Sustainability

Sustainability

Sustainability programs at Mason seek to guide students as they critically assess the environmental, social, economic and ethical impacts of technology and policy decisions.  The Engagement Series in Sustainability identifies green leaf designated offerings that contribute significantly to students’ understanding and practice of sustainability. These offerings extend beyond environmental management, natural resources protection and conservation studies alone to embrace economic development and social responsibility.  Both sustainability-focused and sustainability-related courses may receive the green leaf designation.

Students who complete the Engagement Series in Sustainability will be able to:

  1. Characterize the meaning of sustainability (including its focus on fulfilling needs and its social, economic and ecological dimensions).
  2. Distinguish sustainable from unsustainable human activities and practices.
  3. Integrate concepts and principles of sustainability to analyze and address complex societal issues.
  4. Present working knowledge of the University’s sustainability history, goals, initiatives and pertinent decision-making processes.
  5. Demonstrate the ability to lead and apply sustainability knowledge to make a positive societal impact on campus and/or in our community.
Requirements and approved courses

All students pursuing the sustainability engagement series must take one credit of INTS 295 – Field-Based Work Credits: 1-18  with the topic, ‘Leadership for Sustainability,’ as the series’ gateway. Additional requirements include 18 credits of Mason Core courses that have the Green Leaf Programs and Courses designation. (At least 6 Mason Core categories include one or more Green Leaf course options.)

The following courses have been identified as meeting the criteria for inclusion in the Engagement Series in Sustainability curriculum. The co-curricular section of the certificate is completed through the Patriot Experience, located at http://patriotexperience.gmu.edu.

To declare the ENCORE Engagement Series in Sustainability, please fill out this ENCORE Declaration form pdf and take it to the Sustainability coordinator, listed on the form.

Arts
AVT 385 – EcoArt Credits: 3
Global Understanding
BUS 200 – Global Environment of Business Credits: 3
CEIE 100 – Environmental Engineering around the World Credits: 3
SOCI 320 – Social Structure and Globalization Credits: 3
PHIL 243 – Global Environmental Ethics Credits: 3
Natural Science (nonlab)
BIOL 140 – Plants and People Credits: 3
CLIM 101 – Global Warming: Weather, Climate, and Society Credits: 3
EVPP 201 – Environment and You: Issues for the Twenty-First Century Credits: 3
GEOL 134 – Evolution and Extinction Credits: 3
GGS 102 – Physical Geography Credits: 3
Natural Science (with lab)
CHEM 155 – Introduction to Environmental Chemistry I Credits: 4
CHEM 156 – Introduction to Environmental Chemistry II Credits: 4
CLIM 102 – Introduction to Global Climate Change Science Credits: 4
CLIM 111 – Introduction to the Fundamentals of Atmospheric Science Credits: 3
CLIM 112 – Introduction to the Fundamentals of Atmospheric Science Lab Credits: 1
EVPP 110 – The Ecosphere: An Introduction to Environmental Science I Credits: 4
EVPP 111 – The Ecosphere: An Introduction to Environmental Science II Credits: 4
GEOL 101 – Introductory Geology I Credits: 4
GEOL 102 – Introductory Geology II Credits: 4
GGS 121 – Dynamic Atmosphere and Hydrosphere Credits: 4
PHYS 112 – Introduction to the Fundamentals of Atmospheric Science Lab Credits: 1
Social and Behavioral Science
CONS 410 – Human Dimensions in Conservation Credits: 3
ECON 105 – Environmental Economics for the Citizen Credits: 3
GGS 103 – Human Geography Credits: 3
Synthesis
AVT 385 – EcoArt Credits: 3
CONS 490 – RS: Integrated Conservation Strategies Credits: 3
CONS 491 – RS: Comprehensive Conservation Planning Credits: 3
EVPP 480 – Sustainability in Action Credits: 4
GEOL 420 – Earth Science and Policy Credits: 3
GGS 303 – Geography of Resource Conservation Credits: 3
GGS 304 – Population Geography Credits: 3
PHIL 343 – Topics in Environmental Philosophy Credits: 3

Required: 19 credits