Dec 26, 2024

2023-2024 Catalog

2023-2024 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Sustainability Studies (BA)

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A comprehensive advising guide for program students, counselors, and faculty advisors is available online. This guide includes information on many best practices for pursing your degree and future employment.

The Bachelor of Arts in Sustainability Studies is offered at Colorado Mountain College in Breckenridge, Dillon, Spring Valley at Glenwood Springs, Steamboat Springs, and Vail Valley at Edwards. Students can complete the degree from any of these campus locations through a mix of in-person and virtual classroom settings.

CMC also offers a Business Minor option within the Bachelor of Arts in Sustainability program.

Learn more about Bachelor of Arts in Sustainability Studies

State Guaranteed General Education Requirements (31 credits)

Select a content area to view the course options when specific courses are not listed

Communication (GT-CO1, GT-CO2)

Complete 2 courses (6 credits):

◆ ENG 1021 - English Composition I (GT-CO1) 3.0 Credits
◆ ENG 1022 - English Composition II (GT-CO2) 3.0 Credits

Mathematics (GT-MA1)

Complete 1 course (3 credits):

◆ MAT 1240 - Mathematics for the Liberal Arts (GT-MA1) 4.0 Credits or higher
Note: Credits over 3 will be applied to electives

Arts & Humanities (GT-AH1, GT-AH2, GT-AH3, GT-AH4)

Complete 2 courses (6 credits):

◆ PHI 2018 - Environmental Ethics (GT-AH3) 3.0 Credits
And select one additional course (3 credits) from content areas:
GT-AH1: Arts and Expression
GT-AH2: Literature and Humanities
GT-AH3: Ways of Thinking
GT-AH4: World Languages

History (GT-HI1)

Select 1 course (3 credits) from content area GT-HI1: History

◆ HIS 2125 - American Environmental History (GT-HI1) 3.0 Credits is recommended

Social & Behavioral Sciences (GT-SS1)

Select 1 course (3 credits) from the following:

◆ ECO 2001 - Principles of Macroeconomics (GT-SS1) 3.0 Credits
◆ ECO 2002 - Principles of Microeconomics (GT-SS1) 3.0 Credits
◆ ECO 2045 - Issues in Environmental Economics (GT-SS1) 3.0 Credits recommended

Arts & Humanities, History, or Social & Behavioral Sciences

Select 1 course (3 credits) from content areas:

GT-AH1: Arts and Expression
GT-AH2: Literature and Humanities
GT-AH3: Ways of Thinking
GT-AH4: World Languages
GT-HI1: History
GT-SS1: Economic or Political Systems
GT-SS2: Geography
GT-SS3: Human Behavior, Culture, and Social Frameworks

Important Note: must have a minimum of 15 credits from these content areas combined

Natural & Physical Sciences (GT-SC1)

Complete 2 courses (7 credits):

◆ ENV 1111 - Introduction to Environmental Science (GT-SC1) 4.0 Credits
Select one BIO course from:
◆ BIO 1005 - Science of Biology (GT-SC1) 4.0 Credits
◆ BIO 1111 - General College Biology With Lab (GT-SC1) 5.0 Credits
◆ BIO 1112 - General College Biology II With Lab (GT-SC1) 5.0 Credits
Note: Credits over 7 will be applied to electives

Sustainability Studies Program Requirements (50 credits)

SUS 3000 - Foundations of Sustainability 3.0 Credits
SUS 3010 - Systems Thinking & Sustainability 3.0 Credits
SUS 3100 - Ecology 4.0 Credits
SUS 3110 - Integrated Sustainability Science 3.0 Credits
SUS 3200 - Literature for Change 3.0 Credits
SUS 3210 - Leadership, Ethics, & Social Responsibility 3.0 Credits
SUS 3300 - Sustainable Economics 3.0 Credits
SUS 3310 - Cultural & Place-Based Equity 3.0 Credits
SUS 3310 meets CMC Cultural Competency requirements
SUS 4100 - Conservation Biology 4.0 Credits
SUS 4160 - Careers & Professional Skills in Sustainability 2.0 Credits
SUS 4200 - Writing for Sustainability 3.0 Credits
SUS 4210 - Fostering Sustainable Behaviors 3.0 Credits
SUS 4300 - Sustainable Business 3.0 Credits
SUS 4310 - Social Entrepreneurship 3.0 Credits
SUS 4500 - Sustainability Assessment and Reporting 3.0 Credits
SUS 4889 - Capstone Research 4.0 Credits

