| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 65.69 |
| Liaison | Jennifer Kleindienst |
| Submission Date | April 5, 2023 |
Wesleyan University
AC-3: Undergraduate Program
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.00 / 3.00 |
Barry
Chernoff Director College of the Environment |
Does the institution offer at least one sustainability-focused major, degree, or certificate program for undergraduate students?:
Name of the sustainability-focused undergraduate degree program:
A brief description of the undergraduate degree program:
Wesleyan created the College of the Environment in 2009 with a belief in the resilience of the human spirit and a desire to develop a long-term vision of human and ecosystem health. The College of the Environment aims to graduate students who: can interpret scientific and environmental information, are able to engage both scholars and the lay public in discourse about environmental issues, understand connections between environmental issues and social or political issues, can formulate well-considered opinions and develop compelling arguments about environmental issues, have been engaged with scholars in the field who are making important environmental contributions, have both practical and theoretical experience in environmental issues by undertaking a senior project (includes theses, essays, performances, etc. - depending upon student area of specialization - not required for Certificate recipients).
About 90 percent of Environmental Studies major components are relevant to sustainability.
Website URL for the undergraduate degree program:
Name of the sustainability-focused, undergraduate degree program (2nd program):
A brief description of the undergraduate degree program (2nd program):
Website URL for the undergraduate degree program (2nd program):
Name of the sustainability-focused, undergraduate degree program (3rd program):
A brief description of the undergraduate degree program (3rd program):
Website URL for the undergraduate degree program (3rd program):
The name and website URLs of all other sustainability-focused, undergraduate degree program(s):
Does the institution offer one or more sustainability-focused minors or concentrations for undergraduate students?:
Name of the sustainability-focused undergraduate minor or concentration:
A brief description of the undergraduate minor or concentration:
For students to engage contemporary environmental issues, they must obtain expertise in the area of their major and gain broader perspectives in environmental studies through a set of introductory and elective courses that increase the breadth of their understanding to complement their specialty. The aim of the program is to graduate students who have both a specialty and breadth of perspective so that they can interpret environmental information; understand the linkages to social, political, or ethical issues; and formulate well-reasoned opinions.
Website URL for the undergraduate minor or concentration:
Name of the sustainability-focused undergraduate minor or concentration (2nd program):
A brief description of the undergraduate minor or concentration (2nd program):
In 2019, Wesleyan launched a new course cluster in sustainability & environmental justice. Encompassing climate change, ecological sustainability, and environmental justice, this course cluster recognizes that sustainability and environmental justice are (or should be) central to public policy debates, scientific and intellectual inquiry, and the foundations of social and economic life. By framing sustainability and environmental justice together, we draw attention to equitable access to protection to all species without unfairly distributing risk of harm to some individuals and groups that live within them.
This course cluster is intended to cut across Wesleyan’s academic divisions and within all disciplines, whether natural, social, or humanistic modes of thought and practice. A course cluster also makes these courses easier to find for both students and faculty advisors (especially important as they cross both disciplinary and divisional lines), attract prospective students to Wesleyan, and raise awareness of this field among students and faculty.
Website URL for the undergraduate minor, concentration or certificate (2nd program):
Name of the sustainability-focused undergraduate minor or concentration (3rd program):
A brief description of the undergraduate minor or concentration (3rd program):
Website URL for the undergraduate minor or concentration (3rd program):
The name and website URLs of all other sustainability-focused undergraduate minors and concentrations:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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.