Skip to content

About Sustainability at Young Harris College

Sustainability aims to prepare students for further training in sustainability-related disciplines and to develop leaders who will use an interdisciplinary approach to solve society’s environmental challenges.

Sustainability minor requirements

To graduate with a minor in Sustainability from YHC, you’ll take 15-16 hours of coursework.

Required Courses:

3 hours, including ENST 1102

Elective Courses:

12-13 hours, including Society and Culture, Public Policy and Natural Sciences courses

Minor courses:

15-16 hours

Some of our most popular Sustainability classes include:

ENST 1102 Introduction to Environmental Studies and Sustainability:

This course surveys the social causes of human impacts on the natural and built environments, both locally and around the world. In addition, this course will assess social and public policy tools for solving environmental problems, including government, non-profit, and market-driven approaches.

ODRS 3230 Environmental Stewardship and Interpretation:

An exploration of the philosophical foundations of environmental stewardship and interpretation, as well as practical approaches for their application in outdoor contexts. Students will examine and develop ethical bases for land use and preservation, integrating environmental stewardship and interpretation into outdoor programming. A significant portion of this course involves field based practice and learning.

ENVS 3305 Global Climate Change:

This course explores the physical and human geographical aspects of global environmental change, focusing on the effects of past climatic changes upon present landscapes, the concept of uniforminatarism. It provides possible explanations for climatic change over time, both qualitative and quantitative approach, and the impact of human action on the earth and its environmental systems, and the projection of future environmental changes.