MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
RESEARCH ON INTERDISCIPLINARY SUSTAINABILITY
DEGREE/PROGRAM AT UHM PEER AND BENCHMARK INSTITUTIONS
SUMMARY:
This report provides a summary of the different sustainability focused degrees and programs available
at UHM Peer and Benchmark Institutions. Degrees and certificates in sustainability are offered for
both undergraduate and graduate studies. The institutions recognize the interdisciplinary nature of
the subject, although the location of the degree appears to correspond with the focus of the program,
objectives and outcomes. Some institutions have established a separate school for sustainability or
the environment. It also appears that every institution offers courses that are related to and/or
focused on sustainability, which span multiple disciplines. All but one institution has compiled a
comprehensive list and/or created a designation in their course catalog for these courses.
PEER INSTITUTIONS:
Colorado State University – Fort Collins
I. Interdisciplinary Minor in Global Environmental Sustainability
 Located within the School of Global Environmental Sustainability (SoGES)
o The school was established in 2008 under the direction of Professor Diana Wall. The
SoGES is an “umbrella” organization encompassing all research and education that
deals with the complex environmental, economic, and societal issues of
sustainability. The SoGES focuses the education and research capabilities of eight
colleges within CSU.
o Research focal areas: climate change and energy, food security, environmental
institutions and governance, sustainable communities, land and water resources,
and biodiversity, conservation and management.
 Requirement Checklist for Minor
II. Global Environmental Sustainability Endorsed Courses
 List of Endorsed Courses
 Participating colleges with endorsed courses:
o College of Agricultural Sciences
o College of Business
o College of Engineering
o College of Health and Human Sciences
o College of Liberal Arts
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI’I AT MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
2500 Campus Road • Hawai’i Hall 208 • Honolulu, Hawai’i 96822
Phone: (808) 956-7725 • Fax/Polycom: (808) 956-9813
E-Mail: uhmfs@hawaii.edu • Website: http://www.hawaii.edu/uhmfs/
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution
MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
o College of Natural Sciences
o Warner College of Natural Resources
III. Majors, Minors, and Certificates related to sustainability or the environment
 Undergraduate
 Graduate
IV. Pre-College Summer Sustainability Program
 Information
Mississippi State University - Starkville
I. Environment & Sustainability Certificate
 Being multi-disciplinary in nature, the Environment and Sustainability Certificate is
administered by Office of the Provost. A committee consisting of at least six faculty
members from various departments across campus oversees the program’s structure and
performance. The committee reports to the Associate Provost who will advise the Provost
on matters pertaining to the program.
 Curriculum Outline and List of Course Options
 Student Learning Outcomes and Assessment
II. Majors related to sustainability or the environment
 Agribusiness
 Environmental Economics & Management
III. There also appears to be courses related to sustainability, however, there is no complete
listing or system of identifying these courses.
IV. Additional Resources
 Office of Sustainability
Oregon State University - Corvallis
I. Learning Goals for Graduates
 In 2010, OSU adopted Learning Goals for Graduates that included Social Responsibility
and Sustainability. Although not embedded specifically into the language of every major,
the Goals apply to all OSU graduates. The goals include:
1) Competency and Knowledge in Multiple Fields
2) Critical Thinking
3) Pluralism and Cultural Legacies
4) Collaboration
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI’I AT MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
2500 Campus Road • Hawai’i Hall 208 • Honolulu, Hawai’i 96822
Phone: (808) 956-7725 • Fax/Polycom: (808) 956-9813
E-Mail: uhmfs@hawaii.edu • Website: http://www.hawaii.edu/uhmfs/
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution
MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
5) Social Responsibility and Sustainability
6) Communication
7) Self-Awareness and Life-Long Learning
Goal 5, Social Responsibility and Sustainability, states: "As an OSU graduate, you will
develop the capacity to construct an engaged, contributing life, and to engage in actions
that reflect an understanding of the values of service, citizenship and social responsibility,
and demonstrate global competence by understanding the interdependent nature of local
and global communities.”
II. Featured Sustainability Programs
 Sustainability Double Degree
o Given the interdisciplinary nature of sustainability, the double-degree is tailored for
students in all academic disciplines. Students are required to complete 180 credits in
an OSU major (or other from another baccalaureate degree institution) and can
receive a second Bachelor’s degree in sustainability by completing an additional 36
credits.
