Vanderbilt University
AC-3: Undergraduate Program
Status | Score | Responsible Party |
---|---|---|
Reporter |
Chelsea
Hamilton Sustainability Outreach Program Manager Environmental Health, Safety, and Sustainability |
Does the institution offer at least one sustainability-focused major, degree, or certificate program for undergraduate students?:
Name of the sustainability-focused undergraduate degree program:
A brief description of the undergraduate degree program:
Website URL for the undergraduate degree program:
Name of the sustainability-focused, undergraduate degree program (2nd program):
A brief description of the undergraduate degree program (2nd program):
Website URL for the undergraduate degree program (2nd program):
Name of the sustainability-focused, undergraduate degree program (3rd program):
A brief description of the undergraduate degree program (3rd program):
Website URL for the undergraduate degree program (3rd program):
The name and website URLs of all other sustainability-focused, undergraduate degree program(s):
Department of Sociology: Environmental Sociology - Vanderbilt’s Department of Sociology launched its new environmental sociology major in 2015, the first environmental and sustainability studies major outside the sciences at Vanderbilt and one of the first such majors in the country. Students enrolled in the major receive a grounding in environmental science and general sociology, then focus on social questions surrounding environmental issues. Courses cover ecology and society, population and migration, environmental health, social movements and social change, business and civil society, green jobs, government policy and more. http://as.vanderbilt.edu/sociology/undergraduate/environmental-sociology-major/
Independent major in environmental and sustainability studies - Human beings and their societies necessarily interact with and alter Earth’s natural environment. The environmental and sustainability studies independent major allows the student to examine human interaction with the environment from the perspectives of the humanities and social sciences with some exposure to the environmental sciences and/or environmental engineering. https://my.vanderbilt.edu/environmental/minor-requirements
Does the institution offer one or more sustainability-focused minors or concentrations for undergraduate students?:
Name of the sustainability-focused undergraduate minor or concentration:
A brief description of the undergraduate minor or concentration:
The minor in Environmental and Sustainability Studies can be combined with almost any undergraduate major at Vanderbilt and can be focused in the following areas:
• Law and policy.
• Business and management.
• Health.
• Advocacy and education.
• https://my.vanderbilt.edu/environmental/career-pathways/
Website URL for the undergraduate minor or concentration:
Name of the sustainability-focused undergraduate minor or concentration (2nd program):
A brief description of the undergraduate minor or concentration (2nd program):
Website URL for the undergraduate minor, concentration or certificate (2nd program):
Name of the sustainability-focused undergraduate minor or concentration (3rd program):
A brief description of the undergraduate minor or concentration (3rd program):
Website URL for the undergraduate minor or concentration (3rd program):
The name and website URLs of all other sustainability-focused undergraduate minors and concentrations:
• Minor in Energy and Environmental Systems - The minor in energy and environmental systems is designed to provide students with a working knowledge of the fundamentals of energy systems and their impact on the environment. The future health and well-being of humanity hinge in large part on smart production and use of energy, water, and related resources, as these are central determinants of climate change, habitable space, and human and ecological health. This program examines the relationships among individual, institutional, and societal choices for energy production and use, and the impacts and benefits of these choices on the environment and health through climate, water quality, and natural resources. http://engineering.vanderbilt.edu/cee/Undergraduate/MinorsCEE.php
• Major and Minor in Communication of Science and Technology - Both the major and minor in Communication of Science and Technology are interdisciplinary. Students must take advanced courses in public speaking, writing, in one or more scientific disciplines, and a course that bridges the sciences with non-science content and issues. Science communicators in all careers at the interface between the laboratory and the public must have a firm understanding of the language of science as well as the ability to communicate. The suggested courses will provide a strong background in both science/engineering and communication/humanities, preparing students to enter exciting careers. https://as.vanderbilt.edu/cst/
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Vanderbilt also allows students to design their own majors with the assistance of a faculty advisor, allowing them the flexibility to create a major that truly focuses on sustainability and the environment by utilizing many university department courses to do so. Many students have taken advantage of this, resulting in more departments offering sustainability related courses each semester. Recent student-designed majors include Environmental Policy and Environmental Psychology.
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