ES Environmental Sustainability

Appendix D

Course Expectations, Student Learning Outcomes, and Links to Goals for Environmental Sustainability (3 units)

SF State Studies courses are expected to engage students with the core values of San Francisco State University. Courses approved to satisfy SF State Studies requirements are expected to meet the spirit of these requirements. The theme of the designation should be infused into the course but is not required to be the primary theme or topic of the course. Although some assignments must address the theme, it is not required that all assignments do so.

Students earning baccalaureate degrees from San Francisco State University must complete a three-unit course that is designated as an Environmental Sustainability (ES) course. Any course (one in general education, a major, a minor, a certificate, complementary studies, or an elective) that is designated an ES course may meet this requirement. Students may use the same course to fulfill more than one requirement, if the course is designated as meeting more than one requirement, but the units will be counted only once.

Course Expectations for Environmental Sustainability (3 units; may be an overlay)

To be certified by the Baccalaureate Requirements Committee as meeting the Environmental Sustainability (ES) university requirement,

1. The course may be a lower or upper division course, with or without prerequisites, a transfer course or a course taken in residence, and it may be anywhere in the curriculum (e.g., GE, major, minor, certificate, electives, etc.). Each student earning a baccalaureate degree from San Francisco State University is required to complete at least one Environmental Sustainability class.

2. The course must examine some aspect of environmental sustainability. The perspective can be from social sciences, natural sciences, arts, humanities, business, engineering, etc.

3. The course syllabus must list the university-approved student learning outcomes for environmental sustainability and link them to activities and/or assignments that students complete to demonstrate they have met the outcomes.

Student Learning Outcomes for Environmental Sustainability (3 units; may be an overlay)

After completion of a course designated as fulfilling the environmental sustainability requirement, students will be able to do at least two of the following:

1. demonstrate how their personal activities impact the environment, and as a result affect the health and well-being of themselves and society.

2. analyze how the well-being of human society is dependent on ecosystems and the materials and services they provide to humanity.

3. explain the interconnectivity of economic prosperity, social equity and environmental quality.

4. identify the most serious environmental problems globally and locally and explain their underlying causes and possible consequences.

5. students will be able to create models, products, designs or creative representations that highlight an understanding of the connections between people, processes and the environment.

Links between Educational Goals and Outcomes for Environmental Sustainability

The student learning outcomes were developed in relationship to the “Educational Goals for the Baccalaureate at San Francisco State University.” The chart below illustrates that relationship for Environmental Sustainability. The numbers correspond to the way the educational goals and student learning outcomes are numbered above.