The University of New Mexico
AC-2: Undergraduate Programs

A University of New Mexico General Education “empowers students to face a rapidly changing world with the ability to frame questions and solve problems. Complementing the major, GenEd courses [31 credit hours] provide a set of strategies: communication, critical thinking, information analysis, quantitative skills, and responsibility towards local and global communities. In many GenEd courses, students address urgent problems directly through undergraduate research, race and social justice analysis, global awareness, community engagement, and innovation. By providing a base of knowledge and flexible tools for thinking, GenEd courses equip students for success throughout their education and after graduation.”

UNM general education courses that highlight the personal and social responsibility essential skill include both sustainability-focused and sustainability-supportive learning outcomes as defined by STARS. Applicable courses are offered within Area III: Physical and Natural Sciences, Area IV: Social and Behavioral Sciences, Area V: Humanities, and Area VI: Arts and Design General Education curriculum, and meet this requirement in part by including content on the component skills of sustainability and the natural and human worlds. Many of these courses explicitly “examine the relationship among environmental, socio-cultural, political, and economic systems as they interact with and affect the sustainability of the natural and human worlds.”

Personal and Social Responsibility

Intercultural reasoning and intercultural competence: Explain a range of personal, social, cultural, or social justice issues as they relate to one’s own or others’ perspectives.

Sustainability and the natural and human worlds: Examine the relationship among environmental, socio-cultural, political, and economic systems as they interact with and affect the sustainability of the natural and human worlds.

Ethical reasoning: Describe shared ethical responsibilities or moral norms among members of a group. Explain ethical issues or propose solutions based on ethical perspectives or theories.

Collaboration skills, teamwork, and value systems: Demonstrate effective and ethical collaboration in support of meeting identified group goals. (Accountability is implied with “ethical.”)

Civic discourse, civic knowledge and engagement -- local and global: Explain and support one’s own position on specific local or global issues while recognizing that there may be multiple valid perspectives.

The personal and social responsibility component skills in the list above are supported by broad area goals and incorporated into course content in the following General Education areas: *Sustainability-focused and sustainability-supportive learning outcomes are shown in bold.

Area III: Physical and Natural Sciences:

• Explore how physical and natural systems work and are sustained.
• Explain how different peoples perceive, affect, and are affected by physical and natural systems.
• Design and evaluate experiments to discover more about life and environment.
• Identify when information is based on scientific research.

Area IV: Social and Behavioral Sciences:

• Explore how diverse peoples, as individuals and in complex groups, operate.
• Explain how social groups affect behavior and behaviors affect societies.
• Design ways of studying humans, social systems, and diverse identities.
• Identify when information about humans and societies is based on scientific research.

Area V-A: Humanities:

• Explore how individuals and diverse societies, past and present, make meaning and assign value.
• Explain how histories, cultural works, languages and ideas shape diverse communities and relations between them
• Design ways of understanding diverse human experiences, including conflict and inequality, by examining cultural records
• Identify and analyze the sources of particular claims about human experience

Area VI: Arts and Design:

• Explore how diverse human values and experiences contribute to the making and uses of art.
• Explain the cultural sources and outcomes of creativity in the arts and design
• Design a performance, a work of art, a landscape or building
• Identify how arts and design are produced and how they affect different people and communities.

Three sustainability-focused course offerings that “explicitly address the integrated concept of sustainability and the interdependence of ecological and social/cultural/economic systems” (as required by STARS) are included in the GenEd Area IV: Social and Behavioral Sciences (details below).

Area IV: Social and Behavioral Sciences sustainability-focused courses:

·         AMST-1110 Introduction to Environmental & Social Justice

•         Description: This class provides an introduction to theories of the environment, theories of justice in the context of environmental justice policy, and to histories of poor peoples' struggles around the unequal distribution of toxic waste. We will focus on the ways race, class, gender, sexuality, region, eco-colonialism and their intersections shape environmental and political struggles over natural resource use. Students will learn to examine the ways in which socially constructed representations of nature shape our interactions with natural environments and shape our perceptions of environmental problems and solutions.

·         GEOG-2170 Energy, Environment, & Society

•         Description: A look at the social, ethical, and environmental impacts of energy use both now and through history. A survey of renewable energy and conservation and their impact on environmental and social systems.

·         SUST-1134 Introduction to Sustainability Studies

•         Description: This course provides a broad survey of various aspects of sustainability. Students will explore topics such as climate change, renewable energy, water, agriculture, green building, socially responsible business, microlending, environmental justice, smart growth and alternative progress indicators. Students will examine both contemporary challenges to sustainable development and examples of successful sustainability initiatives on local, national, and global levels.

The remainder of the courses in Areas III (Physical and Natural Sciences), IV (Social and Behavioral Sciences), V-A (Humanities), and VI (Arts and Design) learning outcomes are considered sustainability-supportive and meet the STARS requirement by “address[ing] one or more specific intellectual skills, practical skills, competencies, or attitudes/values that are critical for addressing sustainability challenges.”  A full list of these UNM GenEd courses is available here.

