University of Wisconsin-Madison
IN-38: Sustainability Course Designation

Creation of the “sustainability” course attribute was motivated by student interest and a student call for easy identification of course work that relates to sustainability. It provides an opportunity for units offering such courses, if they so choose, to make it easy for students to find courses that include a focus on learning about sustainability.

A course with the sustainability course attribute is required to include at least two of the following course learning outcomes among those for the course. The stem of each learning outcome is fixed. However, instructors can tailor the ending of each outcome to fit their instructional goals.

Students will be able to:

I. Explain the social, economic, and/or environmental dimensions of the sustainability challenge(s) of ... *
* Examples: “extinction of species and biodiversity,” “global health issues in developing countries,” “business organizations,” or “providing electricity”.

II. Apply sustainability principles and/or frameworks to addressing the challenge of ...**
** Examples: ‘ending poverty,” “clean water and sanitation,” “climate change,” “sustainable cities and communities,” “affordable and clean energy” or “quality education.”

III. Analyze the causes of and solutions for the sustainability challenge of …***
*** Examples: ‘ending poverty,” “clean water and sanitation,” “climate change,” “sustainable cities and communities,” “affordable and clean energy” or “quality education.”

IV. Analyze sustainability issues and/or practices using a systems-based approach.

V. Describe the social, economic, and environmental dimensions of ...**** and identify potential trade-offs and interrelationships among these dimensions at a level appropriate to the course.
****Examples: “crop planting,” “climate change,” “ending poverty,” “affordable and clean energy.”

VI. Use sustainability principles for developing personal goals and professional values.

An approved course attribute is then included in the Guide (https://guide.wisc.edu/courses/#coursedesignationstext) and as a search option during course selection and enrollment.