Effective policies and leadership at the local, national, and international levels are necessary to drive meaningful action on sustainability’s many challenges.
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:
- Require sustainability explicitly (Ex: Renewable Energy and Sustainability Systems, Energy and Sustainability Policy, or Sustainability Leadership);
- Provides a track or pathway for students to easily incorporate sustainability into the program (Architecture, Public Policy, or Ethics)
- 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.
Earth Science and Policy (B.S)
Gain an interdisciplinary understanding of current environmental systems and issues through their social, economic, and political dimensions.
Education and Public Policy (B.S.)
An interdisciplinary approach for those for who want to make a difference in society by building democratic participation, improving civic capacity in, and through educational institutions and communities.
Energy and Sustainability Policy (B.A.)
For those who desire an interdisciplinary background, this major explores energy and sustainability through the lenses of science, business, and public policy combined.
Energy and Sustainability Policy (B.S.)
For those who desire an interdisciplinary background, this major explores energy and sustainability through the lenses of science, business, and public policy combined.
Energy Business and Finance (B.S.)
For those interested in energy systems, learn about the integration of finance and business thorugh understanding markets, risk analyses, and more.
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.
Philosophy (B.A.)
For those that are either unsure of or restricted by current programs, explore this major to collaborate with faculty in creating your own!
Philosophy (B.S.)
For those that are either unsure of or restricted by current programs, explore this major to collaborate with faculty in creating your own!
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.
Environmental Inquiry
Use multiple perspectives to understand environmental issues as well as increase skills in collaborating across disciplinary backgrounds to find environmental solutions.
Earth and Sustainability
Explore global sustainability issues in the context of marine, land, and atmospheric systems.
Environmental and Renewable Resource Economics
An introduction to how fundamental economic principles can be used to explain and solve problems related to the degradation of the environment and unsustainable use of natural resources.
Environmental Studies
An interdisciplinary introduction to the natural environment and human interactions with it.
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.
Geography
Study geography with optional applications in fields such as environmental issues or urban and regional planning.
Legal Studies
An introduction to a variety of perspectives on the law, its operation, and its effects in different contexts.
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.
Social Justice in Education
Cultivate awareness, engagement, and reflection of critical pedagogies, values, and ethics in relation to educational diversity, equity, and social justice in traditional and non-traditional educational settings.
Sustainability Leadership
Promote environmental, social, and economic sustainability in personal and professional lives through studying systems thinking, change agency, ethics, and more.
Justice, Ethics, Diversity in Space
Address how geographers approach questions concerning uneven power relations, inequalities, justice, social responsibility, and ethics across space and in place.
Keystone Certificate for Integrative Humanities
Understand how issues of intersectionality, history, interculturalism, global perspectives, democratic and ethical decision making, and other areas fundamental to the humanities relate to being better citizens at work and in local, national, and global communities.
International Affairs
Prepare for occupations involving public service, private enterprise, nonprofit organizations, and international organizations worldwide with optional concentrations including envrionment and resouces.
Public Policy
Gain professional training for those seeking careers in the design, adoption, implementation, and evaluation of public policies.
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.
