Introduction to Sustainability in Our Curriculum
Sustainability is a vital part of the culture at Salem State. Whether you decide to major in sustainability, take a class, or choose to participate in one of the many Earth Days events offered on campus, it’s easy to make sustainability part of your education at Salem State. Multiple departments across campus offer courses for students who want to learn about some of the most pressing challenges facing our planet and how to resolve them.
Sustainability Programs
Majors, minors and concentrations in sustainability are offered in the following departments:
· Biology department: BS in biology specializing in environmental biology or marine biology and aquaculture
· Geography and sustainability department: environmental sustainability concentration or minor, sustainable tourism concentration or minor, certificate in sustainable tourism development, MS and certificate in geo-information sciences with a focus on environmental sustainability
· Geological science department: applied geosciences: sustainability concentration, sustainability of earth resources minor
· Sport and movement science: recreation, event & outdoor management concentration;
department of conservation & recreation leadership fellowship
Sustainability Courses
At least ten departments offer dozens of sustainability-related courses in addition to related foundational courses, fieldwork, directed studies, internships, and study abroad opportunities. Additional departments such as Accounting and Finance, Art + Design, and Media and Communication employ a sustainability lens in key courses. Sustainability courses range widely with just a few listed below:
· Biology: Conservation Biology, , Ecology and the Environment, Environmental Problems, Marine Biology
· Chemistry and physics: Introduction to Green Chemistry
· Education: Environmental Justice for PreK – 8th Curriculum
· English: Climate Change and Climate Fiction
· Geological sciences: Applied Environmental Geophysics, Energy and Natural Resources in the Earth, Environmental Geology, Lakes and Environment, Renewable Energy and Sustainability, The Blue Planet, Water Sustainability
· Geography and sustainability department: Conservation of Natural Resources, Environmental Justice, Environmental Sustainability and Society, Energy and Environment, Food, Drink, and the Environment, Global Climate Change
· Management: Corporate Social Responsibility
· Philosophy: Environmental Ethics
· Politics, policy and international relations: Environmental Politics, Wildlife and Public Policy
· Sport and movement science: sustainable outdoor recreation & the environment; environmental
interpretation: saving the world through communication; park management & planning
Student Sustainability Council Internship
Students seeking hands-on experience with campus sustainability issues and projects are encouraged to apply to be a Campus Sustainability Council intern. Interns receive academic credit through the geography and sustainability department and work closely on campus sustainability projects with the Salem State sustainability coordinator. As part of their Campus Sustainability Council work, students are expected to bring student sustainability concerns forward and to provide suggestions and feedback on campus initiatives. To apply, contact the chairperson of the geography and sustainability department.
Faculty Research on Sustainability
Salem State faculty are contributing in important ways to our understanding of pressing sustainability issues and bringing their research findings into the classroom to engage students in important scholarship opportunities.
View a snapshot of some of the climate change research Salem State professors are engaged in.