Curriculum
Introduction
One of the primary functions of colleges and universities is to educate students. By training and educating future leaders, scholars, workers, and professionals; higher education institutions are uniquely positioned to understand and address sustainability challenges. Institutions that offer courses covering sustainability issues help equip their students to lead society to a sustainable future.
Featured Resources
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Weaving Sustainability into Curriculum at California State University, Northridge
- California State University, Northridge (CA)
Colleges and universities across the globe are increasingly focusing their efforts on campus sustainability and related curricula. California State University, Northridge has made steps in recent years to improve the …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Estimating carbon sequestration potential of college campus soils: An example from Carleton College
- Carleton College (MN)
We developed a method to determine how much carbon could be sequestered by soils on a college campus. In Fall 2014, the Geology of Soils class at Carleton College wrote …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Heating Up Sustainable Design on a Small College Campus: Designing an Educational and Functional Net-Zero Warming Hut
- Carleton College (MN)
In the winter term of 2014, Carleton College developed a class entitled 'Systems Approaches to Sustainability' to merge a variety of perspectives in sustainability and teach interdisciplinary, systems thinking when …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Open Education Model of Environmental Sustainability Course Creation
- Central Community College (NE)
The traditional textbook publishing model is not sustainable. The average yearly textbook expense of $1200 can impact student retention. Studies show that students saving on text expense sign up for …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Public/Private Partnerships Utilizing Service and Experiential Learning to Facilitate Student Engagement
- Clark Atlanta University (GA)
There are a number of local municipalities in the Metropolitan Atlanta area that are in need of developmental plans to transition their communities into sustainable, self-sufficient enterprises. The most obvious …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Quality & Spirituality in the New Economy
- Colorado Mountain College (CO)
The common definition of Economics is, 'The study of the allocation of limited resources given our unlimited wants.' If we don't address unlimited wants all other efforts are in vain. …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Cross-Cultural Collaboration and Life Long Learning inspired by a Sustainable Building Course in Costa Rica
- Colorado State University (CO)
This case study introduces a study-abroad program in Costa Rica, which focuses on Sustainable Building Practices. During the past two years, Colorado State University (CSU) and EARTH University formed a …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Integrating Sustainability Across Disciplines: A Step-wise process for instructional design
- Creative Change Educational Solutions (MI)
College courses often are based on disciplinary knowledge, but teaching sustainability requires an interdisciplinary perspective. How can professors integrate key sustainability concepts without radically changing course requirements or abandoning disciplinary …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Using Whole Systems Design to Teach Sustainability Leadership
- Creighton University (NE)
For the last three years, I have successfully taught a course that I designed entitled 'Sustainability Leadership: An Interdisciplinary Approach' to doctoral students in a leadership program. This presentation will …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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A Delicate Balance: Requiring Capstone Sustainability Projects of all Students
- Green Mountain College (VT)
How can we effectively engage all students in applying their disciplinary strengths and their passions in projects that increase the sustainability of a community? For five years, Green Mountain College's …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Putting Classroom Skills into Practice: From Curriculum to Community Sustainability Planning
- Indiana University South Bend (IN)
This session will share a case study about how faculty can engage in sustainability in the community, and in the process provide pathways for positive change, increased awareness of sustainability …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Getting the Most Out of Your Practicum
- Indiana University South Bend (IN)
In this session we will explore how we have used integrated design and a holistic approach to leverage our capstone sustainability practicum to not only offer our students practical experience …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Connecting Students and Community to Sustainability with Short Videos
- Indiana University South Bend (IN)
In this session we will explore how to incorporate students and alumni in the teaching and learning process in sustainability studies through the use of short videos. We will discuss …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Active learning for sustainability education
