The Certificate in Sustainability is part of the U of T Sustainability Scholar initiative, and is designed to complement any Arts & Science degree or discipline. Participating students will develop a sustainability-lens based in systems-thinking that can be used to approach the rest of their academic program and career path. The Certificate requires students to take a foundational course ( ENV222H1); three electives drawn from a curated list of 42 half courses from 19 different units across the Faculty of Arts & Science; and a choice of capstone courses. Elective courses draw connections between multiple dimensions of sustainability (environmental, social, political, ethical, cultural, and economic).
This is an open enrolment Certificate. A student who has completed 4.0 credits may enrol in the Certificate.
(2.5 credits)
Foundations Course (0.5 credit):
Elective Courses (1.5 credits):
1.5 credits, chosen from at least two of the four clusters below:
- Cluster 1 - Environment/Ecology/Climate: ENV221H1, ENV200H1, ESS205H1, EEB208H1, INS250H1, HIS218H1, INS240Y1, ENV322H1, GGR314H1
- Cluster 2 - Equity/Ethics/Culture: VIC271H1/ CRE271H1, WGS273H1, PHL273H1, ANT204H1, HPS200H1, NEW240H1/ CSE240H1, JIG322H1, ENV333H1, FOR302H1, TRN312H1, PHL373H1, ANT366H1
- Cluster 3 - Economics/Development/Resources: CAS202H1, GGR223H1, ENV261H1/ ENV360H1, POL205H1, GGR334H1, FOR303H1, JGE331H1, POL384H1, ENV307H1, TRN350H1, ECO313H1, ENV341H1
- Cluster 4 - Food/Health/Wellbeing: ENV463H1, BIO220H1, NFS284H1, CSB202H1, VIC326H1/ MCS326H1, GGR329H1, INS355H1, WGS367H1, ENV341H1, NEW342H1/ CSE342H1
Note: One 0.5 credit course at the 300- or 400-level not listed in the above clusters may count towards the elective requirement through a nomination process. Students must submit a nomination package to the Undergraduate Associate Director of the School of the Environment including: (1) the relevant cluster; (2) the course code and description; (3) the course syllabus (for completed courses); (4) a brief rationale (500 words max) addressing why this course belongs to the relevant cluster, how it addresses multiple dimensions of sustainability (environmental, social, political, ethical, cultural, or economic), and how it satisfies a gap in the student's Certificate learning objectives. Nominations for completed courses must be made at least one semester before graduation. A nomination for a course the student has not yet taken must be submitted at least one semester in advance.
Capstone Course (0.5 credit):
Note: Effective Fall 2021, courses associated with New College's Critical Studies in Equity and Solidarity program will have the new "CSE" designator. In addition, courses associated with Victoria College's Creative Expression and Society, and Material Culture and Semiotics programs will have the new "CRE" and "MCS" designators respectively.
