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Urban Sustainability

Urban Gardening herbs and salad in a raised plant bed

The Urban Sustainability concentration provides the basis for a holistic understanding of cities through the lens of environmental and social sustainability.

By combining coursework in urban studies, history, sociology, and design with the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), students in the Urban Sustainability concentration are exposed to both the environmental and infrastructural aspects of cities, as well as issues of human development, urban societies, public policy, and social equity. Students in the concentration acquire a foundation in sustainability concepts and skills for research and professional practices. The Urban Sustainability concentration helps prepare students to serve as social change agents in future roles as scholars, urban planners, designers, entrepreneurs, public servants, and advocates to address the most pressing issues of urban development and its human impacts in cities around the world.

Advising

Special Programs and Opportunities

Students in the Urban Sustainability concentration may be interested in the Schneider Sustainable Energy Fellowships, which places students in non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to support sustainable energy development. Students interested in pursuing graduate studies may consider the Coterminal M.A./M.S. degree program in Earth Systems.

Required Course

  • EARTHSYS 112 Human Society and Environmental Change (4 units)         

Courses

Students must select at least one course from each of the following categories:

  1. environmental sustainability,
  2. social sustainability, and
  3. project-based courses.  

Courses in the concentration (including the required course and additional courses) must total at least 20 units. Please consult with your advisor to select a program of courses that suits your intellectual and personal goals.

If a course has not already been approved for a concentration, you may petition to count it by submitting this form to your advisor. 

Environmental Sustainability
Title
Instructor
Quarter
Day, Time

Boehm, A. (PI)

2024 - 2025
Winter

Monday Wednesday
3:00 PM
4:20 PM

Fischer, M. (PI)

2024 - 2025
Autumn

Tuesday Thursday
12:00 PM
2:50 PM

Woodward, J. (PI)
Gragg, D. (PI)
Stasio, K. (PI)
Riemersma, D. (TA)
Lyu, L. (TA)
Storch, M. (TA)
Dachille, J. (GP)

2024 - 2025
Autumn

Monday Wednesday Friday
10:30 AM
11:50 AM

Woodward, J. (PI)
Gragg, D. (PI)
Stasio, K. (PI)
Dachille, J. (GP)

2024 - 2025
Spring

Monday Wednesday Friday
10:30 AM
11:50 AM

Kopperud, R. (PI)
Teng, X. (TA)

2024 - 2025
Spring

Monday Wednesday Friday
3:30 PM
4:20 PM

CEE 173

2024 - 2025
Spring

2024 - 2025
Summer

Douglas, K. (PI)

2024 - 2025
Autumn

Monday Wednesday Friday
3:30 PM
4:20 PM

Jain, R. (PI)

2024 - 2025
Autumn

Tuesday Thursday
10:30 AM
11:50 AM

Fong, D. (PI)
Cain, B. (PI)

2024 - 2025
Winter

Monday Wednesday
9:30 AM
10:50 AM

Nevle, R. (PI)
Rau, T. (PI)
Passmore, M. (PI)
Proctor, P. (PI)
Baumgartner, M. (PI)
Conger, L. (PI)
Washington, A. (PI)
Donlon, J. (PI)
Dakad, N. (PI)
Rochin, H. (PI)
Shay, V. (PI)
Arrigo, K. (PI)

2024 - 2025
Autumn

Monday Wednesday Friday
11:30 AM
12:20 PM

Durlofsky, L. (PI)
Azevedo, I. (PI)

2024 - 2025
Winter

Monday Wednesday Friday
1:30 PM
2:20 PM

2024 - 2025
Spring

Tuesday Thursday
4:30 PM
5:50 PM

Kopperud, R. (PI)

2024 - 2025
Winter

Monday Wednesday Friday
1:30 PM
2:20 PM

Hummel, H. (PI)
Leslie, E. (PI)

2024 - 2025
Spring

Tuesday Thursday
9:00 AM
10:20 AM
Social Sustainability
Title
Instructor
Quarter
Day, Time

Choe, B. (PI)

2024 - 2025
Spring

Friday
9:30 AM
12:20 PM

Mount, D. (PI)
Frehsee, C. (PI)

2024 - 2025
Spring

Friday
12:30 PM
1:20 PM

Diver, S. (PI)
Balogun, A. (PI)
Paez Pulido, V. (PI)
Montague, D. (PI)

2024 - 2025
Autumn

Wednesday
11:30 AM
1:20 PM

Wolfe, M. (PI)

2024 - 2025
Autumn

Wednesday
10:30 AM
1:20 PM

Zieske, L. (SI)
Bruce, J. (PI)
De Luna, J. (SI)

2024 - 2025
Winter

Wednesday
1:30 PM
4:20 PM

Perez Henriquez, B. (PI)

2024 - 2025
Spring

Tuesday Thursday
11:30 AM
1:20 PM

LeSar, J. (PI)

2024 - 2025
Winter

Wednesday
10:30 AM
1:20 PM

Diver, S. (PI)

2024 - 2025
Spring

Tuesday Thursday
1:30 PM
2:50 PM

Diver, S. (PI)

2024 - 2025
Winter

Monday Wednesday
1:30 PM
2:50 PM

Diver, S. (PI)

2024 - 2025
Autumn

Wednesday
11:30 AM
1:20 PM

Rich, D. (PI)
von Borck, J. (PI)

2024 - 2025
Spring

Tuesday Thursday
10:30 AM
11:50 AM
Project-Based Courses
Title
Instructor
Quarter
Day, Time

2024 - 2025
Autumn

2024 - 2025
Winter

2024 - 2025
Spring

2024 - 2025
Summer

Diver, S. (PI)

2024 - 2025
Spring

Tuesday Thursday
1:30 PM
2:50 PM

Kos, R. (PI)

2024 - 2025
Spring

Monday
9:30 AM
11:20 AM

Archie, P. (PI)

2024 - 2025
Spring

Wednesday
1:30 PM
4:20 PM

2024 - 2025
Spring

Sample Course Plans

The inclusion of a range of sustainability-relevant skills and focus courses – e.g. policy, engineering, environmental science, urban history – offers the opportunity for each student to tailor the cumulative learning process to their own interests. A couple of few sample course plans are listed below. Please consult with an advisor to discuss potential course plans.