Our increasingly complex and interdependent world needs critical thinkers with strong problem-solving skills who are able to address the long-term viability of social-ecological systems. The Interdisciplinary Certificate in Sustainability seeks to give students a broad understanding of environmental, socioeconomic, and humanistic systems through interdisciplinary academic preparation, community engagement, and cross-campus collaboration so that they can help develop local and global solutions for a sustainable future.
The certificate requires the completion of a minimum of 5 courses and 13 semester hours, to include IST 230, the required core course for the certificate. The remaining classes must be chosen from the courses listed below, with at least two courses at the 300-400 level. Courses must represent at least two different disciplines (as determined by course prefix) from two different departments. No more than eight of the required 12 semester hours that a student applies toward an interdisciplinary certificate may have the same course prefix. No more than 8 hours from a declared major or minor may be applied toward an interdisciplinary certificate. Requests for course substitutions must be approved by the certificate coordinator. All courses used for the certificate must be completed at UNC Asheville. Interdisciplinary certificates may only be completed in conjunction with the completion of an undergraduate degree at UNC Asheville.
Declaration of Interdisciplinary Certificate in Sustainability
Students must complete an Interdisciplinary Certificate Declaration form that is signed by the certificate coordinator and submitted to the Office of the Registrar in the Academic Success Center. Students are subject to the requirements in effect at the time they formally declare the certificate. The certificate must be officially declared before the deadline for applying for graduation.