A sustainability studies major prepares students for global citizenship with a firm grounding in the natural sciences, the social sciences, and the humanities. Students in the major explore how to maintain ecological and environmental health, create economic welfare, and pursue social justice in a changing world. Sustainability studies students gain understanding of the ways in which these three goals are interdependent and explore how they best can be pursued over the long term on local, national, and global levels.
To graduate with this major, students must complete all university, college, and major requirements.
Critical TrackingModel Semester Plan
Sustainability studies investigates the means to maintain environmental health, create economic welfare and pursue social justice in a changing world. Students gain an understanding of the ways in which these three goals are interdependent and explore how they can best be pursued in the long term at local, national and global levels.
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Coursework for the Major
Students are required to complete 33 credits of sustainability studies coursework; 15 of these 33 credits must be at the 3000/4000 level. All courses must be completed with minimum grades of C and a minimum of 15 credits of sustainability studies courses must be completed at UF.
Required Coursework
- IDS 2154 Facets of Sustainability (3 credits)
- Three core courses with one course chosen from each disciplinary group (9 credits)
- Six cluster courses with at least one course chosen from each of the four clusters
(18 credits)
- IDS 4942 Sustainability in Action, a capstone course (3 credits)
Core Courses (9 credits/ 3 courses required)
Take one 2000-level core course from each of the three disciplinary groups:
Humanities
- AMH 2631 History of Sustainability
- CLA 2521 Classical Antiquity and Sustainability (GE-H)
- REL 2071 Religion and Sustainability (GE-H)
Natural Sciences
- BSC 2862 Global Change Ecology and Sustainability (GE-B)
- GLY 2038 Sustainability and the Changing Earth (GE-P)
Social Sciences
- ANT 2402 Anthropology of Sustainability
- POS 2032 Politics of Sustainability (GE-S)
Select six courses from the four clusters with at least one course chosen from each cluster. Four of the six courses (12 credits) must be taken at the 3000 level or higher. Refer to the lists at the bottom of the page to view courses accepted for each cluster.
- Cluster A: Ethics, Culture and Human Behavior
- Cluster B: Economics, Law and Policy
- Cluster C: Production Systems and the Built Environment
- Cluster D: Ecology and Environmental Stewardship
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Critical Tracking
Critical Tracking records each student’s progress in courses that are required for entry to each major. Please note the critical-tracking requirements below on a per-semester basis.
For degree requirements outside of the major, refer to CLAS Degree Requirements: Structure of a CLAS Degree.
Equivalent critical-tracking courses as determined by the State of Florida Common Course Prerequisites may be used for transfer students.
Semester 1
- Complete IDS 2154 Facets of Sustainability
- 2.0 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
- 2.0 UF GPA required
Semester 2
For semesters 2, 3 and 4, students must choose one CLAS core course for a total of three courses (one from each group) to be on track by the end of Semester 4.
- 2.0 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
- 2.5 UF GPA required
Semester 3
- Complete 1 additional core course
- 2.0 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
- 2.75 UF GPA required
Semester 4
- Complete 1 additional core course
- 2.0 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
- 3.0 UF GPA required
Semester 5
- Complete 1 additional course at the 3000 level or higher from Cluster A, B, C, or D
- 2.0 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
- 3.0 UF GPA required
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Model Semester Plan
Students are expected to complete the writing requirement while in the process of taking the courses below. Students are also expected to complete the general education international (GE-N) and diversity (GE-D) requirements concurrently with another general education requirement (typically, GE-C, H or S).
This semester plan represents an example progression through the major. Actual courses and course order may be different depending on the student's academic record and scheduling availability of courses. Prerequisites still apply.
