Colorado College
AC-2: Learning Outcomes

The Sustainability Course Designation is a new course designation developed out of the Strategic Knowledge Development Process and the Sustainability Across the Curriculum Workshop. Designated sustainability-focused courses have adopted at least three sustainability learning objectives (listed below). Classes with adopted sustainability learning outcomes show up as major requirements in the departments of: Economics, Environmental Science, Education, History, Geology, Sociology, and Southwest Studies. The official sustainability course designation has not yet been applied to all classes related to sustainability, but a number courses have gone through the approval process, including courses developed in the 2014 and 2015 Sustainability Across the Curriculum Workshops by faculty members.

-Investigation and evaluation of the complex global systems in which sustainability exist (e.g. laws, economics and policies)
-Philosophical or theoretical frameworks through which to view environmental and sustainability issues
-Historical phenomena and patterns that have produced modern sustainability issues
-Social justice, environmental justice, and other equity concerns, including investigation of the complex social networks and dynamics of power that can perpetuate and complicate sustainability issues
-Possibilities for innovative connections between sustainability and different academic disciplines (e.g. Film and New Media Studies, Music, English)
-Understanding of, and critical thinking about the scientific method and how science can be applied to understanding natural systems and environmental issues
-Practice in technical and scientific skills and how they can be used to generate solutions to small and large scale sustainability challenges
-Practice in social and communication skills and how they can be used to generate solutions to small and large scale sustainability challenges
-Analysis and composition in literature, creative writing, design, visual arts, music and other art forms that can be used to generate solutions to small and large-scale sustainability challenges
-Analysis of and engagement with other cultural perspectives to build an understanding around how they relate to sustainability
-Development of a "Sense of Place," including a better understanding of the many possible connections to one's surroundings and community
-Research or course activities that encourage engagement with our communities to help them flourish
-Research or course activities that focus on self-reflection (e.g. resource usage, waste generation, travel footprint, etc.)

CC has developed sustainability learning outcomes at the course-level only. We have considered degree programs that include courses with adopted sustainability learning objectives to count for this credit.

https://www.coloradocollege.edu/offices/sustainability/academics/curriculum/