University of Massachusetts Amherst
ER-5: Sustainability Course Identification

We begin with the widely accepted definition of one aspect of sustainability given by the 1987 Brundland Commission. The Commission defined sustainable development as "forms of progress that meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs." Building on this, we use the American Association for Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) definition, which incorporates the economic, social and environmental elements of sustainability into its definition; the so-called “three-legged stool.”. The relationship between these three elements must be properly managed to ensure the long-term viability of our communities and, by extension, the planet. Sustainability-focused courses explore a broad range of sustainability topics, or select one area to investigate in depth; they may also “approach an issue or topic using sustainability as a lens.” On the other hand, sustainability-related courses include one or more elements from this list as a discrete element in the course. Courses do not have to meet all the criteria established above in order to be classified as either sustainability-related or sustainability-focused. Using the definitions provided above as a guide, we offer the following criteria for assaying sustainable curricula. Courses designated as sustainability-related or sustainability-focused may contain the following elements:  Integration of basic and applied knowledge from multiple disciplines, including the natural and social sciences, to analyze human-environment interactions;  Analysis of the tradeoffs or co-benefits involved in managing resources for the social, economic, and environmental welfare of current and future generations;  Development of alternative strategies for the use of natural, human, and fiscal resources that are compatible with the constraints on these resources;  Implementation of practical solutions to socioeconomic and environmental challenges, including those that relate to energy, technology, ecosystems, social transformations, food systems, policy, and governance. Students that successfully complete sustainability-related or sustainability-focused courses develop the ability to:  Use and integrate knowledge and skills drawn from several disciplines;  Understand how sustainability applies to their major, chosen career path, and everyday life;  Apply scientific expertise to create sustainable solutions, technology, and applications;  Communicate sustainability’s essential elements;  Promote sustainable communities on and beyond the University's campus. Due to the shifting nature of sustainability issues, those linked to sustainability should be prepared to adapt continually. We therefore conduct a periodic reassessment of our definitions and learning outcomes.

We developed language (see definition of sustainability above) to decide which courses at the University counted as sustainability-focused or sustainability-related. We canvassed every department head of the university and asked them to identify the courses in their programs that fit these definitions. The results from all the departments with sustainability courses were then compiled into a master database. On an ongoing basis, each semester we review the available course offerings from a set of departments which offer sustainability-related and -focused courses and make a list of these courses publicly available.

The URL above lists only our currently offered courses and courses in the upcoming semester and has search functionality for students to find courses by particular sustainability themes. The original full inventory we compiled on which the data are based (multiple semesters) is at http://www.umass.edu/green/study.php