 Sustainability Focused Courses
III. Featured programs related to sustainability or the environment
 College of Business
o Austin Entrepreneurship Program
o Sustainable Business Initiative
 College of Engineering
o Ecological Engineering Degree
 Graduate School
o Sustainable Natural Resources Graduate Certificate
IV. Additional Resources
 Sustainability Office at OSU
University of Arizona – Tucson
I. Bachelor of Science & Minor in Sustainable Built Environment
 Located in the College of Architecture, Planning, and Landscape Architecture
o Emphasis includes: sustainable communities, sustainable buildings, sustainable
landscapes, heritage conservation
 Bachelor Course Requirements
 Minor Course Requirements
II. Courses or programs related to sustainability or the environment
 Colleges, Schools, Departments
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI’I AT MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
2500 Campus Road • Hawai’i Hall 208 • Honolulu, Hawai’i 96822
Phone: (808) 956-7725 • Fax/Polycom: (808) 956-9813
E-Mail: uhmfs@hawaii.edu • Website: http://www.hawaii.edu/uhmfs/
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution
MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE





Undergraduate Degrees
Graduate Degrees
Graduate Certificates
Professional Development
Green Course Guide
III. Additional Resources
 Environment and Sustainability Portal
 Proposal for a Green Degree Guide
o The Green Degree Guide will cover all degree and certificate programs on campus that
have environmental and sustainable tracks or components. Each green degree page will
contain a description of the environmental and sustainable aspects available for that
degree.
University of Illinois - Chicago
I. No degree or certificate program focused on Sustainability
II. Courses, Departments, and Research Units related to sustainability or the environment
 Courses
 Departments
 Research Units
III. Additional Resources
 Office of Sustainability
University of Kentucky - Lexington
I. Bachelor of Arts & Minor in Environmental and Sustainability Studies (ENS)
 Located within the College of Arts and Sciences
 The degree is designed to provide students with a foundation in the natural and physical
sciences without the math and science courses typically required by environmental B.S.
degrees; students will graduate with a holistic understanding of the economic,
environmental and social components of sustainability.
 ENS Core Requirements
 ENS Major Requirements
 Checklist for Minor
II. Courses and programs related to sustainability or the environment
 Courses
 Sustainability Related Degree Program – Natural Resources and Environmental Science
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI’I AT MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
2500 Campus Road • Hawai’i Hall 208 • Honolulu, Hawai’i 96822
Phone: (808) 956-7725 • Fax/Polycom: (808) 956-9813
E-Mail: uhmfs@hawaii.edu • Website: http://www.hawaii.edu/uhmfs/
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution
MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
III. Additional Resources
 Office of Sustainability
University of New Mexico - Albuquerque
I. Minor in Sustainability Studies
 Located within the College of Arts and Sciences
o The Sustainability Studies Program utilizes experiential learning, research, and
service activities to implement practical solutions for a sustainable future on the
UNM campus, in the state of New Mexico, and for the Earth as a whole.
Sustainability Studies integrates knowledge and methodologies from the
Sciences, Humanities, and Arts to provide a roadmap for students that can be
applied to the design, selection, and implementation of sustainable policies,
practices, technologies, and strategies. Sustainability Studies provides a dynamic
feedback loop of information and practice.
 Course Requirements for a Minor Degree in Sustainability
II. Additional Resources
 Sustainability Studies Strategic Plan
 Sustainability Studies Program Outcomes Assessment
 Office of Sustainability
University of South Florida - Tampa
I. Master of the Arts in Global Sustainability
 Located in the College of Global Sustainability
 Water, Entrepreneurship, Sustainable Tourism and Sustainable Energy as logical
concentrations for the MA degree.
 Course Requirements and Course Descriptions
II. Programs related to sustainability or the environment
 Graduate Certificate in Water, Health, and Sustainability
o College of Public Health
III. Additional Resources
 Office of Sustainability
 Master of Arts in Global Sustainability Online Program Portal
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI’I AT MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
2500 Campus Road • Hawai’i Hall 208 • Honolulu, Hawai’i 96822
Phone: (808) 956-7725 • Fax/Polycom: (808) 956-9813
E-Mail: uhmfs@hawaii.edu • Website: http://www.hawaii.edu/uhmfs/
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution
MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
University of Utah – Salt Lake City
I. Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and Minor in Environmental and Sustainability Studies
 Located in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
o The curriculum emphasizes human impacts on the environment, policy and
decision-making, ethics, and historical approaches to the human-environment
relationship. This interdisciplinary program is unique in its emphasis on peer
learning and community engagement regarding the environment, social
responsibility, and sustainability. The interdisciplinary approach provides many
opportunities that lead to careers or graduate school in the social sciences, urban
planning, public administration, business, science, or law.
