Jun 19, 2025  
2025-2026 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
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2025-2026 Undergraduate Catalog

Sustainability Minor

 

Visit the Environmental Science academic program page for more information about the academic experience, who you will learn from, opportunities outside of class and what you can do with this degree.

Visit the Environment and Sustainability department page for contact information, a brief overview of the department and the curricular options.

Admission Criteria

Current UB students seeking admission to the Sustainability minor should complete the College of Arts and Sciences Major/Minor Change Request Form.

Course Requirements

Introductory Course (3 credits)

Applied Methods Course (3 credits)

Sustainability Internship (3 credits)

Social Sci/Humanities Core (6 credits)

Three Specialization Courses (9 credits)

Total Credits Required for Minor: 24

Total Credit Hours Required represents the minimum credits needed to complete this program, and may vary based on a number of circumstances. This chart should not be used for financial aid purposes.

Academic Requirements

  • Students must attain a 2.330 GPA in the minor for degree conferral. All classes completed for the minor will be used to calculate the minor GPA.
  • All transfer courses officially articulated to UB courses used in the SSC/Environmental Studies major will be accepted to meet minor requirements.

Transfer Credit Policy

At least 50 percent of coursework toward the minor must be completed at UB

Learning Outcomes

  • Understand the principles of sustainability: Students will gain knowledge of the core concepts and principles of sustainability, including ecological, social, and economic dimensions.
  • Analyze sustainability challenges: Students will learn to identify and analyze complex sustainability challenges facing society, such as climate change, resource depletion, and social inequality.
  • Develop interdisciplinary perspectives: Students will be exposed to interdisciplinary approaches to sustainability, drawing on insights from fields such as environmental science, economics, sociology, and social sciences.
  • Apply sustainable solutions: Students will develop the skills to propose and evaluate sustainable solutions to real-world problems, considering environmental, social, and economic impacts.
  • Communicate effectively about sustainability: Students will enhance their ability to communicate complex sustainability issues to diverse audiences, both orally and in writing.
  • Evaluate ethical implications: Students will critically evaluate the ethical implications of different sustainability decisions and actions, considering issues such as environmental justice and intergenerational equity.
  • Engage with sustainability in a global context: Students will explore sustainability issues from a global perspective, recognizing the interconnectedness of environmental, social, and economic systems across borders.
  • Assess sustainability initiatives: Students will learn to assess the effectiveness of sustainability initiatives and policies at various scales, from local community projects to international agreements.
  • Reflect on personal values and actions: Students will reflect on their own values and behaviors in relation to sustainability, exploring ways to integrate principles of sustainability into their personal and professional lives.