In addition to the 31-hour GenEd curriculum, UNM also has a 3 credit-hour U.S. & Global Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Power (USGDEIP) undergraduate degree requirement, designed to “promote a broad-scale understanding of the culture, history or current circumstance of diverse groups of people who have experienced historic and/or contemporary inequitable treatment in the U.S. or in a global context.” This requirement helps build key competencies for sustainability as described by UNESCO, including systems thinking, anticipatory, normative, strategic, collaboration, critical thinking, self-awareness, and integrated problem solving competencies. A sampling of the USGDEIP courses that meet sustainability-supportive learning outcomes are shown below.

Environmental Planning and Design (B.A.): The Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Planning and Design (B.A.E.P.D.) teaches knowledge, tools and skills to advance social and environmental justice. The program emphasizes creative ways to influence and respond to dynamic changes occurring in communities throughout the world. The BAEPD curriculum focuses on social action grounded in community-based knowledge and values, alongside knowledge of the built and natural environments, with the goal of creating vital communities, vibrant economies and resilient places. Students choose from the following concentrations: Community Transformation and Placemaking, or Landscape Architecture -- both of which require sustainable planning coursework.

Geography & Environmental Studies (B.A., B.S., and minor): The Geography degrees focus on physical and human landscapes, spatial analysis, and environmental and social processes. All students complete sustainability-focused coursework that addresses challenging questions that concern human-environment interactions, climate change, globalization, and sustainable development. B.S. students can choose an emphasis in human geography, natural resources, or GIScience.

Sustainability Studies (minor): The Sustainability Studies Program offers an interdisciplinary minor degree to UNM students in any department or college on campus. It provides hands-on, community-engaged learning that informs students' academic work, future careers, and personal lives. The program utilizes experiential learning, research, and service activities to implement practical approaches to a more sustainable future on the UNM campus, in the state of New Mexico, and for the Earth as a whole. Sustainability Studies integrates knowledge and methodologies from the sciences, humanities, and arts to provide a roadmap for students that can be applied to the design, selection, and implementation of sustainable policies, practices, technologies, and strategies. Learning goals include:

• Surrounding the student with colleagues, mentors, and peers who understand and practice sustainability
• Providing access to thriving examples of sustainable communities on and off campus
• Integrating theory and practice through service learning, research, and outreach projects

Environmental Planning and Design (minor): The Environmental Planning and Design (B.A.E.P.D.) undergraduate minor degree enhances students’ knowledge, tools and skills to advance social and environmental justice. The program emphasizes creative ways to influence and respond to dynamic changes occurring in communities throughout the world. The BAEPD curriculum focuses on social action grounded in community-based knowledge and values, alongside knowledge of the built and natural environments, with the goal of creating vital communities, vibrant economies and resilient places.

International Studies - Environment & Sustainability concentration (B.A. and minor): The International Studies major and minor are interdisciplinary degrees in which students explore contemporary global themes and different world areas. In order to focus the degree and gain a deeper understanding in a particular specialty, students choose a Thematic Concentration, one of which is Environment and Sustainability. This thematic concentration calls on students to examine key aspects of the environment as a quintessential transregional/global issue. Students will explore issues such as climate change (replete with its Global North/South inequities), population growth, resource depletion and the sustainability of the planet under the prevailing socio-economic system, which defines 21st-century global relations.  

American Studies (B.A. and minor): The American Studies degree explores how systems of race, gender, sexuality, colonialism, imperialism, disability, and more impact the histories, experiences, and structures of American life. Students complete sustainability-focused coursework that includes environmental and social justice; race, class, and ethnicity; and culture and community.

Architecture (B.A.A. and minor) – The Architecture degree investigates critically the architectural systems and social forces that define sustainable built environments both locally and globally, while honoring cultural identities through teaching, research and practice. All three BAA concentrations (pre-professional, design studies, and landscape architecture) require a sustainability course that focuses on creative analysis, systems thinking and synergistic integration of the three pillars of sustainability, environments, equity, and economy, and their relationship to building systems.

Chicana & Chicano Studies (B.A. and minor) – The Chicana & Chicano Studies degree investigates gender and sexuality, race and ethnicity, arts and culture, political and social mobilization, immigration and citizenship, history and heritage, land grant studies, Chicana feminism, and queer studies. The three concentrations (Cultural Studies, Intersectional Politics and Social Movements, and Transnational Perspectives) all include sustainability-focused coursework that covers race, culture, gender, and class; cultural landscapes; social movements; environmental transformations and changing identities; global and local economic and social realities; and historical, political, social, and cultural dimensions.

Community Health Education (B.S.): This degree offers a broad-based introduction to community health and prepares students for professional practice in community and tribal health agencies, public health-related organizations, and clinical and workplace settings. Students complete sustainability-focused coursework that includes public and community health; social determinants and multicultural health; and social, political, and environmental factors of health.

Health Medicine & Human Values (minor): The HMHV minor provides BA/MD and other students interested in health professions such as public health, medicine, and health policy with a strong foundation in broad range of health care issues (including social determinants, disparities, cultural competence, and medical ethics) relevant to the specific circumstances of New Mexico, as well as the national and global context of medicine and health. Students complete sustainability-focused coursework in the social contours of health; health economics, politics and policy; and health and cultural diversity.