- James Madison University (VA)
Active learning engages students in to promote critical thinking and alignment of course material. In an environmental health course, students spend approximately 2 hours working at the campus recycling center, …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Assessing the effectiveness of an undergraduate ESD course taught in Japan and Vietnam in fostering pro-sustainable outcomes
- Kyoto University
The 'Building a Sustainable Future: Principles and Challenges' course was developed by researchers at Kyoto University as part of a Japanese government-funded initiative to develop a widely replicable model approach …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Putting Biomimicry Thinking into Practice: Lessons learned through an online sustainable design thesis project
- Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MN)
Biomimicry, the practice of emulating models and strategies in nature, enables designers to see and learn from nature in new ways (Biomimicry Institute). This paper describes the primary learning outcomes …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Evolution of Sustainability Education: triumphs and tribulations of creating a sustainable online sustainability program
- Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MN)
Online learning is an untapped resource to transform sustainability education. The Babson Survey Research Group (2015) reports that over 70% of academic institutions consider online learning a critical component of …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Living Principles: A catalyst for driving positive change
- Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MN)
The Living Principles' (LP) is a systems thinking framework, created by sustainability practitioners, as a catalyst for driving positive change both institutionally and culturally. LP distills the four streams of …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Trans-formative Power of the Living Building Challenge
- Natural Sustainability (MA)
Presented by a certified ambassador of the ILFI, this session will introduce the Living Building Challenge and provide for questions & discussion. The Living Building Challenge is the built environment's …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Transforming Sustainability Education: Curricular and Co-Curricular Tools for Engaging the Social Dimensions of Change
- EcoChallenge.org (OR)
This interactive, participatory round table workshop will provide context around why transformative learning and deeper engagement in sustainability issues is important, drawing from the work of the Northwest Earth Institute, …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Lessons for building a Resilient Sustainable Management MBA/MPA Program from 10 years Navigating a Changing Education Landscape
- Presidio Graduate School (CA)
The Presidio Graduate School is a highly resilient MBA/MPA program integrating environmental sustainability and social justice in all its MBA and MPA courses. Recently accredited by the Western Association of …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Designing collaborations: proposing a campus sustainability pedagogy network
- Rochester Institute of Technology (NY)
Although Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) houses organizations like the New York State Pollution Prevention Institute's (NYSP2I) as well as a college devoted to sustainability, most RIT undergraduates seem to …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Chocolate-Chip Cookie: a module to introduce college students to true-cost accounting, energy flow, and life-cycle analysis
- Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (IN)
This presentation shares a scalable module that helps students in introductory courses understand essential concepts in sustainability and helps them appreciate the complexities of measuring true cost and life cycle. …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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A New Approach to Sustainability Across the Curriculum
- Santa Clara University (CA)
Santa Clara University has participated in AASHE's Sustainability Across the Curriculum approach since 2007. Over 100 faculty members have participated in peer-led workshops over the years, known as the Penstemon …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Transforming Self and Society Through Story: Why Sustainability Curriculum Needs Narrative Inquiry, Self-Study
- Seneca Polytechnic (ON)
At AASHE's 2010 conference in Denver, a pilot project was presented which engaged post-secondary students in ecological identity research through a process known as the Earth & I workshop. At …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Researching Water Issues in First Year Composition: A Multi-Perspectives Approach
- Sinclair Community College (OH)
According to the United Nations, 'every year millions of people are severely affected by poor water quality, scarcity and floods. Several billion lack access to safe drinking water and improved …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Weaving Sustainability Education throughout the Curriculum
- St. Catherine University (MN)
Poster will focus on strategies to weave sustainability education within an academic program. Poster will use Apparel, Merchandising and Design department at St. Catherine University as a successful model.
