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Center for Curriculum and Transfer Articulation
Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Sustainability and Environmental Studies
Major: 8123
Effective Term: 2023 Fall   
Award Type: AA

CIP Code: 30.3301
Program Availability: CG   EM   GC   GW   MC   PC   PV   RS   SC   SM  
Instructional Council: Sustainability
Total Credits: 60-64
GPA: 2.00
SOC Code: Upon completion of a bachelor`s degree, students may pursue a career as:
19-4021.00 Biological Technicians
11-1011.03 Chief Sustainability Officers
19-3051.00 Urban and Regional Planners
19-2041.01 Climate Change Policy Analysts
11-9199.02 Compliance Managers
19-1031.00 Conservation Scientists
19-2041.02 Environmental Restoration Planners
19-2041.00 Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health
33-3031.00 Fish and Game Wardens
45-4011.00 Forest and Conservation Workers
19-1032.00 Foresters
19-2041.03 Industrial Ecologists
19-1031.03 Park Naturalists
19-1031.02 Range Managers
13-1199.05 Sustainability Specialists
19-1023.00 Zoologist and Wildlife Biologists

Upon completion of a graduate degree, students may pursue a career as:
25-1053.00 Environmental Science Teachers, Postsecondary
19-2043.00 Hydrologists
19-3051.00 Urban and Regional Planners


Description: The Associate in Arts (AA), Emphasis in Sustainability and Environmental Studies provides the first two years of a four-year curriculum for students who intend to transfer to a four-year institution and specialize in areas of sustainability, environmental science, conservation, or resource management. Upon completion of a bachelor`s degree, students may pursue a number of careers including sustainability specialists, chief sustainability officers, compliance managers, environmental scientists, conservation scientists, soil and water conservationists, range managers, and city and regional planning aides. With a graduate degree, students may pursue a career in several areas including hydrology, urban and regional planning, and post-secondary teaching.

Program Learning Outcomes
1. Critique basic sustainability concepts, factual information, and practices. (SSH111, SUS110, SUS232, BIO201++, BIO205, BIO220, BIO240, [L], [SG], [SQ])
2. Analyze how social, environmental, and economic systems relate and interact. (SSH111, SUS110, SUS232, AGS260, BIO201++, BIO205, BIO220, BIO240, ECN211, ECN212, GIS205, GIS211, GLG140IN, GPH210, [C], [G], [L], [SB], [SG], [SQ])
3. Evaluate the relationships between people and their natural and built environments. (SSH111, SUS110, SUS232, AGS260, BIO182++, BIO201++, BIO205, BIO220, BIO240, GLG101, GLG101IN, GLG103, GPH210, [C], [G], [HU], [L])
4. Recognize policy strategies and ethical considerations relevant in the field of sustainability. (SSH111, SUS110, SUS232, ECN211, ECN212, GPH210, PHI105, POS140, POS285, [C], [G], [L], [SB])
5. Examine the scope and complexity of social responsibility. (SSH111, SUS110, SUS232, GPH210, POS140, POS285, [C], [FYC], [G], [L], [SB])
6. Practice systems-thinking toward identifying a solution in a collaborative, interdisciplinary setting. (SSH111, SUS110, SUS232, BIO201++, BIO205, BIO220, BIO240, GPH210, POS140, POS285, [C], [G], [HU], [SG], [SQ])
7. Effectively communicate ideas among diverse stakeholders to build consensus for sustainability initiatives. (SSH111, SUS110, SUS231, SUS232, COM225, COM230, JRN201, JRN232, POS140, POS285, LANG, [C], [FYC], [G], [HU], [L], [SB])
8. Analyze and interpret data for sustainability research application. (CHM150, CHM150AA, CHM151, CHM151AA, CHM151LL, CHM152, CHM152AA, CHM152LL, MAT206, SSH111, SUS110, SUS232, AGS260, BIO+++++, BIO181++, BIO182++, BIO201++, BIO205, BIO220, BIO240, CHM+++++, CHM230, CHM230LL, CHM235, CHM235AA, CHM235LL, CIS105, CSC110AB, CSC180, GBS221, GIS205, GIS211, GLG+++++, GLG102, GLG102IN, GLG104, GLG140IN, MAT220, MAT221, MAT230, MAT231, PHY101, PHY101AA, PHY111, PHY111AA, PHY112, PHY115, PHY116, PHY121, PHY131, PSY230, SWU225, [CS], [FYC], [L], [MA], [SB], [SG], [SQ])
Required Courses
FYE101 Introduction to College, Career and Personal Success (1) OR
FYE103 Exploration of College, Career and Personal Success (3) 1-3

SSH111 Sustainable Cities 3
Credits: 4-6

+ indicates course has prerequisites and/or corequisites.
++ indicates that any suffixed course may be selected.
MCCCD Governing Board Approval Date: June 27, 2023

All information published is subject to change without notice. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information presented, but based on the dynamic nature of the curricular process, course and program information is subject to change in order to reflect the most current information available.