University of St. Thomas
IN-1: Sustainability Course Designation

In Spring 2016, the Office of Sustainability Initiatives (OSI) launched the SUST Course Designation Initiative. This initiative created a SUST course designation at the University of St. Thomas for courses across disciplines that integrate a significant sustainability component (economic, social, and/or ecological dimensions of interconnections between human and environmental well-being). St. Thomas faculty from across disciplines were invited to apply to designate their courses as a SUST course. By Spring 2018, OSI designated almost 100 courses across 30 different disciplines as SUST courses. SUST-designated courses can be used by students to complete the new Sustainability minor. The Department of Geography and Environmental Studies now manages the application process for new SUST course designations. Faculty may request a SUST designation for their course by completing an application that indicates how the course addresses the following criteria: • Course introduces students to sustainability concepts (ecological, social, and/or economic dimensions); • Students apply knowledge and methods of the course to engage with sustainability issues; • Course learning goals are linked to or support one or more of the following competencies: thinking critically about environmental problems and solutions, solving problems by applying concepts and principles, communicating effectively about sustainability; • Grading gives weight to sustainability related reflection or integrated assignments.

Although SUST course designations do not appear on transcripts, they do appear on the degree audits that students and faculty use to plan and monitor graduation status.