 Curriculum for a Major or Minor
II. Integrated Certificate in Sustainability
 Located within the Office of Undergraduate Studies (About)
o The Integrated Certificate in Sustainability is designed to give students the breadth
and depth of knowledge, skills, and critical and creative thinking to create a more
sustainable future.
 Sustainability Certificate Curriculum
 Course List for Certificate
III. Courses, Degrees, Certificates and Programs related to sustainability or the environment
 List of Courses
 Degrees and Certificates
 Research
 Centers and Institutes
IV. Additional Resources
 Office of Sustainability
BENCHMARK INSTITUTIONS:
University of California - Davis
I. Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems (SA&FS)
 Located within the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences
o Students in the SA&FS program will focus on the social, economic and
environmental aspects of agriculture and food – from farm to table and beyond – to
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI’I AT MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
2500 Campus Road • Hawai’i Hall 208 • Honolulu, Hawai’i 96822
Phone: (808) 956-7725 • Fax/Polycom: (808) 956-9813
E-Mail: uhmfs@hawaii.edu • Website: http://www.hawaii.edu/uhmfs/
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution
MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE

gain a diversity of knowledge and skills both in the classroom and through personal
experience on and off campus.
Course Description and Major Requirements
II. Recently approved Sustainable Environmental Design Major
 Located within the Department of Human Ecology at the College of Agricultural and
Environmental Science.
 Proposal for Undergraduate Major
III. Courses related to sustainability or the environment
 The sustainability website created a class finder tool to help determine classes related to
sustainability. However, the tool was not working at the time of this report.
o Class Finder Tool
IV. Additional Resources
 UC Davis Sustainability Website
 Agricultural Sustainability Institute
 Sustainable Transportation Center
University of California - Irvine
I. Minor in Global Sustainability
 Located within the Department of Earth System Science
o The Interdisciplinary Minor in Global Sustainability trains students to understand
the changes that are needed for the human population to live in a sustainable
relationship with the resources available on this planet.
 Degree Requirements
II. Degrees and Courses related to sustainability or the environment
 List of Degrees
 List of Courses
III. Additional Resources
 Sustainability website
University of California – San Diego
I. No Degree or Certificate with a focus on sustainability
II. Degrees and Courses related to sustainability or the environment
 List of Degrees
 List of Courses
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI’I AT MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
2500 Campus Road • Hawai’i Hall 208 • Honolulu, Hawai’i 96822
Phone: (808) 956-7725 • Fax/Polycom: (808) 956-9813
E-Mail: uhmfs@hawaii.edu • Website: http://www.hawaii.edu/uhmfs/
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution
MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
III. Additional Resources
 Sustainability website
University of Colorado - Boulder
I. Bachelor of Arts & International Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies
 Located within the College of Arts and Sciences
 Undergraduate Requirements
II. Graduate Degree Programs in Environmental Studies
 The Environmental Studies graduate program is an interdisciplinary program with
specializations (secondary core areas) in Sciences, Policy and Values & Theory. Other
programs of study can be designed based on available courses and faculty support and
expertise.
 ENVS Ph.D.
 ENVS MS
 JD/ENVS MS and JD/ENVS Ph.D. (in cooperation with CU School of Law)
 MBA/ENVS MS (in cooperation with Leeds School of Business)
 Graduate Certificate Program in Environment, Policy and Society
III. Degree and Certificate programs related to sustainability or the environment
 Degree, Academic, and Certificate Programs
 Research Centers and Institutes
IV. Additional Resources
 Recently announced a new School of Environment and Sustainability within the College of
Arts and Sciences (Article)
 Sustainability website
 RASEI website
University of Iowa – Iowa City
I. Certificate in Sustainability
 Located within the University College
o University College is home to a wide range of programs for University of Iowa
students and precollege students. It includes major college-level programs such as
the University of Iowa Honors Program, Study Abroad, Career Center Programs,
and study at Iowa Lakeside Laboratory.
