Aug 11, 2025

2020-2021 Catalog

2020-2021 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Sustainability Studies (BA)

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A comprehensive advising guide for program students, counselors, and faculty advisors is available online. This guide includes information on many best practices for pursing your degree and future employment.

The Bachelor of Arts in Sustainability Studies is offered at Colorado Mountain College in Breckenridge, Dillon, Spring Valley at Glenwood Springs, Steamboat Springs, and Vail Valley at Edwards. Not every course is offered on every campus, some campuses may require travel between sites to complete the degree.

CMC also offers a Business Emphasis in our Bachelor of Arts in Sustainability program.

Learn more about Bachelor of Arts in Sustainability Studies

State Guaranteed General Education Requirements (31 credits)

Select a content area to view the course options when specific courses are not listed

Communication (GT-CO1, GT-CO2)

Complete 2 courses (6 credits):

◆ ENG 121 - English Composition I (GT-CO1) 3.0 Credits
◆ ENG 122 - English Composition II (GT-CO2) 3.0 Credits

Mathematics (GT-MA1)

Complete 1 course (3 credits):

◆ MAT 120 - Mathematics for the Liberal Arts (GT-MA1) 4.0 Credits or higher
Note: Credits over 3 will be applied to electives

Arts & Humanities (GT-AH1, GT-AH2, GT-AH3, GT-AH4)

Complete 2 courses (6 credits):

◆ PHI 218 - Environmental Ethics (GT-AH3) 3.0 Credits
And select one additional course (3 credits) from content areas:
GT-AH1: Arts and Expression
GT-AH2: Literature and Humanities
GT-AH3: Ways of Thinking
GT-AH4: World Languages

History (GT-HI1)

Select 1 course (3 credits) from content area GT-HI1: History

◆ HIS 207 - American Environmental History (GT-HI1) 3.0 Credits is recommended

Social & Behavioral Sciences (GT-SS1)

Select 1 course (3 credits) from the following:

◆ ECO 201 - Principles of Macroeconomics (GT-SS1) 3.0 Credits
◆ ECO 202 - Principles of Microeconomics (GT-SS1) 3.0 Credits
◆ ECO 245 - Issues in Environmental Economics (GT-SS1) 3.0 Credits

Arts & Humanities, History, or Social & Behavioral Sciences

Select 1 course (3 credits) from content areas:

GT-AH1: Arts and Expression
GT-AH2: Literature and Humanities
GT-AH3: Ways of Thinking
GT-AH4: World Languages
GT-HI1: History
GT-SS1: Economic or Political Systems
GT-SS2: Geography
GT-SS3: Human Behavior, Culture, and Social Frameworks

Important Note: must have a minimum of 15 credits from these content areas combined

Natural & Physical Sciences (GT-SC1)

Complete 2 courses (7 credits):

◆ ENV 101 - Introduction to Environmental Science (GT-SC1) 4.0 Credits
Select one BIO course from:
◆ BIO 105 - Science of Biology (GT-SC1) 4.0 Credits
◆ BIO 111 - General College Biology With Lab (GT-SC1) 5.0 Credits
◆ BIO 112 - General College Biology II With Lab (GT-SC1) 5.0 Credits
Note: Credits over 7 will be applied to electives

Sustainability Studies Program Requirements (50 credits)

SUS 300 - Foundations of Sustainability 3.0 Credits
SUS 301 - Systems Thinking & Sustainability 3.0 Credits
SUS 310 - Ecology & Sustainability 4.0 Credits
SUS 311 - Integrated Sustainability Science 3.0 Credits
SUS 320 - Literature for Change 3.0 Credits
SUS 321 - Leadership, Ethics, & Social Responsibility 3.0 Credits
SUS 330 - Sustainable Economics 3.0 Credits
SUS 331 - Cultural & Place-Based Equity 3.0 Credits
SUS 410 - Conservation Biology 4.0 Credits
SUS 416 - Careers & Professional Skills in Sustainability 2.0 Credits
SUS 420 - Writing for Sustainability 3.0 Credits
SUS 421 - Fostering Sustainable Behaviors 3.0 Credits
SUS 430 - Sustainable Business 3.0 Credits
SUS 431 - Social Entrepreneurship 3.0 Credits
SUS 450 - Sustainability Assessment and Reporting 3.0 Credits
SUS 489 - Sustainability Capstone 4.0 Credits

Colorado Mountain College Requirements (8 credits)

Communication Requirement (3 credits)

Select 1 course (3 credits) from the following:

✽ COM 115 - Public Speaking 3.0 Credits
✽ COM 125 - Interpersonal Communication 3.0 Credits

Wellness Requirement (2 credits)

Select at least 2 credits from the following:

✽ HWE 100 - Human Nutrition 3.0 Credits
✽ HWE 111 - Health and Wellness 3.0 Credits
✽ Transfer-level PED/OUT/DAN courses

Cultural Competency Requirement (3 credits)

Select 3 credits from the Cultural Competency Courses

Electives (31 credits)

Sustainability program upper-division (300 - 400 level) electives 9.0 credits
See suggested list below.
Sustainability program open (100 - 400 level) electives 22.0 credits
See suggested list below.

No PED 100-249 or PED 275 courses allowed to fulfill elective requirements.

It is highly recommended that students seek academic advising in their degree planning.

Students are encouraged to consider courses that lead to completion of the Business Emphasis or the Certificate of Completion in Permaculture Design . Upper-division electives can be selected from Sustainability Studies program offerings as well as from other programs. Following is a list of suggested upper-division sustainability courses:
SUS 322 - Foodshed Sustainability 3.0 Credits
SUS 325 - Energy Systems & Sustainability 3.0 Credits
SUS 340 - Environmental Chemistry 3.0 Credits
SUS 341 - Sustainable Agriculture 4.0 Credits
SUS 346 - Creative Sustainability 3.0 Credits
SUS 350 - Permaculture Design I 3.0 Credits
SUS 351 - Permaculture Design II 4.0 Credits
SUS 375 - Special Topics in Sustainability 1.0 - 6.0 Credits
SUS 387 - Internship I: 1.0 - 6.0 Credits
SUS 391 - Field Experience in Sustainability 1.0 - 6.0 Credits
SUS 440 - Watershed Science & Land Use Impacts 3.0 Credits
◆ GEY 135 - Environmental Geology w/ Lab (GT-SC1) 4.0 Credits
◆ HUM 123 - The Modern World (GT-AH2) 3.0 Credits
✽ HUM 137 - Wilderness & the American Ethic 3.0 Credits
NRE 214 - Environmental Issues & Ethics 3.0 Credits
◆ SOC 207 - Environmental Sociology (GT-SS3) 3.0 Credits
✽ SUS 101 - Introduction to Sustainability 3.0 Credits
✽ SUS 201 - Issues in Sustainability 3.0 Credits

Total Credits Earned

State Guaranteed General Education Requirements (minimum 31 credits)
CMC Requirements (8 credits)
Bachelor of Arts Sustainability Program Requirements (50 credits)
Upper-division Electives, 300-400 level (9 credits)
Sustainability Program Open Electives, 100-400 level (22 credits)
Total Credits Earned (120 credits)

Note:

◆ State Guaranteed Transfer Course

✽ Applies to CMC AA/AS/AGS Degrees

Not all programs/courses are available at every campus and may require travel to another campus or access via technology-enabled learning (Webex, hybrid, or online).

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