Sustainability Studies

The advising track in Sustainability Studies is an interdisciplinary individualized study plan that combines the Liberal Studies core courses with elective courses in sustainability issues and skills useful to professionals in the field of sustainability. Elective courses are selected from at least two of the three areas of Liberal Studies: the arts and humanities, the social sciences, and the natural sciences. Students will also participate in the Interdisciplinary Thematic Research Seminar (LBST 482) or complete a an independent study project (499) in interdisciplinary sustainability studies.

Students who follow a Sustainability Studies Thematic Plan might choose to focus on scientific approaches to sustainability, leadership in government, non-profit or for-profit businesses concerned with sustainable planning, or creative contributions to the sustainability movement such as documentary film making.

The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education lists over 25 Masters programs in Sustainability and related studies. Job growth in “green” industries is forecasted to continue growing rapidly for at least the next 30 years.

For more information contact Professor April Bullock at abullock@fullerton.edu .

Required Courses:

Liberal Studies Core Courses (30 units)

Interdisciplinary Thematic Research Seminar (LBST 482) or 
Independent Study (499) in Sustainability Studies (3 units)

Elective Courses in Sustainability Studies (18 units)

An advisor will help you select from a wide range of courses outside the Liberal Studies department that are suitable for your study plan.  A few examples of possible courses:  

Social Sciences (Choose at least two courses):

AMST 395  California Cultures
AMST 404  Americans and Nature 
AMST 444   The Built Environment
ANTH 315  Culture and Nutrition
ANTH 322  Human Behavioral Ecology

ANTH 458 Sustainable Urban Food Systems
ECON 462  Natural Resources Economics
COMM 447  Tourism and Travel
GEOG 329  Cities and Nature
GEOG 330  California
GEOG 333  Latin America
GEOG 361 Cities and Suburbs 
GEOG 371  The National Parks
GEOG 422  Global Climate Change
GEOG 432  Ecotourism
GEOG 478  Urban Planning Principles
GEOG 481  Geographic Information Systems: Introduction
GEOG 486  Environmental Remote Sensing
LBST 310  The California Experience
POSC 322  Leadership for Public Service
POSC 421  Government and the Economy
POSC 446  Corruption, Ethics and Public Policy
SOC 361 Population and the Environment

Natural Sciences (Choose at least two courses)

BIOL 300  Environmental Biology and Sustainability
BIOL 301  Problems in Environmental Biology
BIOL 314  Population and Community Ecology
BIOL 318  Wildlife Conservation
BIOL 317  Field Marine Biology
BIOL 319  Marine Biology
BIOL 412  Principles of Gene Manipulation
BIOL 443  Plant Ecology
CHEM 313A/B/C  Environmental Pollution and Its Solutions: Air/Water/Land
CHEM 436  Atmospheric Chemistry
CHEM 438  Environmental Biochemistry
EGCE 441  Environmental Engineering
GEOL 310T  Topics in California-Related Geology 

 Arts and Humanities (Choose at least one course)

ART 337  Animal and Wildlife Drawing
ENGL 326  The American Frontier in Literature

ENGL 350 Literature and the Environment
ENGL 360  Technical Writing
ENGL 429  American Landscape in Literature
PHIL 313  Environmental Ethics
CTVA 375  Documentary Film and TV