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Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Sustainability

Sustainability

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Sustainability
  • About
  • Academics
  • Campus
  • Donate
  • Events
  • Get involved
  • Resources

< About

  • Staff and Partners
  • Progress
  • Greenhouse Gas Reporting
  • Pollinator Friendly Campus
  • Stars
Pack-up

Sustainable Living

How to Recycle on Campus

< Academics

< Campus

  • Energy
  • Sustainable Food
  • Sustainable Living: Saving Energy
  • Transportation
  • Gardens and Natural Areas
  • MSU Gardens
  • Red Cedar River
  • Water
  • How to Recycle on Campus
  • Quick Tips to Reduce Waste
  • Recycling and Reuse

< Donate

< Events

< Get involved

  • Faculty and Staff
  • Students
  • Campus Sustainability Student Projects Fund
  • Eco Rep
  • Job Resources
  • Leadership Council
  • Student Groups
  • Take the MSU Sustainability Pledge

< Resources

  • Green Your Tailgate
  • Move In/Out Day
  • Plan a Sustainable Event

Academics

Sustainability >

Academics

Whether you dream of uncovering the next renewable energy innovation, educating future generations or becoming a top news anchor, sustainability is woven into the fabric of our diverse academic experiences. Studies in sustainability are among the fastest growing programs at MSU, and are continually improved to integrate curriculum that is applicable to careers in the field.

Embedding Sustainable Development Goals into Education

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MSU incorporates education on the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals and sustainability through a variety of formal education and co-curriccular approaches. This comprehensive approach ensures that all Spartans gain an awareness and understanding of the principles of sustainability as a part of their Spartan Experience and have the opportunity for more intense experiential learning and engagement as well. This includes:

  • Sustainability majors, minors and certificates in undergraduate and graudate education
  • Other majors that include sustainability in undergraduate education
  • Courses in sustainability in graduate education
  • Integrative Studies
  • Study abroad programs
  • Residential intensive learning curriculum
  • Internships and experiential learning opportunities
  • Visiting International Professionals Program
  • Executive Business Management through the School of Business
  • Continuing education for youth and adults through MSU Extension

 

Michigan State University

Resources

  • Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
  • Energy on Campus
  • LiveOn: Sustainability Information
  • MSU Bikes Service Center
  • MSU Recycling Center
  • MSU Student Organic Farm
  • MSU Surplus Store
  • Plan a Sustainable Event
  • Water Bottle Filling Stations
  • W.J. Beal Botanical Garden

Get Involved

  • Campus Sustainability Student Projects Fund
  • Eco Reps
  • Job Resources
  • Leadership Council
  • Student Groups

Campus

  • How to Recycle on Campus
  • MSU Gardens
  • Red Cedar River
  • Sustainable Living: Saving Energy
  • Rankings and Assessments
  • Staff & Partners
  • Sustainable Food
  • Transportation

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Sustainability Majors

  • Environmental Studies and Sustainability

    • The Environmental Studies and Sustainability major examines resource use and allocation through the lenses of community engagement, sustainability and environmental justice. Students benefit from a broad range of interdisciplinary courses, as well as disciplinary and methods courses carefully selected to enhance students’ technical knowledge. Professional internships, a legacy project and study abroad experiences are encouraged to provide students with experiences beyond the classroom and the campus.

    Department: Community Sustainability

    Degree Program Website

    Registrar Information

  • Environmental Economics and Management

    • The Environmental Economics and Management (EEM) program prepares you for a career that requires balancing environmental sustainability and economic development goals. The major is a broad, integrated study of environmental economics, public finance, economic development, community and regional studies and environmental science. The major also offers students the opportunity to prepare for graduate study in environmental economics or environmental policy studies programs.

    Department: Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics

    Degree Program Website

    Registrar Information

  • Sustainable Parks, Recreation and Tourism

    • The Sustainable Parks, Recreation and Tourism major combines an understanding of natural resource recreation and tourism with sustainability. It also effectively links theory with practice and community engagement. This major includes learning concepts of leisure, tourism, recreation and sustainability, as well as the operation of recreation delivery systems, policy, administration, management, planning and evaluation.

    Department: Community Sustainability

    Degree Program Website

    Registrar Information

  • Fisheries and Wildlife

    • The Fisheries and Wildlife undergraduate program focuses on interactions between humans and the natural world through courses that link three foundational topics: (1) the ecology of Earth's ecosystems and their animal populations, (2) the diversity of ways in which people use and value natural resources, and (3) the application of scientific understanding, using conservation and management techniques to meet global challenges threatening the sustainability of Earth's ecosystems and their animal populations.

    Department: Fisheries and Wildlife

    Degree Program Website

    Registrar Information

  • Geography

    • The Department of Geography, Environment, and Spatial Sciences offers both a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts in Geography. 

    Students who want to purse a Bachelor of Science in Geography can chose from three different concentrations: Earth Observation & Geospatial Analytics, Physical Environment and Climate, and Human-Environment and Economic Geography. 

    Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Geography explore concepts and issues related to population dynamics, migration, globalization, planning, economic development, transportation systems, connectivity, accessibility, environment and health, and urban growth and decline. A degree in geography enables students to apply their knowledge and skills in a multitude of settings to work towards creating a better future for all.

