Overall Rating Silver
Overall Score 61.51
Liaison Karen Eckert, Ph.D.
Submission Date March 5, 2021
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Principia College
AC-2: Learning Outcomes

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.19 / 8.00 Karen Eckert, Ph.D.
Professor and Director
Center for Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Total number of graduates from degree programs (i.e. majors, minors, concentrations, certificates, and other academic designations):
311

Number of students that graduate from programs that have adopted at least one sustainability learning outcome:
85

Percentage of students who graduate from programs that have adopted at least one sustainability learning outcome:
27.33

Do the figures reported above cover one, two, or three academic years?:
Three

Does the institution specify sustainability learning outcomes at the institution level (e.g. covering all students)?:
Yes

Does the institution specify sustainability learning outcomes at the division level (e.g. covering particular schools or colleges within the institution)?:
Yes

A list or brief description of the institution level or division level sustainability learning outcomes:

Math and Natural Science Division(*): "The study of natural sciences and mathematics cultivates understanding of and care for the environment; it motivates ethical decisions, and integrates critical and scientific thinking into every educational experience." (*) Sustainability is housed in the MNS Division


Does the institution specify sustainability learning outcomes at the program level (i.e. majors, minors, concentrations, degrees, diplomas, certificates, and other academic designations)?:
Yes

A list or brief description of the program level sustainability learning outcomes (or a list of sustainability-focused programs):

Sustainability (major, minor):
1. Be able to explain the key factors of sustainability
2. Be able to discuss sustainability from different perspectives and scales
3. Be able to research, design, apply, and evaluate solutions to sustainability problems
4. Be able to demonstrate the leadership and communications skills necessary to be an "agent for change"

Biology (major, minor):
1. Demonstrate foundational knowledge in the Biological and Environmental Sciences
3. Demonstrate the ability to communicate science and scientific findings to society

Environmental Studies (major, minor):
1. Demonstrate foundational knowledge in the Biological and Environmental Sciences
3. Demonstrate the ability to communicate science and scientific findings to society

Global Studies (major, minor):
1. Demonstrate understanding of globalization, including the complex nature of and the interplay among local, national, regional, and global systems
2. Evaluate structures of inequality within the context of complex systems (e.g.
race, ethnicity, class, religion, gender, etc.)
3. Apply transdisciplinary, solution-oriented strategies to complex global issues
4. Apply relevant theories and/or analytical frameworks to global phenomena
5. Demonstrate global citizenship

Sociology and Anthropology (minor)
"Cultural sensitivity, compassion, integrity, communication, community-based
problem solving, and critical observation are all values we strive to have our students express as agents for social change." (Principia College Catalog)


Do course level sustainability learning outcomes contribute to the figure reported above (i.e. in the absence of program, division, or institution level learning outcomes)?:
Yes

A list or brief description of the course level sustainability learning outcomes and the programs for which the courses are required:

Several courses in departments other than SUS have courses with specific sustainability learning outcomes. Here are a few examples:

ARTS 295 Sustainable Design (S'21 syllabus): "This course empowers students to understand and shape the built environment through practices that represent an expanded understanding of sustainable design: just, energy efficient, climate-adaptive, materially responsible, and ecologically productive."

BNR 190 Global Environmental Issues (S'20 syllabus): Students will study major environmental issues that are global in scale. By examining topics such as human population growth, water shortages, agriculture and food security, sustainable development, climate change, etc. students will learn to think critically about environmental issues. They will also learn to recognize and sort through the many conflicting perspectives that surround most of these issues.

BUAD 270 Sustainable Business (S'21 syllabus): "The course learning outcomes are to gain an understanding of: (i) key concepts related to sustainable business and economics; (ii) various strategies available to businesses to increase sustainability; (iii) public policy approaches for a more sustainable economy; and (iv) the range of debates and perspectives related to a more sustainable future economy."

GLBS 225 Global Issues (S'18 Syllabus): "By actively participating in this course, students should be able to: (i) Identify and discuss elements of 'wicked problems'; (ii) Apply concepts from multiple disciplines to understand the complexity of important global problems; (iii) Explain how local, regional, and national issues shape a global problem in a specific location; and (iv) Identify solution-oriented approaches to complex, multidisciplinary global issues."

RELS 222 The Bible and the Environment (F'20 syllabus) "This course helps you achieve the following Sustainability Learning Outcomes: (i) demonstrate an ability to think critically about the diversity of ethical issues raised by human interactions with the environment, and to use these ethical insights as a foundation for sustainable behavior; (ii) demonstrate appreciation for the wide variety of perspectives, preferences, and priorities among stakeholders and the need for communication and collaboration among them; (iii) display the ability to think across scales, from individual to global; (iv) demonstrate a knowledge of personal and societal barriers to change and possible solutions; and (v) demonstrate a knowledge of strategies to motivate sustainable behavior by individuals and institutions."


The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

This credit has been revised based on AASHE peer-review comments.


This credit has been revised based on AASHE peer-review comments.

The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.