Declaring the major is simple. You contact your undergraduate adviser and schedule an appointment. Your advisor will provide a declaration of major form that you will fill out together. It's that easy-no fees, deadlines, or hassles.

The SDSU General Catalog annually lists all university and major requirements. Your requirements are for the year you declared the major, not the requirements of the most recent catalog.  Your transcript will indicate your catalog year. The most recent requirements are also summarized in the Program Information section of the Sustainability Major web site.

Writing proficiency is based on university requirements, which are spelled out in the “graduation requirements” section of the university catalog. A minimum competency (successfully completing the third college semester or fifth college quarter) is required in one foreign language.

Transfer credit depends on comparability of courses, existing “articulation” agreements between institutions, and quarter vs. semester hours. Generally, you must wait until the SDSU transcript evaluators have determined whether your coursework from other institutions will transfer (usually during your first semester). You may, however, log on to http://www.assist.org (the web-based clearinghouse for articulation agreements among California institutions) to determine if agreements exist for the courses and schools in question.

We do not recommend that freshmen or sophomores enroll in upper division courses. If, however, you are nearing completion of your lower division requirements and you feel confident enough to take on the challenge of more advanced coursework, you may proceed with 300 or even 400 and 500 level coursework.

SDSU is recognized as one of the premier international institutions in the country. The SDSU Global Education Office is an excellent place to start for information. You should consult their web site first before going into the office. In addition, there are always special programs offered through the SDSU Global Campus. You may also take advantage of programs offered outside the university, if approved by your SUSTN advisor. Look around; do some of your own research to identify a program that will meet your specific needs, then propose your program to your SUSTN advisor for approval. 

Generally yes, if the units are earned while you are a declared SUSTN major and if the program is approved through the International Student Center Education Abroad office. If you select a study abroad program that is independent of SDSU then there is a chance the units will not transfer. In either case you should first meet with your SUSTN adviser for approval of planned coursework. Final approval of units is done upon your return. You will need to make arrangements for an official transcript to be sent to SDSU, which will be reviewed by international transcript evaluators.

Note that SDSU and the SUSTN major need not offer an exact equivalent course in order to accept units from abroad, particularly at the upper division level. When you take courses overseas for which no SDSU equivalents exist, we can usually apply those units toward the major, presuming you are able to support a petition with relevant documents (for example, syllabus and/or catalog description). You will need to meet you’re your SUSTN advisor to determine eligibility of the course(s) in question. Under no circumstances will SDSU allow more than 12 units of upper division coursework by transfer to the major.

Students are free to select an internship site that suits their career goals. Previous sustainability students have interned at a wide variety of organizations that support work in sustainability such as corporations, non-governmental organizations, government agencies, or small businesses.  For more information check the SUSTN internship page.

Yes. Many students choose to meet the international experience requirement and internship requirement at the same time. This is perfectly acceptable.

The Office of Advising and Evaluations provides general academic advising for enrolled undergraduate students. Advisors in the Academic Advising Center (AAC) are available to help you understand SDSU graduation requirements, including General Education requirements and institutional policies and procedures. Consult your General Catalog as well! It will answer most of your questions. The SUSTN advisors focus on the requirements for the major, so consult the AAC advisors for university requirements.

 

You file for graduation at the Office of Advising and Evaluations. You must file for graduation (and pay the fee) in order to graduate. This allows the Office of Advising and Evaluations to audit your transcript to make sure that you meet all of your University and Program graduation requirements.

In both the academic and business worlds many are arguing that the 21st century will be the ‘century of the environment’. There’s a growing consensus that sustainability and environmentalism are growing mega-trends and that they will offer ‘Ahead-of-the-curve’ careers.

Graduates from the SDSU sustainability program will be well prepared to pursue these careers, particularly in the areas of public lands, parks, and natural resource management, environmental conservation and restoration, environmental education, and environmental planning. The major will also prepare students to go on to professional and graduate schools in environmental advocacy, energy, private consulting, law, natural resource management, social sciences, and the humanities. There will also be demand for sustainability majors in nonprofit organizations such as the Nature Conservancy, Audubon Society, Green Peace, and Sierra Club or for teachers in primary or secondary education or universities. Students may also create their own careers in such areas as organic farming, managing cooperatives, or social action..

The SUSTN faculty will assist and advise students in their career pursuits. In addition, SDSU’s Career Services Office provides students with excellent career planning resources and information.