International Studies - Conflict, Peace, and Diplomacy concentration (B.A. and minor): The International Studies major and minor are interdisciplinary degrees in which students explore contemporary global themes and different world areas. The Conflict, Peace, and Diplomacy concentration explores a broad range of topics related to intra- and international conflict, including the changing nature of both war and peace as well as the evolving diplomatic methods for war/conflict-avoidance and peace maintenance. Students may, for example, examine peace from the perspective of the United Nations’ peacekeeping mandate or the growing role of regional organizations, to oversee peace-making and -keeping duties.

International Studies - Global Markets & Governance concentration (B.A. and minor): The International Studies major and minor are interdisciplinary degrees in which students explore contemporary global themes and different world areas. The Global Markets & Governance concentration examines the role of international institutions and as intergovernmental bodies that serve to regulate efforts toward global, regional, or transregional governance. Students may opt to focus on intergovernmental institutions that focus on economic, trade or financial markets; or economic entities such as the World Trade Organization, the World Bank or the World Economic Forum. This theme allows students to explore evolving trends in intergovernmental judicial, social or cultural integration, and economic changes.

International Studies - Rituals, Identity, and Belief concentration (B.A. and minor): The International Studies major and minor are interdisciplinary degrees in which students explore contemporary global themes and different world areas. The Rituals, Identity, and Belief concentration approaches the concept of religion from an interdisciplinary perspective, encouraging students to broaden their personal conception of the term rituals—be they religious ceremonies, trade transactions, or more mundane daily hygiene routines—in order to better understand these dynamic processes, which help to shape and define human identities and cultures. 

New Mexico Cultural Landscapes (certificate): The certificate in New Mexican Cultural Landscapes is suited for UNM undergraduate degree-seeking students who are interested in pursuing a special focus in New Mexican cultural landscapes. The certificate is also available to individuals seeking to enhance their knowledge and understanding of New Mexican populations in the United States. Students complete sustainability-focused coursework that includes race, culture, gender, and class; cultural landscapes; social movements; and environmental transformations and changing identities.

Peace Corps Prep (certificate): The Peace Corps Prep Certificate provides coursework, extracurricular and professional development activities that build competencies proven to benefit Peace Corps service and other intercultural work. The Peace Corps Prep program creates a framework to build four competencies that integrate coursework with hands-on experience and professional development: 10 training and experience in a work sector; 2) foreign language skills; 3) intercultural competence; and 4) professional and leadership development. Students complete three courses and accumulate 50 hours of volunteer or work experience in education, health, agriculture, environment, youth in development, or community economic development.

Population Health (B.S. and minor): The Population Health degree gives students the skills to understand population health dynamics and promote community wellness, prevention, and health care policy change. Students will discover the socioeconomic, behavioral, physiological and environmental influences that impact a community so they can make a difference. Students complete sustainability-focused coursework in global health challenges; social, cultural, and behavioral theory; and environmental and occupational health.

Public Service (minor): The undergraduate Minor in Public Service in the School of Public Administration prepares the next generation of leaders from any academic major to address social problems by developing the knowledge, values, and skills needed for careers in public service in the public, nonprofit, and private sectors and tribal administration. Through the minor, students will:

1. Understand the current state of the public service scholarship in the public, non-profit, and private sectors.
2. Build skills relevant to public service by applying theories to practice.
3. Explore specific contexts, including diverse priority populations as well as differences in local, state, national and global needs, and how to adapt as a public servant and leader.
4. Be connected to colleagues, mentors, and peers who are committed to public service across academic interests and the public, nonprofit, and private sectors.

Race and Social Justice (certificate): In partnership with the Diversity Council, the Institute for the Study of “Race” & Social Justice Advisory Board at the University of New Mexico developed a certificate that offers students across schools, colleges and departments the opportunity to have a transcripted specialization in "Race and Social Justice." Envisioned as an interdisciplinary experience, the certificate in race and social justice contributes to UNM's portfolio of innovative engaged scholarship, teaching and service. Broad learning goals include:

1. Understanding and identifying the historical, political, social, psychological, cultural, and/or economic dimensions of race, racialization, difference and power, integrating these into an interdisciplinary perspective
2. Critically reading/writing about, discussing, and engaging in scholarly inquiry related to race and social justice
3. Acquiring a basic level of knowledge about U.S. and/or local, global race and social justice movements
4. Pursuing community-engaged research and teaching opportunities as well as career and post-graduate opportunities the certificate makes possible

Transnational Latino Studies (certificate): The certificate in Transnational Latino Studies is suited for UNM undergraduate degree-seeking students who are interested in pursuing a special focus in transnational or transborder Latino studies. The certificate is also available to individuals seeking to enhance their knowledge and understanding of Chicano and Latino populations in the United States. Students complete sustainability-focused coursework that includes immigration and globalization; race, culture, gender, and class; global and local economic and social realities; and historical, political, social, and cultural dimensions.