University of North Carolina, Greensboro
AC-1: Academic Courses

To determine the total number of courses offered at UNCG, we requested a list of every course offering for the academic years 2015-16, 2016-17, and 2017-8 from Institutional Research. We then had IR remove courses that were independent studies such as honors work, thesis, dissertation, internships, directed readings, and clinical/practicum experiences and courses that served as placeholders such as Study Abroad and course numbers for registration at institutions in our local consortium. To identify 'sustainability courses' and 'courses that included sustainability' we used the definitions provided by AASHE/STARS. "Sustainability courses are courses in which the primary and explicit focus is on sustainability and/or on understanding or solving one or more major sustainability challenge," and "[a] course that includes sustainability is primarily focused on a topic other than sustainability, but incorporates a unit or module on sustainability or a sustainability challenge, includes one or more sustainability-focused activities, or integrates sustainability issues throughout the course." To compose our list of 'sustainability courses' and 'courses that include sustainability', we began with the courses that compose the major requirements and major electives within the three concentrations in the Environmental and Sustainability Studies program. To confirm and add to that list, we consulted with the Departments of Biology, Geography, and Interior Architecture since so many of their courses are concerned with issues of sustainability.

When determining the number of undergraduate and graduate courses taught in each of these academic years and then when identifying those that were 'sustainability courses' or 'courses that included sustainability', we elected to count 100-500-level courses as undergraduate courses and 600-700-level courses as graduate courses. While it is true that in many departments both undergraduates and graduates may take 500-level courses, across the university those courses are predominantly populated by undergraduates which is why we included the 500-level courses in the undergraduate counts.