| Semester 1 |
Credits |
|---|
| IDS 2154 Facets of Sustainability |
3 |
Composition
State Core GE-C; WR |
3 |
| Foreign language |
4-5 |
Mathematics
State Core GE-M, pure math |
4-5 |
| Total |
14-16 |
| Semester 2 |
Credits |
|---|
ECO 2023 Principles of Microeconomics
Recommended; GE-S |
4 |
IUF 1000 What is the Good Life
GE-H |
3 |
| Core course |
3 |
| Foreign language |
3-5 |
Science laboratory
GE-B or P |
1 |
| Total |
14-16 |
| Semester 3 |
Credits |
|---|
ECO 2013 Principles of Macroeconomics
Recommended; State Core GE-S |
4 |
STA 2023 Introduction to Statistics 1
Recommended; GE-M |
3 |
Biological or Physical Science ♦
State Core GE-B or P |
3 |
| Core course |
3 |
Elective
Or foreign language if 4-3-3 option |
3 |
| Total |
16 |
| Semester 4 |
Credits |
|---|
Biological or Physical Science ♦
Area not taken in Semester 3, GE-B or P |
3 |
Biological Science (GE-B) or
Elective ♦ (if BSC 2862 taken as natural science core course for major) |
3 |
| Core course |
3 |
Humanities ♦
State Core GE-H |
3 |
Social and Behavioral Science ♦
State Core GE-S, if ECO 2013 not taken |
3 |
| Total |
15 |
| Semester 5 |
Credits |
|---|
Composition
GE-C; WR |
3 |
| Cluster courses, two |
6 |
Elective
3000 level or above, not in major |
3 |
Physical Science (GE-P) or
Elective ♦ (if GLY2038 taken as natural science core course for major) |
3 |
| Total |
15 |
| Semester 6 |
Credits |
|---|
| Cluster courses, two |
6 |
| Elective |
3 |
Elective
3000 level or above, not in major |
3 |
Humanities (GE-H, if needed) or
Elective ♦ |
3 |
| Total |
15 |
| Semester 7 |
Credits |
|---|
| Cluster courses, two |
6 |
| Electives |
4 |
Electives
3000 level or above, not in major |
6 |
| Total |
16 |
| Semester 8 |
Credits |
|---|
IDS 4942 Sustainability in Action
Capstone course |
3 |
| Elective |
3 |
Electives
3000 level or above, not in major |
6 |
Humanities
GE-H |
3 |
| Total |
15 |
♦ Depending on the course(s) taken, the sustainability studies core courses and cluster courses may also meet the following general education categories: biological sciences, humanities, international, physical sciences, or social and behavioral sciences. If a general education category is met through a core or cluster course, the student may substitute elective credit where the GE requirement is listed in the model semester plan.
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Approved Cluster Courses
| Cluster A: Ethics, Culture and Human Behavior |
|---|
| AEB 4126 Agricultural and Natural Resource Ethics (GE-H or S) |
| AMH 3630 American Environmental History |
| ANT 4006 Human Rights and Culture |
| ANT 4403 Environment and Cultural Behavior (GE-S) |
| FOR 3202 Society and Natural Resources (GE-S) |
| FNR 4070C Environmental Education Program Development |
| GEO 3427 Plants, Health and Spirituality |
| PHI 3633 Bioethics |
| PHM 3032 Ethics and Ecology (GE-H) |
| REL 2104 Environmental Ethics (GE-H) |
| REL 2166 Religion and Environmental Crisis (GE-H and N) |
| REL 3103 Religion and Nature in North America (GE-H) |
| REL 3169 Religion and Environmental Movements of the Global South |
| REL 3492 Religion, Ethics and Nature (GE-H) |
| REL 4188 Environmental Values and Practice |
| SCE 4342 Environmental Education Method and Materials |
| SYD 4020 Population (GE-S and N) |
| SYD 4510 Environment and Society |
| SYD 4512 Social Institutions and Environment |
| SYG 2010 Social Problems and Solutions (GE-S) |
| SYO 4530 Social Inequality (GE-S and D) |
| WIS 4523 Human Dimensions of Natural Resource Conservation |
| WST 3349 Ecofeminism |
| WST 3930 or REL 3154 Gender and Nature |
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| Cluster B: Economics, Law and Policy |
|---|
| AEB 2451 Economics of Resource Use (GE-S) |
| AEB 3450 Introduction to Natural Resource and Environmental Economics |
| AEB 4123 Agricultural and Natural Resource Law |
| AEB 4282 International Humanitarian Assistance (GE-S and N) |
| AEB 4283 International Development Policy (GE-S) |
| CPO 4793 Environmental Politics of the Global South |
| ECP 3302 Environmental Economics and Resource Policy (GE-S) |
| EUH 3683 The History of Consumption |
