Public engagement, effective communication, and fostering behavioral change are crucial for building a collective understanding of challenges, driving action, and ensuring a just and equitable future.
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.
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.
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.
Civic and Community Engagement
Extend your education beyond the classroom through engagement in socially meaningful public scholarship in community projects.
Sustainability Leadership
Promote environmental, social, and economic sustainability in personal and professional lives through studying systems thinking, change agency, ethics, and more.
There are no certificates in this category.
Geographic Information Systems
Prepare to design, manage, and use geographic information technologies in a wide range of professional fields.
Homeland Security, Geo-Spatial Intelligence Option
Become a leader for the field of homeland security in public health preparedness.
Psychology
Emphasis is placed on research, teaching, and professional career development with track options including social, developmental, and industrial/organizational.
