University of California, Davis
AC-3: Undergraduate Program

Students in the Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems major focus on the social, economic, and environmental aspects of sustainability in agriculture and food systems. Through broad preparatory course work and flexible upper division course selections, students develop the diversity and depth of knowledge required for working in the food system. The food system incorporates farmers, retailers, distributors, growers, laborers, and consumers. The program draws substantially from both natural and social sciences to prepare graduates in interdisciplinary and systems-based thinking, which will allow them to excel in agricultural and food systems professions.

Urban planners and regional developers shape the physical landscapes of our communities to create environments that frame our daily lives. With an added focus on sustainability, these community builders help ensure that the places in which we live and work are environmentally safe and resource-efficient. The sustainable environmental design major prepares students to thoughtfully plan communities, design livable cities, develop smooth-running transportation systems and create healthy, equitable urban spaces.

Core instruction for this major emphasizes urban and environmental design, sustainable development theory and practice, green building, local government planning and decision-making, community dynamics and organizations, and presentation of sustainability strategies. Required courses come from the landscape architecture and environmental design program, and electives can be chosen from a broad range of programs such as civil and environmental engineering, community and regional development, plant science, and environmental science and policy. All students will complete a capstone course during their final quarter.

The Agricultural and Environmental Education (AEE) major prepares students to teach people about their part in creating sustainable agricultural and environmental systems. The AEE curriculum allows students to explore a diversity of agricultural and environmental topics, and is designed to help students understand basic and advanced concepts in both the natural and social sciences. The program's focus on real-world activities and hands-on training makes it excellent preparation for students interested in entering professional careers that merge the social and natural sciences in agricultural and environmental contexts, where social, interpersonal, communication, and teaching skills are needed.

By all accounts, there is a tremendous shortage of teachers in California, particularly in the sciences. This major will prepare students to enter a teacher credential program in either science or agricultural and environmental education. Graduates have found employment in public schools, non-profit organizations, financial institutions, state, federal, and international agencies, nature preserves, community organizations and in sustainable development.

This minor provides a guiding framework for educating individuals who will design and maintain our future built environment. Students will learn the challenges and potential solutions for improved sustainability. The minor is designed to develop awareness of students in the three core themes of sustainability: engineering and science, social context, and policy and economics. The aim is both to foster the social context of engineering and to attract students from a range of departments and programs across campus to grow trans-disciplinary interactions.

The Energy Efficiency minor prepares students for careers that require training in energy science and technology, efficiency, and policy. Clean technologies and green technologies, including energy, are some of the fastest growing markets for new investments. Well-trained individuals in all related fields are needed to provide the level of expertise required to advance technology and policy and to satisfy national and global objectives for greater energy sustainability. The minor accommodates persons of diverse backgrounds with educational interests in areas that may include engineering, science, policy, economics, planning, and management.

The Climate Science & Policy minor provides students from across campus with basic background in climate change science as well as mitigation and adaptation strategies. Students will gain understanding of scientific, social, institutional, and economic dimensions of climate change, as well as background on the sustainability discourse, and will be able to articulate linkages between climate change and their primary field of study.

Agricultural Systems and Environment:
The Agricultural Systems and Environment minor provides students with fundamental knowledge of sustainable agriculture production and range management. Agriculture is one of the major industries of California and the world, and it plays a central role in human affairs. Linking knowledge of agriculture with the subject matter of the student’s major provides a useful and interesting breadth of application in areas involving economics, management, and social and environmental issues.
https://www.ucdavis.edu/minors/agricultural-systems-and-environment

Cora Ballek, student employee in the UC Davis Sustainability office, assisted in compiling this credit response.