Sustainable development should result in the fair treatment, meaningful involvement, equal protection from risks, and equitable access to benefits for all people regardless of income, race, gender, national origin, Tribal affiliation, or ability.

Gateway Academic Programs

Academic Programs

Penn State students can engage sustainability’s biggest challenges through their coursework, service, and applied experiences. In alignment with our Climate Consortium, the Sustainability Learning Gateway’s overarching themes provide pathways to learning about sustainability challenges, diving deep into the issues inside and outside of the classroom, and developing expertise that is personally, civically, and professionally meaningful. You can also search by your level, undergraduate or graduate. We have included these academic programs for one of three reasons. The program must:

  1. Require sustainability explicitly (Ex: Renewable Energy and Sustainability Systems, Energy and Sustainability Policy, or Sustainability Leadership);
  2. Provides a track or pathway for students to easily incorporate sustainability into the program (Architecture, Public Policy, or Ethics)
  3. Affords creativity or innovation to students to integrate sustainability into their program (Ex: Art, Integrative Sciences, or Music Composition).

There is a lot of information on these pages. To make the most of it, don’t hesitate to set up an appointment with an academic adviser or a trusted mentor for assistance. If you have questions or feedback about the Gateway, please email: sustainability@psu.edu.

African Studies (B.A.)
Develop your understanding of various aspects of the African continent, including its socioeconomic conditions and global relations.

Community, Environment, and Development (B.S.)
In addressing just and sustainable development, this major incorporates climate change, statistical research, economics, and more in this multidisciplinary porgram focused on communities.

Geography (B.S.)
Study geography with optional applications in fields such as environmental issues or urban and regional planning.

Integrative Science (B.S.)
For those who have education goals relating to scientific theory and practice across disciplinary areas, and who seek a high degree of flexibility, become knowledgeable across many disciplines.

Landscape Architecture (B.L.A.)
The art of design, planning, or management of the land and of the natural and built elements upon it.

Public Policy (B.S.)
For those interested in policy issues, politics, public administration, and related areas like policy analysis and policy advocacy, explore critical issues facing our communities, the nation, and the world.

Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management (B.S.)
Explore the theoretical, managerial, and technical facets of recreation, parks, and tourism to enhance sustainable engagement and management.

Biological Engineering
Explore the world of biology through an engineering lens with a focus on production and processing systems, resource conservation methods, and even food engineering.

Civic and Community Engagement
Extend your education beyond the classroom through engagement in socially meaningful public scholarship in community projects.

Environmental Studies
An interdisciplinary introduction to the natural environment and human interactions with it.

Ethics
Train in ethical reasoning, frameworks, and methods, in topics including international studies, public policy, and environmental studies.

Food Systems
Prepare for for existing and emerging food systems careers through interdisciplinary studies of health, science, economics and business, community, agriculture, the food service industry, and policy.

Peace and Conflict Studies
Examine how human beings get into and out of violent conflicts through understanding the costs of war, the processes and challenges of peace, and the characteristics of human conflicts at all levels

Public Policy and Leadership Across Sectors
An introduction to the practice of policy analysis, the process of policymaking and the values of public service.

Sustainability Leadership
Promote environmental, social, and economic sustainability in personal and professional lives through studying systems thinking, change agency, ethics, and more.

Housing
Prepare for a career in housing by studying the technology of housing, the development process, and the design and the delivery processes.

Global Environmental Systems
Characterize and analyze Earth’s physical environment across time and space through the study of physical geography.

Transdisciplinary Research in Ecology and Society
A dual-title program with tracks to focus in anthropology, energy and mineral engineering, education policy and leadership, and more.