Students seeking an additional spring elective or considering adding a minor are encouraged to enroll in SUST 1103 Foundations of Sustainability in the spring semester. Foundations of Sustainability is an interdisciplinary course designed to introduce undergraduate students to basic concepts and theories of sustainability at global, regional and local levels. Sustainability is defined as "meet[ing] the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs" ("Our Common Future," 1987). The course will meet on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9:40-10:30 a.m.

The course is organized around four major thematic areas of sustainability: social systems, natural systems, managed systems, and built systems. The aim of this course is to increase the environmental literacy of students and pave the way for both the creative and persistent engagement of sustainability concerns into the students' own disciplines.

The approach taken in SUST 1103 to introduce the broad concepts of sustainability is to explore the characteristics of large systems. The course does not addressing the four systems areas separately, but identifies the characteristics of each system as students explore sustainability challenges. The purpose of this approach is to create a framework for understanding and influencing each system. Students will gain an understanding of each system so they can make more sustainable decisions.

This course is the first of three required for the Foundations of Sustainability Minor; it serves as a gateway course for students who may wish to pursue the minor. The sustainability minor is an 18-credit minor consisting of three core courses, Foundations of Sustainability (SUST 1103), Applications of Sustainability (SUST 2103) and the Capstone Experience in Sustainability (SUST 4103), along with three electives chosen from a broad list including courses from every college on campus. Students can learn more about the sustainability minor here.