Sustainable Energy Minor

Energy is intimately connected to climate change, food production and our natural resources, and it’s becoming more vital that students gain knowledge around sustainable energy practices to ensure a future in which we can thrive.

The Interdisciplinary Minor in Sustainable Energy offers undergraduate students of any major an opportunity to gain a deeper knowledge of the many dimensions of sustainable energy including aspects of energy technology, economics, policy and social factors.

Program Learning Objectives

Upon completing this program, a successful student will be able to understand:

  • Fundamental concepts of energy, including energy quantities, units, conversion, and efficiency
  • How to describe the science underlying each of the major energy sources
  • The environmental impacts of producing and consuming energy
  • The relevance of economic, social, and policy considerations to energy production and consumption
  • How to evaluate the sustainability of energy resources

Program Details

Providing society with energy in a sustainable way requires a broad understanding of technical, environmental, and social science issues. The courses for the Sustainable Energy minor will provide students with the skills and knowledge needed to navigate the transition to a sustainable energy future.

Students will complete 21 credits in core and elective classes. The minor kicks off with an introductory survey course on sustainable energy and concludes with a capstone class on the same subject. Between these sustainable energy courses, students may meet the remaining credit requirements by selecting courses from the social and economic category or focus more heavily on technical science & engineering.

Review the catalog for more information, including a list of required courses.

Education Abroad:

“Sustainable Energy Futures – Denmark”

CSU’s Education Abroad program, “Sustainable Energy Futures: Denmark,” takes students to the historic city of Copenhagen, to experience what is arguably the most sustainable capital city on the planet. This program allows students to experience first-hand how technology and cultural initiatives work symbiotically to make this city a model of sustainability practices.

To learn more about the program and the application process, visit the Education Abroad information page here.