Colorado Mountain College Requirements (5 credits)

Communication Requirement (3 credits)

Select 1 course (3 credits) from the following:

✽ COM 1150 - Public Speaking 3.0 Credits
◆ COM 1250 - Interpersonal Communication (GT-SS3) 3.0 Credits

Wellness Requirement (2 credits)

Select at least 2 credits from the following:

✽ HWE 1050 - Human Nutrition 3.0 Credits
✽ HWE 1062 - Health and Wellness 3.0 Credits
✽ Transfer-level PED/OUT/DAN courses

Electives (34 credits)

Sustainability program upper-division (3000 - 4000 level) electives 9.0 credits
See suggested list below.
Sustainability program open (1000 - 4000 level) electives 25.0 credits
See suggested list below.

No PED 1000-2999 courses allowed to fulfill elective requirements.

It is highly recommended that students seek academic advising in their degree planning.

Students are encouraged to consider courses that lead to completion of the Business Minor or the Certificate of Completion in Permaculture Design . Upper-division electives can be selected from Sustainability Studies program offerings as well as from other programs. Following is a list of suggested upper-division sustainability courses:
SUS 3220 - Foodshed Sustainability 3.0 Credits
SUS 3250 - Energy Systems & Sustainability 3.0 Credits
SUS 3400 - Environmental Chemistry 3.0 Credits
SUS 3410 - Sustainable Agriculture 4.0 Credits
SUS 3460 - Creative Sustainability 3.0 Credits
SUS 3500 - Permaculture Design I 3.0 Credits
SUS 3510 - Permaculture Design II 4.0 Credits
SUS 3520 - Beekeeping I 1.0 Credits
SUS 3530 - Beekeeping II 1.0 Credits
SUS 3775 - Special Topics in Sustainability 1.0 - 6.0 Credits
SUS 3887 - Internship I: 1.0 - 6.0 Credits
SUS 3910 - Field Experience in Sustainability 1.0 - 6.0 Credits
SUS 4400 - Watershed Science 4.0 Credits
◆ GEY 1135 - Environmental Geology w/ Lab (GT-SC1) 4.0 Credits
◆ HUM 1023 - The Modern World (GT-AH2) 3.0 Credits
✽ HUM 1037 - Wilderness & the American Ethic 3.0 Credits
◆ SOC 2007 - Environmental Sociology (GT-SS3) 3.0 Credits
✽ SUS 1001 - Introduction to Sustainability 3.0 Credits
✽ SUS 2001 - Issues in Sustainability 3.0 Credits

Rocky Mountain Land Management Internship

In addition to core courses in SUS, NRM, and GIS, Rocky Mountain Land Management Internship students select from prefixes AGY, BIO, CHE, ENV, FSW, GEY, MAT, OUT, PHY, REC, SAO and related fields in fulfillment of 60 credits of coursework required during the two-year internship program.

Total Credits Earned

State Guaranteed General Education Requirements (minimum 31 credits)
CMC Requirements (5 credits)
Bachelor of Arts Sustainability Program Requirements (50 credits)
Upper-division Electives, 3000-4000 level (9 credits)
Sustainability Program Open Electives, 1000-4000 level (25 credits)
Total Credits Earned (120 credits)

Note:

◆ State Guaranteed Transfer

✽ Generally Transferable

Not all programs/courses are available at every campus and may require travel to another campus or access via technology-enabled learning (video-conferencing, hybrid, or online).

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