| WSE 210 | *BIOLOGY, STRUCTURE, AND UTILIZATION OF WOODY PLANTS | 4 |
| WSE 266 | HEMPOLOGY: THE INDUSTRIAL HEMP STORY | 3 |
| WSE 320 | ANATOMY OF WOODY PLANTS | 3 |
| WSE 321 | WOOD CHEMISTRY | 3 |
| WSE 385 | *EVALUATING SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH LIFE CYCLE ANALYSIS | 3 |
| WSE 392 | *BAMBOOLOOZA: THE FASCINATING WORLD OF BAMBOO | 3 |
| WSE 453 | ^WOOD PRODUCTS BUSINESS | 3 |
| WSE 455 | INDUSTRIAL MARKETING OF WOOD PRODUCTS | 3 |
| WSE 470 | *FORESTS, WOOD, AND CIVILIZATION | 3 |
| WSE 473 | ||
| Z 349 | *BIODIVERSITY: CAUSES, CONSEQUENCES, AND CONSERVATION | 3 |
| Social Sciences/Humanities | ||
| AEC 250 | *INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS AND POLICY | 3 |
| AEC 253 | *ENVIRONMENTAL LAW, POLICY, AND ECONOMICS | 4 |
| AEC 351 | *NATURAL RESOURCE ECONOMICS AND POLICY | 3 |
| AEC 352/ECON 352 | *ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS AND POLICY | 3 |
| AEC 411 | *INTRODUCTION TO FOOD SYSTEMS: LOCAL TO GLOBAL | 3 |
| AEC 434 | ^BENEFIT-COST ANALYSIS | 4 |
| ANTH 352 | *ANTHROPOLOGY, HEALTH, AND ENVIRONMENT | 3 |
| ANTH 361 | *FOOD JUSTICE | 4 |
| ANTH 477 | ECOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY | 4 |
| ANTH 481 | *NATURAL RESOURCES AND COMMUNITY VALUES | 3 |
| ANTH 482 | *ANTHROPOLOGY OF INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT | 4 |
| COMM 408 | WORKSHOP | 1-16 |
| COMM 440 | THEORIES OF CONFLICT AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT | 3 |
| COMM 442 | BARGAINING AND NEGOTIATION PROCESSES | 3 |
| ENG 482 | STUDIES IN AMERICAN LITERATURE, CULTURE, AND THE ENVIRONMENT | 4 |
| FES 486 | ^PUBLIC LANDS POLICY AND MANAGEMENT | 3 |
| FW 340 | *MULTICULTURAL PERSPECTIVES IN NATURAL RESOURCES | 3 |
| FW 350 | *ENDANGERED SPECIES, SOCIETY AND SUSTAINABILITY | 3 |
| GEOG 250 | *LAND USE PLANNING FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES | 3 |
| GEOG 333 | *ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE | 3 |
| HEST 310 | *INTRO TO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY-BASED DESIGN | 3 |
| HORT 217 | *SOCIAL IMPACTS OF SCIENCE | 3 |
| MB 330 | *DISEASE AND SOCIETY | 3 |
| PHL 325 | *SCIENTIFIC REASONING | 4 |
| PHL 390 | 3 | |
| PHL 440 | *ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS | 3 |
| PHL 443/REL 443 | *WORLD VIEWS AND ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES | 3 |
| PS 331 | *STATE AND LOCAL POLITICS | 4 |
| PS 374 | *SUSTAINABLE LIVING: PRACTICES AND POLICIES | 4 |
| PS 455 | *THE POLITICS OF CLIMATE CHANGE | 4 |
| PS 461 | 4 | |
| PS 475 | ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS AND POLICY | 4 |
| PS 477 | INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS AND POLICY | 4 |
| SOC 360 | *POPULATION TRENDS AND POLICY | 4 |
| SOC 480 | *ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIOLOGY | 4 |
| SOC 481 | *SOCIETY AND NATURAL RESOURCES | 4 |
| SUS 325 | ^AG AND ENVIRONMENTAL PREDICAMENTS: A CASE STUDY APPROACH | 3 |
| WGSS 440 | *WOMEN AND NATURAL RESOURCES | 3 |
| WGSS 450 | ECOFEMINISM | 3 |
- *
Baccalaureate Core Course (BCC)
- ^
Writing Intensive Course (WIC)
- +
Recommended courses
- ++
In addition to the required credits, students must work with the Sustainability Double Degree Advisor to select elective courses relevant to their discipline and career path interests
- 1
Sustainability Double Degree students are required to complete a minimum of 3 Practicum credits and may complete up to 12 Practicum credits. Credits beyond the 3 credit requirement will be applied to Sustainability Electives. Before registering for a Practicum, students must get Practicum approved by their campus Sustainability Double Degree Advisor
- 2
SUS 410 credits may be achieved by participation in an alternative break trip, international internship, and/or faculty led study tour with advisor approval
Major Code: 870