Addressing sustainability in our society poses interdisciplinary challenges that require interdisciplinary solutions. Sustainability is frequently taught in silos within individual Faculties, and most often within individual and isolated courses. The goal of the minor is to alter this pedagogy and teach sustainability both within and across Faculties. The minor will provide a path for students to study diverse aspects of sustainability from different disciplines and integrate them into a cohesive whole. The primary responsibility for governance of the minor will be held by the Sustainability Minor Committee (SMC) comprised of an interdisciplinary group of faculty and administrators from the Faculties of Business, Engineering, Humanities, Science, Social Sciences, and the Arts & Science Program. The Arts & Science Program will host the minor by managing the administrative obligations involved, which include submitting curricular revisions based on the recommendations of the interdisciplinary SMC. The responsibility for advising students on the academic and administrative aspects of the minor will reside within the student’s home Faculty. Information about the interdisciplinary minor will also be provided in SUSTAIN 1S03, which students should take as soon as possible.
More information on the Interdisciplinary Minor in Sustainability can be found at http://asp.mcmaster.ca/minor.html. Students are encouraged to speak to their faculty advisers. Specific questions may be sent to asp@mcmaster.ca.