Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 65.06
Liaison Andrea Trimble
Submission Date May 29, 2015
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

University of Virginia
AC-3: Undergraduate Program

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.00 / 3.00 Phoebe Crisman
Associate Professor of Architecture
School of Architecture
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution offer at least one sustainability-focused major, degree program, or the equivalent for undergraduate students?:
Yes

The name of the sustainability-focused, undergraduate degree program (1st program):
Global Studies- Environments + Sustainability

A brief description of the undergraduate degree program (1st program):

Environments + Sustainability is a track or concentration within the interdisciplinary Global Studies major. Students specifically address problems associated with human transformations of the earth through the triple lens of environment, equity, and economy and policy by focusing on:

- earth system science, environmental sustainability, ecosystem restoration and environmental conservation
- human settlement patterns, rapid urbanization, and affordable housing
- fresh water and sanitation production, consumption, and infrastructure
- energy production, consumption, and infrastructure
- agriculture, food systems, and food security
- public health challenges connected with the built environment
- environmental impact of material science and production
- transportation technologies and logistics
- economics, development, natural capital, resource allocation and externalities
- environmental, social, and personal behavior and ethics


The website URL for the undergraduate degree program (1st program):
The name of the sustainability-focused, undergraduate degree program (2nd program):
Urban and Environmental Planning

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

The curriculum integrates professional courses, both theoretical and technical, with a liberal arts education focused on understanding our cities and environments. In particular the Program introduces students to the theories of planning, methods of analysis, effective means of communication, planning processes, and creative strategies for implementation. Some key areas of study include:

-Sustainable community development
-Environmental impacts
-Public and private costs of development
-Neighborhood planning and community development


The website URL for the undergraduate degree program (2nd program):
The name of the sustainability-focused, undergraduate degree program (3rd program):
Environmental Thought and Practice

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

The Environmental Thought and Practice (ETP) major teaches undergraduates to think about environmental issues within a broadly interdisciplinary framework. Environmental problems concern natural phenomena whose dimensions are appropriately described by environmental scientists. However, the "problems" themselves result from changes in public perception that are contingent upon cultural constructs and historical events. Attempts to solve these problems necessarily fall within the political sphere, but policy debates draw on principles and discourses from philosophy, economics, and ethics. In short, understanding and solving environmental problems demands the ability to connect ideas from such diverse disciplines as anthropology, literature, history, ethics, politics, the natural sciences, economics, and land use planning.


The website URL for the undergraduate degree program (3rd program):
The name and website URLs of all other sustainability-focused, undergraduate degree program(s):
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Does the institution offer one or more sustainability-focused minors, concentrations or certificates for undergraduate students?:
Yes

The name of the sustainability-focused undergraduate minor, concentration or certificate (1st program):
Global Sustainability Minor

A brief description of the undergraduate minor, concentration or certificate (1st program):

The interdisciplinary Minor in Global Sustainability benefits students of all majors who want to understand the many facets of sustainability and learn how to apply this knowledge to their daily lives. The Minor empowers students across the University in common efforts to accomplish real change through community engagement with sustainable projects in their communities and beyond. The Minor also establishes connections between different disciplines and prepares students to incorporate sustainable practices into their varied future careers. The Minor is housed in the School of Architecture and guided by a Governing Board of representatives from the seven partner academic units and one student representative. In establishing the Minor we aim to shape students both into individual leaders ready to create and tackle projects on their own, and into creative collaborators who understand how to engage the material and human resources of their community to accomplish their goals.


The website URL for the undergraduate minor, concentration or certificate (1st program):
The name of the sustainability-focused undergraduate minor, concentration or certificate (2nd program):
Minor in Urban and Environmental Planning

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

The curriculum integrates professional courses, both theoretical and technical, with a liberal arts education focused on understanding our cities and environments. In particular the Program introduces students to the theories of planning, methods of analysis, effective means of communication, planning processes, and creative strategies for implementation. Some key areas of study include:

-Sustainable community development
-Environmental impacts
-Public and private costs of development
-Neighborhood planning and community development


The website URL for the undergraduate minor, concentration or certificate (2nd program):
The name of the sustainability-focused undergraduate minor, concentration or certificate (3rd program):
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A brief description of the undergraduate minor, concentration or certificate (3rd program):
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The website URL for the undergraduate minor, concentration or certificate (3rd program):
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The name, brief description and URL of all other undergraduate-level sustainability-focused minors, concentrations and certificates:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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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.