Overall Rating Gold
Overall Score 68.89
Liaison Natalie Sobrinski
Submission Date Feb. 27, 2024

STARS v2.2

Muhlenberg College
AC-3: Undergraduate Program

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.00 / 3.00 Richard Niesenbaum
Professor, Biology, Director, Sustainability Studies Program
Biology
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Majors, degrees and certificate programs

Does the institution offer at least one ​sustainability-focused​ major, degree, or certificate program for undergraduate students?:
Yes

Name of the sustainability-focused undergraduate degree program:
Environmental Science

A brief description of the undergraduate degree program:
A major or minor in environmental science provides students with many opportunities in industry, government, and academia. For example, graduates are well prepared for careers in environmental consulting, environmental regulation, advocacy, or education. Students can also pursue graduate studies in a wide range of fields, including environmental science, ecology, oceanography, forestry, law, medicine, and toxicology. Students interested in Environmental Science or Forestry may enter the 3-2 year or 4-2 year combined degree program between Muhlenberg College and the School of the Environment at Duke University.

• Students are encouraged to obtain internship experience in specialized fields of Environmental Science and/or participate in an environmentally oriented study abroad program during their junior year. Recently, students have served with local educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, state and federal government, and local industries. Others have spent time in Australia, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Canada, and other countries.
• http://www.muhlenberg.edu/main/academics/envisci/

Website URL for the undergraduate degree program:

Additional degree programs (optional) 

Name of the sustainability-focused, undergraduate degree program (2nd program):
Sustainability Studies

None
A brief description of the undergraduate degree program (2nd program):
Sustainability Studies is offered as a major or a minor.

Sustainability is most commonly defined as meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The field of Sustainability Studies explores and critiques ways to do this in the context of maintaining ecological and environmental health while generating economic welfare and ensuring social justice. The minor in Sustainability Studies integrates across disciplines with its goal of instilling understanding, appreciation, and thoughtful problem solving skills in students regarding the relationships and interactions of human society and the environment.

The Sustainability Studies degree will highlight issues related to sustainability and explore how those issues impact and are addressed at local, national, and global levels. This minor will provide the interdisciplinary background that is needed to understand many of the complex challenges facing our world and will equip students with the skills needed to develop solutions to these problems. An additional goal is to build a community of faculty and students with a diversity of perspectives and areas of expertise committed to seeking creative solutions for sustainability.

Website URL for the undergraduate degree program (2nd program):
Name of the sustainability-focused, undergraduate degree program (3rd program):
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A brief description of the undergraduate degree program (3rd program):
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Website URL for the undergraduate degree program (3rd program):
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The name and website URLs of all other sustainability-focused, undergraduate degree program(s):
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Minors and concentrations

Does the institution offer one or more sustainability-focused minors or concentrations for undergraduate students?:
Yes

Name of the sustainability-focused undergraduate minor or concentration:
Sustainability Studies

A brief description of the undergraduate minor or concentration:
Sustainability is most commonly defined as meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The field of Sustainability Studies explores and critiques ways to do this in the context of maintaining ecological and environmental health while generating economic welfare and ensuring social justice. The minor in Sustainability Studies integrates across disciplines with its goal of instilling understanding, appreciation, and thoughtful problem solving skills in students regarding the relationships and interactions of human society and the environment. The Sustainability Studies Minor will highlight issues related to sustainability and explore how those issues impact and are addressed at local, national, and global levels. This minor will provide the interdisciplinary background that is needed to understand many of the complex challenges facing our world, and will equip students with the skills needed to develop solutions to these problems. An additional goal is to build a community of faculty and students with a diversity of perspectives and areas of expertise committed to seeking creative solutions for sustainability.

Website URL for the undergraduate minor or concentration:

Additional minors and concentrations (optional) 

Name of the sustainability-focused undergraduate minor or concentration (2nd program):
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A brief description of the undergraduate minor or concentration (2nd program):
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Website URL for the undergraduate minor, concentration or certificate (2nd program):
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Name of the sustainability-focused undergraduate minor or concentration (3rd program):
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A brief description of the undergraduate minor or concentration (3rd program):
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Website URL for the undergraduate minor or concentration (3rd program):
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The name and website URLs of all other sustainability-focused undergraduate minors and concentrations:
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Optional Fields  

Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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