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Creative Assessment Strategies for Learning Outcomes
- The Ohio State University (OH)
Setting learning outcomes for student programs is easy, but figuring out how to measure what they learn has been a challenge for us at Ohio State. Come hear how we've …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Service Learning a tool for teaching sustainability and local development
- Universidad de Monterrey
For Universidad de Monterrey, Service - Learning is a pedagogy that fosters the improvement of academic quality and civic education, promoting an active participation and solidarity contributions for the local …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Setting up a MOOC on Sustainable Development: The Case of Université Laval
- Université Laval (QC)
Université Laval in Québec City is the oldest French-language university in North America. UL has some 45,000 students and 10,000 employees, offers over 400 programs, and is one of Canada's …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Integrating Research, Learning, and Community: A Curriculum Model for Sustainability Science in Higher Education
- University of Alaska Fairbanks (AK)
Are you interested in developing an interdisciplinary course with a research component around an important sustainability issue (i.e. water, energy, food security)? This session provides a working model that others …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Social Ecological Economic Development Studies (SEEDS) Sustainability Program at the University of British Columbia
- University of British Columbia (BC)
Participants will explore the foundations that underpin our award-winning program which partners operational staff, faculty and students to catalyze campus sustainability efforts. Our program has coordinated more than 1000 diverse …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Automating Key Steps in the STARS Rating Process: Using Content Analysis to Perform Sustainability Course Inventories
- University of Florida (FL)
This presentation focuses on a practical and innovative approach to conducting the sustainability course survey that is required of the STARS rating system. If you are a sustainability coordinator or …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Existential Sustainability: From Crisis to Celebration
- University of Florida (FL)
This presentation details a practical approach to sustainability education that is rooted in students' everyday experiences of the world. Against the common approach of crisis and impending doom, the approach …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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SLIM: A Sustainability Bridge Linking Campus to Community
- University of Hawaii Maui College (HI)
The Sustainable Living Institute of Maui (SLIM) at UH Maui College is nine years old. It has successfully presented numerous trainings in sustainability specialties such as renewable energy, green building, …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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UKnTrees: Growing urban forestry awareness, outreach, and education
- University of Kentucky (KY)
Many aspects of sustainability in urban environments, from environmental (stormwater management, climate regulation, urban heat island effects, air pollution removal) to economic (neighborhood and retail desirability, property values) to social …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustainability doesn't mean everything to everybody.' A foundational vocabulary for courses in urban sustainability
- University of Louisville (KY)
There is growing consensus on learning outcomes in sustainability education, including systems thinking, interdisciplinarity, ethical growth, team problem-solving, and more. This paper explores the knowledge and learning outcomes students should …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Self-Sustain Conferences - connecting sustainability students within the multi-campus, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities system.
- University of Minnesota, Crookston (MN)
In 2008, a multi-disciplinary, system-wide sustainability committee was organized at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities to improve sustainability related communication and collaborations between campuses at Minneapolis, St. Paul, Morris, …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Art & Design Students Collaborate with University and Community to Mitigate Birdstrikes on Campus Buildings
- University of Minnesota, Duluth (MN)
Summary: We present an innovative, grant-funded partnership between the university department of Art & Design, department of Writing Studies, Office of Sustainability, UMD Facilities Management, local wildlife rehabilitators, and local …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Degrees to Careers: A Case Study on How Letting Students Work with Professionals Prepares them for Life After Graduation
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)
In the Spring of 2014, a group of students from various disciplines at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities partook in the DOE Challenge Home Student Design Competition. Throughout the …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Innovations and lessons learned in distributed graduate education on sustainability science: a replicable teaching model
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)
We present innovations and lessons learned from teaching a distributed graduate seminar on sustainability science across multiple institutions in Latin America and the US. Sustainability science is a problem-driven science …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustainable polymers in the undergraduate organic chemistry laboratory
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)
The topic of plastics and their negative effect on the environment and human health is a relevant and important topic appropriate for the diverse population of students enrolled in a …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustainable Systems Management Curriculum
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)
A new Sustainable Systems Management major is being planned for implementation in Fall 2015 at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities for the first time. The context surrounding the introduction …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Beyond the Library Building: Integrating Sustainability into Information Literacy Instruction
- University of Montana (MT)
Academic libraries have long been interested in contributing to sustainability on campus, largely from the perspective of reducing the impact of the the facility. Since librarians are uniquely positioned to …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Revisioning Development of Professional Skills in Graduate University Programs
- University of Saskatchewan (SK)
Within the pedagogical community, a problem exists about how to train specialists who are academically qualified and creative, and how to provide students with more opportunities to develop a broader …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Examining Environmental Justice Locally: A Case for Student Engagement and Integrated Curricular Content
- University of St. Thomas (MN)
Environmental justice is often perceived as primarily an international issue. This case study uses social worker experiences to demonstrate the scope of environmental injustice in our own backyards. Social workers …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Surveying the Landscape of Sustainability Studies Programs
- University of Texas at Austin (TX)
As the educational landscape of sustainability continues to emerge and transform, this presentation offers a significantly refined and expanded survey of Sustainability Studies and other similar programs in the United …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Food Waste and Nutrition: Food Waste Auditing Combined with Vermicomposting for Applied Nutrition and Sustainability Education.
