Bowdoin College
ER-5: Sustainability Course Identification

Sustainability curriculum examines humankind’s effects on earth systems and our ability to meet our present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. • Sustainability-focused courses concentrate on the concept of sustainability, including its social, economic, and environmental dimensions. • Sustainability-related courses incorporate sustainability as a distinct course component or module or concentrate on a single sustainability principle or issue.

During the spring semester 2013, The Dean of Student Affairs office worked with the Curriculum and Educational Policy Committee to formalize a definition for sustainability in the curriculum. Once established, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs sent an e-mail to all faculty asking them to self-identify if they believed any of their courses fell under the categories of sustainability related or sustainability focused. They also asked faculty to self-identify if they thought their scholarly research projects or grants met the criterion for sustainability research. Based upon an initial inventory of courses, a follow up, targeted email was sent to faculty who hadn't responded but that we believed that their courses might qualify. Courses were only included in our list if the faculty member self-identified their course as being sustainability focused or sustainability related. Only courses taught during the 2012-2013 academic year were included.