Getting Started (Majors Guide)

College: SBS

(Revised Spring 2018)

  

How to Explore/Get Started in the Major

Suggested General Education Courses

Under the new guidelines students are still required to take two courses, one in U.S. Diversity and one in Global Diversity. Students entering in Fall 2018 are expected to take one of these diversity courses, either U.S. or Global, in their first year on campus.  For Fall 2018 Registration, look for courses with DU (formerly U) and DG (formerly G) to help students stay on track.  Any course labled DU will satisfy the requirement for a U.S. diversity course and any course labeled DG will satisfy the the requirement for Global diversity course. Course planning guidelines, including guidelines for students, are available at www.umass.edu/gened.

SUSTCOMM 110 (SBDU), SUSTCOMM 140 (AT), and SUSTCOMM 543 (AT) are core courses for the major;

SUSTCOMM 125 (SBDG), SUSTCOM 205 (IDU) and SUSTCOMM 333 (SBDU) are concentration requirements.

ENGLWRIT 112 (CW); MATH 104 (R1); ARCH 211 (HSDG); GEOGRAPH 100 (PS); GEOGRAPH 102 (SBDG); RES-ECON 102 (SB); ENVIRSCI 101 (BS).

Suggested Major and Pre-requisite Courses

Required prerequisites:
SUSTCOMM 110 Transforming Your World: Introduction to Community Engagement (Fall)
SUSTCOMM 140 Awareness of the Visual Environment (Fall)
SUSTCOMM 205 Dynamics of Human Habitation (Summer and Spring)
SUSTCOMM 297G Climate Change & Resilient Cities (Summer and Spring)

Recommended for SBS students getting to know the major(not required for majors; open to non-majors)
SUSTCOMM 191SUST1 FYS From the ground up: Planning and Building sustainable communities

How to Declare the Major

Students should complete a SUSTCOMM MAJOR DECLARATION FORM, available at https://www.umass.edu/larp/undergraduate/sustcomm, and email the Chief Undergraduate Advisor below to declare no later than Spring semester of their sophomore year.

Transfer Students:

Students can declare when they enter the university. Meet with an advisor in the major, preferably during a transfer advising session or before the first day of classes. Juniors must see the Program Director before registering for any courses.

Summary of Requirements for the Major

Minimum total # of credits required: 52

Completion of fourteen courses as follows:

  • Eight Core courses (28-29 credits).
  • Six courses in one of the four areas of concentration (18-24 credits): Built Environment, City and Society, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure, Landscape Design and Build.

See the Department for details.

Is there a minor? If so, what are the requirements?
Yes. The minor requires that students complete five courses drawn from the Sustainable Community Development core of perceptual, historical, theoretical and professional courses. See the Department for details.

For further information, contact:
Professor Mark Hamin
232 Olver Design Building
545-6608
mhamin@larp.umass.edu