Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 76.93
Liaison Ezra Small
Submission Date March 6, 2020

STARS v2.2

University of Massachusetts Amherst
AC-3: Undergraduate Program

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.00 / 3.00 Darci Connor Maresca
Project Manager, Sustainability Programming
ECo
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

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:
Sustainable Food and Farming

A brief description of the undergraduate degree program:

This degree program attracts students who care about: 1) good food, 2) small farms, and 3) local solutions to food, climate and energy challenges.

In the Sustainable Food & Farming program, students develop a deep understanding and appreciation of farming practices, growing and marketing “real” food, farm-based educational systems, food advocacy, community development, sustainability, and public policy. They can concentrate on a diverse range of work opportunities from permaculture and organic farming to medicinal herbs to sustainable community food systems.


Website URL for the undergraduate degree program:
Name of the sustainability-focused, undergraduate degree program (2nd program):
Sustainable Community Development

A brief description of the undergraduate degree program (2nd program):

Create a more sustainable world through planning and design. Sustainable Community Development students love cities and regions, and are committed to making them work for everyone as well as for nature. Our program draws on a variety of disciplinary fields and seeks built environment and policy solutions that balance equity, economics and environmental considerations. The curriculum is flexible and interdisciplinary, allowing a student to broadly explore ways of envisioning sustainable communities. The UMass Sustainable Community Development program offers four areas of concentration: Urban Studies, Landscape Studies, Horticulture Studies, and the Built Environment.


Website URL for the undergraduate degree program (2nd program):
Name of the sustainability-focused, undergraduate degree program (3rd program):
Natural Resources Conservation

A brief description of the undergraduate degree program (3rd program):

The Natural Resources Conservation (NRC) program is for investigators and problem-solvers with a passion for nature, ecology, and sustainability. NRC students develop a broad understanding of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems combined with practical experiences needed to sustainably manage resources, protect ecosystem functions and conserve biodiversity. With rigorous academic training in the natural, conservation and social sciences, what sets NRC graduates apart is the hands-on experience through field-based courses, research projects with world-class ecologists, and internships.

Students in the Natural Resources Conservation major focus in one of the following six concentrations:
1. Environmental Conservation
2. Fisheries Ecology & Conservation
3. Forest Ecology & Conservation
4. Urban Forestry & Arboriculture
5. Water Resources
6. Wildlife Ecology & Conservation


Website URL for the undergraduate degree program (3rd program):
The name and website URLs of all other sustainability-focused, undergraduate degree program(s):

Arboriculture & Community Forest Management, https://www.umass.edu/ses/program/arboriculture-community-forest-management
Architecture, http://www.umass.edu/architecture/content/bachelor-fine-arts-architecture
Bachelor’s Degree with Individual Concentration (BDIC), https://www.umass.edu/bdic/content/bdic-major
Building & Construction Technology, https://www.umass.edu/ses/program/building-construction-technology-bs
Civil & Environmental Engineering, http://cee.umass.edu/undergraduate-program
Earth Systems, https://www.umass.edu/ses/program/earth-systems-bs
Economics, https://www.umass.edu/economics/undergraduate/academics/major
Environmental Science, https://www.umass.edu/ses/program/environmental-science-bs
Food Science, https://www.umass.edu/foodsci/sites/default/files/Food%20health%20and%20well%20curriculum.pdf
Geography, https://www.umass.edu/ses/program/geography-ba-bs-0
Geology, https://www.umass.edu/ses/program/geology-ba-bs
Horticulture Sciences, https://www.umass.edu/ses/program/horticultural-sciences-bs
Landscape Architecture, https://www.umass.edu/ses/program/landscape-architecture-bs
Landscape Contracting (Associate's Degree), https://www.umass.edu/ses/program/landscape-contracting
Management, Sustainable Business Practices, https://www.isenberg.umass.edu/programs/undergraduate/on-campus/majors/management
Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, http://mie.umass.edu/mie/undergraduate
Microbiology, https://www.umass.edu/ses/program/microbiology-bs
Nutrition, https://www.umass.edu/sphhs/nutrition/undergraduate-program/nutrition-and-society-track
Plant & Soil Sciences, https://www.umass.edu/ses/program/plant-soil-sciences-bs
Public Health Sciences Program, https://www.umass.edu/sphhs/public-health/current-majors/degree-information-and-requirements
Resource Economics, https://www.umass.edu/resec/academics/undergraduate-program/academic-requirements
UWW Sustainability Studies, http://www.umass.edu/uww/areas-study/sustainability-studies


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:
Minors available include: Building & Construction Technology; Environmental Science; Geography; Natural Resources Conservation; Plant & Soil Sciences; Sustainable Community Development

A brief description of the undergraduate minor or concentration:

The descriptions and details of these 6 minors (and several other sustainability-related minors) can be found from their respective websites, all linked at:
http://www.umass.edu/ses/education/minors-certificates.

We offer multiple certificate programs as well, listed in this credit under "Additional minors and concentrations"


Website URL for the undergraduate minor or concentration:
Name of the sustainability-focused undergraduate minor or concentration (2nd program):
Sustainable Food & Farming Online Certificate

A brief description of the undergraduate minor or concentration (2nd program):

The 15-credit Certificate in Sustainable Food and Farming is designed for adults looking to make a career change, returning Veterans, or those pursuing a lifelong interest related to food, gardening, homesteading or farming.

The Certificate may be completed entirely ONLINE, but many of the certificate courses are also available on campus. The certificate has helped prepare students in three broad areas of study:

Sustainable Farming/Marketing and Homesteading
Agricultural and Farm-based Education
Public Policy, Community Development and Advocacy

This online program has been particularly attractive to the fastest growing farm demographic in New England, women-owned and managed farms.


Website URL for the undergraduate minor, concentration or certificate (2nd program):
Name of the sustainability-focused undergraduate minor or concentration (3rd program):
Sustainable Business Practice Certificate

A brief description of the undergraduate minor or concentration (3rd program):

Isenberg’s Sustainable Business Practice Certificate will give students the knowledge they need to help companies implement socially, environmentally and economically responsible business practices that are also strategic, savvy, innovative and cost-effective. Students will also learn how to identify business opportunities related to sustainability.

To earn a Sustainable Business Practice Certificate, students take 5 courses adding up to 15 credits.


Website URL for the undergraduate minor or concentration (3rd program):
The name and website URLs of all other sustainability-focused undergraduate minors and concentrations:

Certificate Program for Native American and Indigenous Studies, https://blogs.umass.edu/nativestudies/


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

Pulled this information from the Sustainable UMass site as well as individual program pages. Cross checked this list with the sustainability courses.


Pulled this information from the Sustainable UMass site as well as individual program pages. Cross checked this list with the sustainability courses.

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.