The University of Canberra is pleased to announce a new elective major and minor in Sustainability.

These new courses provide students with an opportunity to develop trans-disciplinary thinking skills within a problem solving context so that they obtain an appreciation of how environmental sustainability can be better governed by human societies within Australia and around the world.

Information about the Sustainability Major may be found at http://www.canberra.edu.au/courses/majors/sustainability.html

and the Minor at http://www.canberra.edu.au/courses/minors/sustainability.html

 

The University has developed these new courses of study in recognition that sustainability is now everyones concern, and that many students are passionately concerned about climate change, environmental degradation and the depletion of natural resources.  Students from all areas of professional interest want to understand the scientific, social, cultural and economic systems that underpin these wicked problems so that they can engage constructively in tackling these issues in their personal, community and professional lives.

 

The Sustainability major and minor may therefore be taken by students enrolled in any degree program in the University, and do not assume any previous knowledge or experience and have no prerequisites or co-requisites

The Sustainability major and minor take a multi-disciplinary approach to exploring environmental sustainability themes in Australia encompasses core units from environmental science and technology, governance and politics, community development and sociology. 

The major (6 units) and minor (4 units) investigate scientific, community and governance issues that influence and are influenced by environmental sustainability.

The University is a signatory to The Talloires Declaration (TD) - a ten-point action plan for incorporating sustainability and environmental literacy in teaching, research, operations and outreach at colleges and universities. It has been signed by over 350 university presidents and chancellors in over 40 countries. One these ten points is to develop environmental literacy to all its students.