- University of Utah (UT)
Many Nutrition and Dietetic graduate students end up working in field such as Nutrition Therapy and Medical Nutrition Therapy where they are in hospital and/or care settings, working as clinician …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Fashion Forward - an ethical and environmental look at the fashion industry
- Western Sydney University (NSW)
Do you know where that item of clothing you are wearing comes from? Is it made from synthetic or natural fibres? Did you purchase it secondhand? Did you think of …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Expanding Sustainability Horizons - Educational Tourism and the Virtual Classroom
- Virginia Tech (VA)
Graduate and professional (non-credit) programs offered through Virginia Tech's Center for Leadership in Global Sustainability prepare students for careers in an increasingly interconnected, urbanizing, and global workplace by combining virtual …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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This tab provides access to data collected through AASHE’s Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System™ (STARS). STARS is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance. STARS enables meaningful comparisons over time and across institutions using a common set of measurements developed with broad participation from the campus sustainability community.
All responses reference content from reports under the latest version of STARS, version 2.2. AASHE membership and log-in is required.
AC 1: Academic Courses
- Percentage of courses that are sustainability course offerings
- Percentage of academic departments with sustainability course offerings
- Inventory of sustainability course offerings (upload)
- Website URL - Sustainability course offerings
AC 2: Learning Outcomes
- Description of institution level sustainability learning outcomes
- List of degree programs that require an understanding of the concept of sustainability
- Percentage of students who graduate from programs that require an understanding of sustainability
- Website URL - Sustainability learning outcomes
AC 3: Undergraduate Program
- First sustainability-focused undergraduate degree program
- Second sustainability-focused undergraduate degree program
- Third sustainability-focused undergraduate degree program
- First sustainability-focused undergraduate minor or concentration
- Second sustainability-focused undergraduate minor or concentration
- Third sustainability-focused undergraduate minor or concentration
AC 4: Graduate Program
- First sustainability-focused graduate-level degree program
- Second sustainability-focused graduate-level degree program
- Third sustainability-focused graduate-level degree program
- First sustainability-focused graduate-level minor or concentration
- Second sustainability-focused graduate-level minor or concentration
- Third sustainability-focused graduate-level minor or concentration
AC 5: Immersive Experience
- Description of the sustainability-focused immersive program(s)
- Second sustainability-focused graduate-level degree program
- Third sustainability-focused graduate-level degree program
AC 6: Sustainability Literacy Assessment
- Copy of the sustainability literacy assessment (upload)
- Copy of the sustainability literacy assessment (description)
- Website URL - Assessment of sustainability literacy
AC 7: Incentives for Developing Courses
- Description of the course development incentives
- Website URL - Incentives for developing sustainability courses
AC 8: Campus as a Living Laboratory
Additional analysis on scores and quantitative fields can be conducted using the STARS Benchmarking Tool.