University of Massachusetts Lowell
AC-1: Academic Courses

Definition of Sustainability Focused and Related Programs and Courses
For the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE)'s STARS Course Review for Credit AC-1

The University of Massachusetts Lowell (UMass Lowell) is committed to environmental stewardship, sustainability, and climate neutrality as an institution. The university's mission is to provide an affordable and accessible education of high quality and to conduct programs of research and public service that advance knowledge, and improve the lives of the people of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the nation and the world.

UMass Lowell is dedicated to transformational education that fosters life long learning, global awareness and student success. Our academic and research programs span and interconnect the disciplines of business, education, engineering, fine arts, health, humanities, sciences and social sciences. The university continues to build on its founding vision of innovation, entrepreneurship and partnerships with industry and the community to address challenges facing the region and the world.

Public awareness, experiential learning and hands-on training are vital in preparing our students to work, lead and live in a more just and sustainable global society.

AASHE defines sustainability in an inclusive way, encompassing human and ecological health, racial equity and social justice, secure livelihoods, and a better world for all generations. This review incorporates sustainability programs based on the following principles:

Sustainability-focused courses have a primary and explicit focus on the interdependence of ecological and social/economic systems or a major sustainability challenge.

Sustainability-related programs and courses are those that do not explicitly focus on sustainability, but that incorporate sustainability challenges, issues, and concepts in a prominent way.

Once courses were evaluated on this criteria, they were evaluated against the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Courses that did not directly tie to any SDGs were removed from our listing.

Each course is counted once, no matter how many times it is offered, included cross-listed courses. Courses that are offered simultaneously as a 4000 undergraduate and 5000 graduate course with identical descriptions were identified as duplicates and assigned to be to be an undergraduate course.

Total number of courses offered is all active classes for fall 2021 semester with the following exclusions per the STARS guidance on allowable exclusions:

• Classes with four or fewer students (directed study, independent study, doctoral/master independent research, dissertations, thesis projects, music composition, community service, specialized instruction for undergraduates, specialty topics, study abroad, research projects).
• Practice oriented courses (internships, co-op experience, music performance courses, practice-based labs).
• Removed duplicates – each course is counted once, no matter how many times it is offered, included cross-listed courses. Courses that are offered simultaneously as a 4000 undergraduate and 5000 graduate course with identical descriptions were assigned to be to be a single, undergraduate course.

To determine the number of sustainability-focused and sustainability-related courses, UMass Lowell's Office of Sustainability conducted a review of all course offering changes at the university. Our 2019 STARS submission was reviewed to ensure all identified courses were active. Then, the Office of Sustainability assessed courses that are new or changed course descriptions since the completion of the 2019 course inventory.

UMass Lowell's strength in hands-on, experiential learning is reflected in this course inventory with many courses addressing sustainability by using the City of Lowell and its diverse cultural, economic, environmental, and social offerings as a resource.