    Department: Department of Geography, Environment, and Spatial Sciences

    Degree Program Website

    Registrar Information

  • Horticulture with Sustainable and Organic Horticulture Concentration

    • The undergraduate Horticulture program integrates plant and soil science, entomology, pathology, technology and business management to prepare students to meet the challenges of an expanding multi-billion dollar-industry in intensively cultivated, high-value crops. Students may select from three concentrations, including Sustainable and Organic Horticulture.

    Horticultural crops are diverse, including annual and perennial species, food and ornamental plants and plants grown outdoors and in controlled environments. The dynamic Horticulture program offers students hands-on and interactive learning experiences and opportunities inside and outside of the classroom.

    Department: Horticulture

    Degree Program Website

    Registrar Information

  • Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources Education

    • The Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources Education major has a unique focus on agriculture, food and natural resources sustainability for the benefit of communities in Michigan, the U.S. and the world.

    This major prepares graduates as teachers (grades 6-12) in agriculture and natural resources, as well as educators in government, community organizations and nonprofits and graduate studies. The U.S. Department of Education aims to incorporate green- and sustainability-related knowledge and skills standards into the existing National Career Clusters including agriculture, food and natural resources.

    Department: Community Sustainability

    Degree Program Website

    Registrar Information

  • Global Studies in the Arts and Humanities

    • Global Studies in the Arts and Humanities provides a solid grounding in methods and issues necessary to understand global conditions, connections and interactions. The major is especially suitable for students who are committed to learning about global issues and at the same time developing critical, analytical and research skills to address these issues. The program of study is extremely adaptable to the particular interests of each student who can select from core courses and a wide range of elective courses. The GSAH Core Course requirements allow for students to explore a range of issues from global justice to global digital cultures.

    College: College of Arts and Letters

    Degree Program Website

    Registrar Information

    Sustainability Minors

    • Environmental and Sustainability Studies

      • For students who want to integrate sustainability into their chosen program of study, whether environmentally-related or not, MSU offers a minor in Environmental and Sustainability Studies, including myriad courses across colleges. The minor can be tailored to a range of disciplines and is easily malleable to suit your career interests.

      College: College of Natural Science

      Minor Program Website

      Registrar Information

    • Sustainable Natural Resource Recreation Management

      • The Minor in Sustainable Natural Resource Recreation Management is available as an elective to students who are enrolled in bachelor’s degree programs at Michigan State University. Focusing on the management of people, facilities, natural resources and organizations that provide natural resource recreation opportunities, it targets students considering careers in public land management, commercial recreation enterprises, non-profit resource based camps and educational facilities, rural community development, forestry, fisheries, wildlife, criminal justice (conservation/recreation law enforcement), landscape architecture, environmental policy or agriculture. The minor offers students the opportunity to integrate knowledge of social, biological and physical sciences, natural resources and ecosystems to sustainably manage for outcomes that include outdoor recreation.

      Department: Community Sustainability

      Registrar Information

    • Sustainable Bioproducts Science and Technology

      • Open to any undergraduate student at MSU, this minor is designed to prepare students to pursue a career or graduate degrees in renewable wood-based bioproducts. Upon graduation, students will be academically and professionally well positioned in acquiring employment in companies or government departments whose focus is green building construction and furnishings, bioproducts engineering, structural design, and other green bioproducts employment opportunities.

      Department: Forestry

      Program Website

      Registrar Information

      Integrating Sustainability Across the Curriculum

      As issues such as climate change, water security, food supply and energy demand continue to shape the global landscape, MSU is cultivating students who champion sustainability in all industries, regardless of their career field. Sustainability and global challenges are embedded throughout context of MSU's undergraduate learning outcomes. The learning outcomes include concepts related to cultural understanding and citizenship and the nature of systems which are key to educating our students in helping foster a sustainable global future. The learning outcomes were developed from four global themes:

      1. Responsible global citizenship: ethics & governance
      2. Sustainability: food, water, environment
      3. Social justice: conflict, peace, poverty, health, inequality
      4. Technology and Creativity: social networking, cognitive/brain science, nanotechnology, and big data

      The undergraduate learning goals ensure that students have the opportunity to take courses that address common sustainability themes and provide knowledge about our integrated social, economic and environmental systems.

      Sustainability Courses

      MSU has over 800 courses that address sustainability and the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Click the button below to find courses of interest and how they align with the SDGs.

      View List of Courses

      Sustainability Affiliated Departments and Programs

      • Department of Community Sustainability

        • An interdisciplinary department within the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Community Sustainability programs address contemporary issues of sustainability in agriculture, recreation, natural resources and the environment. Learn more.

      • Residential Initiative on the Study of the Environment (RISE)

        • The RISE program is an interdisciplinary living-learning program focused on sustainability and environmental stewardship. Supported by seven colleges, RISE allows first-year students at MSU to engage in environmental-related undergraduate research, hands-on projects and co-curricular initiatives that explore sustainable practices. Learn more.

      • Environmental Engineering

        • The Environmental Engineering program provides graduates with the engineering and scientific principles to analyze, design and manage environmental systems, including water supplies, wastewater treatment facilities, air pollution control systems, surface and groundwater resources, and landfills. Learn more.