Courses
SUST-138 P4 Green Chemistry (3)
This course covers sustainability from a chemistry perspective. This course illustrates how chemistry plays a central role in developing the knowledge and tools for society to not only meet our basic needs for food, clean water, and medicine, but also to address the growing challenges such as clean energy, environmental pollution, and global warming. The course will further discuss how basic chemical concepts are being applied to create innovative materials and chemical processes important for the development of safer chemicals and sustainable consumer products. The course is offered in workshop-style integrating class work with laboratory activities. This will allow students to gain both green chemistry lecture and laboratory experience in the context of a 60-minute lecture/laboratory course.
Attributes: P4 YLIBSUST-210 P4 Systems Thinking (3)
This course will explore systems thinking ideas and systems models, and apply those ideas and models to real world situations and problems. It will critically examine how systems models can provide insight into economic, social, and environmental situations, and how many of the insights of systems thinking are different than the insights gleaned from other approaches to the study of situations.
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Attributes: P4 YLIB
SpringSUST-301 Environmental Science (3)
This course focuses on the natural sciences associated with environmental study. It includes an emphasis on ecology, energy and environmental chemistry. It will prepare students from a variety of perspectives to understand and apply major concepts in support of environmental sustainability. The course includes lectures, group work, collection/interpretation/critique of data and lab experiences.
Attributes: YLIBSUST-302 Environmental Sci Workshop (4)
This course focuses on the natural sciences associated with environmental study. It includes an emphasis on ecology, energy, and environmental chemistry. It will prepare students from a variety of perspectives to understand and apply major concepts in support of environmental sustainability. The course includes lectures, group work, collection/interpretation/critique of data and field and lab experiences.
Attributes: YLIB
Pre-requisites: BIOL-101C D-SUST-310 Topics in Sustainability (3)
This topics course that will critically examine one or more areas of study in sustainability that are not covered by other courses. The topics will focus on the context, challenges, and potential solutions of real problems facing our society.
Fall 2018 Topic: Sustainable Community Development: From Space to Place- How we create space impacts how it is perceived and used. This course will explore new urbanist strategies for creating space to make it a Community Place!
Attributes: YLIBSUST-320 Water and Weather Systems (3)
Water is essential to life on the planet and weather is one important mechanism of the flow of water. This course examines the small and large scale phenomena of water and weather including: the temperature/density relationship and changing of state of water; seasonal circulation and temperature stratification of lakes; thermohaline and wind-driven ocean circulation and global heat transfer; watersheds; the hydrologic cycle; motions and complex interactions of air masses at frontal boundaries; the effects of geographic features on weather; and the characteristics and development of hurricanes, tornadoes, and other forms of severe weather. The sustainability of water resources will be explored. Weather data collection and models for weather forecasting, along with training in research and analysis, ethics, interpretation of large-scale data, and human impacts on weather and water, will be addressed.
Attributes: YLIB
Pre-requisites: BIOL-101C D-SUST-350 Climate (3)
Climate impacts natural and built systems in a myriad of ways. In this course, the history of earth’s climate, geographic variability in climate, global climate change, impacts of climate change, potential climate solutions, and climate adaptation are investigated using a variety of models and perspectives, including environmental justice. Research methods in climate science are used to collect and analyze data, the design and implementation of climate research will be explored.
Attributes: YLIB
Pre-requisites: BIOL-101C D-SUST-390 Intro Comm Sustainability (1)
The course prepares students for their community-engaged sustainability experience (SUST 490) through discussion of the theory of community improvement, a survey of community action and development of a project proposal that will be implemented n SUST 490.
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Attributes: YLIB ZCIV
FallSUST-400 SUST Minor Capstone (1)
Is a sustainable future attainable? The future, in truth, is already here and private and public entities must respond. Numerous corporations and individuals are already prospering in business in a sustainable fashion. This capstone course allows students to draw connections between their previous coursework in the minor and real world examples of sustainable prosperity.
Permission of the instructor required to register.
Attributes: YLIB
Pre-requisites: BIOL-101C D- AND ECON-105C D-SUST-490 Sustainability Experience (3)
This required community-engaged sustainability experience will see students specifically address a current sustainability issue with a community partner. Consisting of 150 hours of work on the project, students will execute the project planned in SUST 390. Students will track and assess project outcomes and regularly report on their project progress.
Typically offered:
Attributes: YLIB ZCIV
Fall, Spring & Summer
Pre-requisites: SUST-390 D-SUST-491 Internship (1 TO 3)
The internship for credit course in sustainability supports students as they develop and reflect on professional skills gained while interning in the field . Students reflect critically on the process of identifying and working toward individualized learning goals, gain feedback from supervisors on strengths and areas for academic and professional growth, learn about and assess organizational fit, expand their network of professional contacts, and reflect on how their internship experience will impact their future career ideas and plans. Specific emphasis will be placed on an understanding of and practice in achieving competency in career readiness.
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Attributes: NLIB ZEXL
Variable
Restrictions: Including: -Major: SustainabilitySUST-496 Independent Study (1 TO 3)
This course provides the opportunity for investigation of a special topic or project of interest to a student and a supervising sustainability faculty member. Students must contact the program director and request permission to register. Independent study may involve a literature research, writing a research proposal, and/or a lab/field study. Students must complete prepare a course proposal. Completion of the Independent Study/Tutorial Authorization form is required.
Typically offered:
Attributes: YLIB
FallSUST-1076 Rochester EcoSYSTEMS (3)
This course will explore the urban ecology of the City of Rochester and the relationship between the natural and built environments. With a focus on the Genesee River, students will explore the ecosystems of the urban landscape, evaluate the connections among people, nature, land use, ecosystem services, and pollution, and use data and GIS to envision a more sustainable future.
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Attributes: LC YLIB
Fall
Restrictions: Including: -Class: Freshman -Attribute: New Core 20-21SUST-2150 Surviving Climate Change (3)
This course introduces students to the science of climate change and climate adaptation and mitigation actions occurring around the world. Students explore the social and political implications of climate change, and examine its impact on daily life by reviewing current scientific data relating to vulnerabilities of particular regions. Topics include methods, strategies, and technologies that address climate change, using case studies of adaptive and mitigative programs throughout the world. Special emphasis is placed on enabling students to engage directly in collaborative activities to help inform the Saint John Fisher community about the climate crisis.
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Attributes: CCE YLIB
Fall
Restrictions: Excluding: -Class: Freshman, SeniorSUST-2450 Crting Sustainable Futures (3)
The Creating Sustainable Futures course explores the concept of sustainable living and examines the tools for creating sustainable communities. The course provides an overview of the major aspects of living sustainably including patterns of consumption, sustainable energy, food and water security, and smart growth. We ask the questions: What is the relationship between sustainability and current social values and behaviors? What do our current ethical standards say about human responsibility toward the environment? How might we redefine our cultural expectations of the “good life”? What are effective methods for creating sustainable communities? This course provides a framework for students to deepen their understanding of their own moral responsibility to live sustainably and to create sustainable futures.
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Attributes: ER YLIB
Spring
Restrictions: Including: -Attribute: New Core 20-21; Excluding: -Class: Freshman, Senior