Missouri University of Science and Technology
ER-10: Undergraduate Program in Sustainability

Sustainability Minor Missouri University of Science and Technology offers undergraduate students from any department the opportunity to pursue a minor in Sustainability. Sustainability is the minimal use of natural resources, and the process of replacing used resources to meet the current demands of society without compromising the needs of future generations. The National Science Foundation in collaboration with the National Academy of Engineering highlighted sustainability as a key theme to the “Grand Challenges for Engineering in the 21st Century.” The future well-being of human societies will be dependent on progress in our understanding of sustainability. This multi-disciplinary undergraduate minor will prepare Missouri S&T students to evaluate efficient energy and materials usage, and greenhouse gas emissions in a global society. It will touch upon many fields of study including social sciences, natural sciences, engineering and business. This minor has applications in the management of natural resources, such as energy and agriculture, and also in the development of businesses and engineering solutions. It relates not just to the development of technologies, but helps shape political and cultural policies to promote practices that lead to a more sustainable environment. The minor requires 15 hours of approved classes. One class, CE/EnvE 365 Sustainability (3 credit hours), is required of all students. Students also take at least two approved classes from each of two general categories: social science classes and science/technical classes. Classes that meet the minor requirements in each category span many departments on campus, given the interdisciplinary nature of sustainability. At least nine credit hours must be from outside the student’s home degree program.