Sustainability Studies

This course focuses on fundamental sustainability crises confronting humankind in the face of climate change, peak oil, resource depletion, species extinction, and societal collapse. Areas covered include social-structural conditions driving ecological overshoot; human threats to natural systems; population and Earth's carrying capacity; globalization, poverty and failing states; environmentally-based national and transnational conflicts; emerging pathogens and diseases; systems analysis of societal complexity and systemic breakdown. Prerequisite(s): A passing score on the college's writing and reading placement tests or, C or better or concurrent enrollment in ENG 091, or ENG 092. Three lecture hours per week. Gen. Ed. Competencies Met: Ethical Dimensions and Global and Historic Awareness.

This course focuses on the multitude of socially-based adaption strategies currently emerging or in existence to meet the numerous sustainability crises facing humankind. Areas of study include the paradigm shift towards sustainable resilience: transitional sustainability movements; the New Urbanisms and reconfiguration of the built environment; reinvigoration of community; education for employment in a post-carbon world; post- industrialized agriculture and evolving alternative food systems; harnessing renewable energy; strengthening physical health and mental well-being; steady-state elements and the New Economy; bioregionalism and the nation-state; population stabilization and the eradication of poverty; "un-trashing" the planet and its vital resources; sustainable conservation and curtailment practices leading to resilience. Prerequisite(s): A passing score on the college's writing and reading placement tests or, C or better or concurrent enrollment in ENG 091, or ENG 092. Three lecture hours per week.

This course focuses on the disproportional burdens associated with climate change that experts anticipate will be experienced by poor countries and poor populations, with emphasis on Africa, Asia and the Small Island States. Substantive areas include the causes and consequences of uneven development and climate-driven threats and impacts on agriculture and food security; ecosystem goods and services; livelihoods and income generations; health, disease, and pandemics; water and energy access; sea-rise ad built-environmental infrastructure; sociopolitical destabilization, conflicts and terrorism; involuntary displacement and migration; and gender equity. Particular concerns center on international geo-political relations, global interconnectivity, nations' ethical responsibilities toward the poor in the face of climate crises, and transnational mitigation and adaptation responses. Prerequisite(s): A passing score on the College's writing and reading placement tests or, C or better or concurrent enrollment in ENG 091, or ENG 092. Three lecture hours per week.

This course focuses on the contradictions within contemporary capitalism, their impacts on the physical and human environment, and the emerging economic transformation. Issues addressed include the future of economic growth and globalization; impacts on consumer society; the rise of natural and human capital; steady state, gift and shared economics; participatory budgeting; re-localization of labor; cooperatives and worker-owned production; emerging small businesses; developmental of local and regional currencies; bio-regional productions; and alternative finance and banking systems. Prerequisite(s): A passing score on the College's writing and reading placement tests or, C or better or concurrent enrollment in ENG 091, or ENG 092. Three lecture hours per week.

This field intensive course serves as the student's civic engagement capstone experience after having completed all prerequisite SUS classes. It is designed for students to apply the knowledge and skills gained via the SUS courses to a real world situation in the field, chosen by the student in collaboration with her/his capstone advisor, and facilitated through BCC's Office of Civic Engagement. Each student will spend a minimum of 6 hours per week in the field at the chosen site and meet weekly with the capstone advisor to review progress in the field. Prerequisite(s): SUS 203; Co-requisite SOC 253. Three lecture hours per week.