| EUS 4931 or ALS 4905 Climate Change and the European Union: Science and Policy |
| FNR 4660 Natural Resource Policy and Economics |
| FOR 4664 Sustainable Ecotourism Development |
| FYC 4408 Organizational Leadership for Nonprofits |
| FYC 4409 Working with Nonprofit Organizations in Community Settings |
| FYC 4427 Non-Governmental Organizations |
| GEO 2500 Global and Regional Economies (GE-S) |
| GEO 3372 Conservation of Resources |
| INR 4350 International Environmental Relations |
| LEI 3250 Introduction to Outdoor Recreation and Parks |
| POT 3503 Environmental Ethics and Politics |
| PUP 3204 Politics and Ecology (GE-S) |
| PUP 4224 Florida Environmental Politics |
| SYO 4352 Consumption, Economy and Society (GE-S) |
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| Cluster C: Production Systems and the Built Environment |
|---|
| ARC 1000 Architecture and Humanity (GE-H) |
| ARC 3291 Vernacular Architecture and Sustainability |
| ARC 3880 Sustainable Architecture |
| AGG 3501 Environment, Food and Society (GE-B) |
| AGR 4212 Alternative Cropping Systems |
| ALS 3133 Agricultural and Environmental Quality (GE-P) |
| AOM 2520 Global Sustainable Energy: Past, Present and Future |
| BCN 1582 International Sustainable Development (GE-S and N) |
| BCN 3730 Construction, Safety, Health and the Environment |
| DCP 3200 Methods of Inquiry for Sustainability and the Built Environment |
| DCP 3210 Sustainable Solutions for the Built Environment |
| DCP 3220 Social and Cultural Sustainability for the Built Environment |
| DCP 4941 Practicum in Sustainability and the Built Environment |
| EES 3008 Energy and Environment (GE-P) |
| EES 4050 Environmental Planning and Design |
| EES 4316 Industrial Ecology |
| EES 4401 Public Health Engineering (GE-P) |
| FAS 2024 Global and Regional Perspectives in Fisheries (GE-B) |
| FOR 3162C Silviculture |
| FOR 4060 Global Forests |
| FOR 4090C Urban Forestry |
| HOS 3281C Principles of Organic and Sustainable Crop Production |
| HOS 4283C Advanced Organic and Sustainable Crop Production |
| LAA 2330 Site Analysis |
| LAA 4260 Water Conservation Through Site Design and Green Roofs |
| SWS 3022 Introduction to Soils in the Environment (GE-P) |
| SWS 4116 Environmental Nutrient Management (GE-P) |
| SWS 4231C Soil, Water and Land Use (GE-P) |
| SWS 4233 Soil and Water Conservation |
| SWS 4245 Water Resource Sustainability |
| SWS 4550 Soils, Water and Public Health |
| SWS 4932 Forest and Soil Ecosystem Services |
| URP 4000 Preview of Urban and Regional Planning (GE-H) |
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| Cluster D: Ecology and Environmental Stewardship |
|---|
| BOT 2800C Plants in Human Affairs (GE-B) |
| BSC 2005 Biological Sciences (GE-B) |
| BSC 2011 Integrated Principles of Biology 2 (GE-B) |
| EES 4103 Applied Ecology (GE-B) |
| ENV 4101 Elements of Atmospheric Pollution (GE-P) |
| FOR 2662 Forests for the Future (GE-S) (WR) |
| FOR 3004 Forests, Conservation and People (GE-B) |
| FOR 3153C Forest Ecology (GE-B) |
| GEO 2200 Physical Geography (GE-P) |
| GEO 3250 Climatology (GE-P) |
| GEO 3280 Principles of Geographic Hydrology (GE-P) |
| GEO 3341 Extreme Floods (GE-P and N) |
| GEO 3352 The Human Footprint on the Landscape |
| GLY 2010C Physical Geology (GE-P) |
| GLY 2030C Environmental and Engineering Geology (GE-P) |
| GLY 3074 The Oceans and Global Climate Change (GE-P) |
| GLY 3083C Fundamentals of Marine Sciences (GE-P) |
| GLY 3882C Hydrogeology and Human Affairs |
| PCB 3034C Introduction to Ecology |
| PCB 3601C Plant Ecology |
| PCB 4043C General Ecology |
| SWS 2007 The World of Water (GE-P) |
| SWS 2008 Land and Life (GE-B) |
| SWS 4223 Environmental Biogeochemistry |
| SWS 4244 Wetlands |
| WIS 2040 Wildlife Issues in a Changing World (GE-B) |
| WIS 2552 Biodiversity Conservation: Global Perspectives (GE-B and N) |
| WIS 3401 Wildlife Ecology and Management |
| WIS 3402 Wildlife of Florida |
| WIS 3434 Tropical Wildlife |
| WIS 4554 Conservation Biology |
| WIS 4934 Special Topics |
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Related Sustainability Studies Programs
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