Students come from all over the world to connect to diverse ideas, cultures, and ways of life at The George Washington University. And, our Sustainability Minor is one impactful way that students can engage their diverse backgrounds in order to examine the critical, all-encompassing sustainability issues that affect us all — and create dynamic solutions as a result.
But how do our students transform their passionate curiosity into an actionable force for good? Students begin their journey with Introduction to Sustainability, a team-taught course that equips students with a foundation in global sustainability principles and worldview. It’s here that students are encouraged to ask fundamental questions, learn about the major thought leaders in sustainability, and engage with the policies that are transitioning the world into a greener future. From here, the Sustainability Minor launches students of all academic backgrounds to build on their academic foundation by further examining sustainability through the lenses of ecosystems, economies, communities, and practices in subsequent classes.
Ultimately, all this leads up to a capstone experience, which provides students with a practical application of what they’ve learned through a semester-long research, service, and/or internship project. Through impactful experiences, students learn to consider the competing perspectives of stakeholders, the unintended consequences of decisions, and how action at different levels and scales will affect people, planet, and profit. Ultimately, students will gain the tools necessary to create healthy and equitable systems for all.
So, why choose Sustainability as your minor? First, our program is formatted to fit around your major of choice. Whether you’re in engineering, business, international affairs or otherwise, our classes build upon requirements needed for your major.
Second, our program collaborates with key faculty members across the broader GW community — including a multitude of departments and disciplines across campus. We work closely with Planet Forward in the School of Media and Public Affairs, the Honey W.Nashman Center, the Food Policy Institute, and the Environmental and Energy Management Institute, just to name a few. And, we support these partners by encouraging students to enroll in their sustainability courses, which can count toward the Sustainability Minor requirements. By collaborating with a multitude of GW’s stakeholders, students’ experiences are deeply enriched through participation in research, service, events, and job-preparedness activities.