o The Certificate in Sustainability provides students with the knowledge and skills
they will need in order to contribute to sustainable systems and their interactions,
especially those related to energy, society, culture, economics, the built environment,
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI’I AT MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
2500 Campus Road • Hawai’i Hall 208 • Honolulu, Hawai’i 96822
Phone: (808) 956-7725 • Fax/Polycom: (808) 956-9813
E-Mail: uhmfs@hawaii.edu • Website: http://www.hawaii.edu/uhmfs/
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution
MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE

health, and public policy. The program helps students become effective leaders and
agents of change for sustainability in a wide range of vocations, such as academic
researcher, teacher, corporate officer, technology specialist, farmer, grassroots
advocate, or government official.
Program Requirements
II. Courses related to sustainability or the environment
 Department List
III. Additional Resources
 Sustainability Website
University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill
I. Minor in Sustainability
 Located within the Curriculum for the Environment and Ecology (Similar to Department)
o The program provides an understanding of sustainability — a unifying approach to
human and environmental problems. Sustainable businesses, communities, and
other organizations seek to design systems in ways that optimize material and
energy use to decrease environmental and health problems and to bolster economic
vitality and social equity.
 Program Requirements
III. Master of Business Administration Sustainable Enterprise Concentration
 Sustainable enterprise is a way of doing business that makes profits through means that
reduce harm to society and the environment.
 Program Requirements
II. Courses related to sustainability or the environment
 List of Departments and Courses
III. Additional Resources
 Office of Sustainability
University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh
I. Master of International Development
 Graduate Degree in Development Planning & Environmental Sustainability
 Located within the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs
o Education and research, which cut across multiple disciplines, is emphasized so that
students learn innovative approaches to understanding and providing solutions to
complex issues faced by today's society. The flexible and collaborative nature of the
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI’I AT MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
2500 Campus Road • Hawai’i Hall 208 • Honolulu, Hawai’i 96822
Phone: (808) 956-7725 • Fax/Polycom: (808) 956-9813
E-Mail: uhmfs@hawaii.edu • Website: http://www.hawaii.edu/uhmfs/
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution
MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE

program allows students to focus on problems of interest to them, while drawing
upon relevant knowledge from a variety of disciplines. Graduates emerge from
SGD with a novel perspective and cutting edge skills directed towards
environmental stewardship and sustainability. The graduate program in SGD
prepares students for leadership roles in sustainability engineering practice,
development and research.
Course Requirements
II. Courses and Programs related to sustainability or the environment
 Course List
III. Additional Resources
 Sustainability Website
University of Tennessee - Knoxville
I. Major & Minor in Sustainability
 Located within the College of Arts and Sciences in the Department of Geology and
Environmental Studies
o This program offers a curriculum that enables students to learn the policy and
procedures behind reducing the impact on the natural environment to create a
healthy economy and meet the needs of citizens. It offers a curriculum that enables
students to learn the policy and procedures behind reducing the impact on the
natural environment to create a healthy economy and meet the needs of citizens.
 Program Requirements
II. Courses focused on or related to sustainability or the environment
 Course List
III. Additional Resources
 Office of Sustainability
University of Washington - Seattle
I. Master of Sustainable Transportation
 Located within the College of Engineering
o The Master of Sustainable Transportation program (MST) explores sustainable
transportation planning, policy and analysis and examines the growing concern for
transportation's environmental, social, energy and economic impact on our society.
 Course Requirements
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI’I AT MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
2500 Campus Road • Hawai’i Hall 208 • Honolulu, Hawai’i 96822
Phone: (808) 956-7725 • Fax/Polycom: (808) 956-9813
E-Mail: uhmfs@hawaii.edu • Website: http://www.hawaii.edu/uhmfs/
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution
MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
II. Courses, Degrees, and Programs related to or focused on sustainability or the environment
 Course List
 Degree and Program List
III. Additional Resources
 Sustainability Website
Report completed by:
Rebecca Fraser
Research Assistant
Mānoa Faculty Senate
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI’I AT MĀNOA FACULTY SENATE
2500 Campus Road • Hawai’i Hall 208 • Honolulu, Hawai’i 96822
Phone: (808) 956-7725 • Fax/Polycom: (808) 956-9813
E-Mail: uhmfs@hawaii.edu • Website: http://www.hawaii.edu/uhmfs/
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution