Curriculum (beginning 2023-2024) 

Please note that the pathway above is only one example on how to complete the required courses for the minor. For more details on completing the minor, look at our checklist listed below.  

• CRSN 55 Service Learning Practicum (F, W, S, 2 units each): Needs to be taken twice. Introduction to service-learning theory and practice for students engaging in service-learning work in Rachel Carson College, Rachel Carson College-related projects, campus, and community environmental stewardship and service organizations, or public agencies. CRSN 55 is offered in the Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters.  Students planning on declaring the minor need to take CRSN 55 twice.  Students in the minor enroll with the permission of the instructor. Enrollment is restricted to Rachel Carson College members. Enrollment is limited to 40. It may be repeated up to three times (General Education Code: PR-S.) S. Watrous

Upper-division (A minimum of 25 upper-division units are required)

• CRSN 151A Sustainability Practicum in the Built Environment (Winter, 5 units): Introduction to the concepts, methods, and practices of research on sustainable energy, water, and food production and consumption; resources surveying and assessment; building energy auditing; renewable energy systems; water supply, demand, and distribution; Problem-solving in sustainability through basic STEM concepts, statistical tools and analytical methods for engaging in advanced sustainability studies, drawn from physics, chemistry, biology, ecology, engineering, electronics, sociology, economics and public policy (General Education Code: PE-T). K. Kusic-Heady 
• CRSN 151B Innovation & professionalization for sustainability designers, engineers & entrepreneurs (Spring, 5 units): How to use digital storytelling to support sustainable designs, enterprises, and projects. Using your own, or already existing projects, students will learn how best to tell the
  story of the project to educate stakeholders, funders, and participants. Class will help students
  research sources, identify audience and narrative, find the right modality, and produce and
  present a short finished product. Learning about the technologies available, what is the right fit,
  working with each other to produce a final ‘story’, as well as exploring the intersections between
  creativity, engagement, and connection. C. Weygandt and A. Friewald
• CRSN 151C Sustainability Laboratory Tools, Techniques, and Applications (Fall/Winter/Spring, 3 units)
  Spring 2024 Topic: Greywater Harvesting Systems for Habitat Creation and Drought Mitigation.This quarter we learn the skills necessary to assess, design and implement greywater systems in residences and public spaces. Greywater is relatively clean waste water from baths, showers, bathroom sinks, washing machines, and some kitchen appliances. We will discuss how this water can be reused to minimize water use, create native habitats and create cooler micro-climates. Direct hands-on experience with designing and building a laundry to landscape system and designing and assessing others. Other topics include greywater laws and permitting, as well as policy change in California to make greywater more accessible to communities and individuals. A. Friewald

• CRSN 152-1: IDEASS Lab Practicum Practical applications of knowledge emerging about the role of mycology in resource recovery and regenerative systems will include efforts in Mycorrhizal Carbon Sequestration, Post-fire Restoration and Watershed Pollution Prevention, Advanced Techniques for Waste Diversion and Resource Recovery (including degradation of food-soiled cardboard and polyurethane plastics).  T. Ball
  • Depending on interest, students will conduct project work either in a dedicated biochemistry lab on campus or at a field site in the San Vicente Redwoods. Some efforts will also support relief response the Maui wildfire disaster. 
    • CRSN 152-01 focus: Resource Recovery for a Circular Economy
• CRSN 152-2: Natural Resource Management (Kristen Heady). Natural resource management is an interdisciplinary field of study balancing ecological processes with human land uses and benefits. Land use planning, water management, ecological and cultural significance as well as physical, biological, economic and social aspects of managing natural resources are all taken into consideration. During the Natural Resource Management Laboratory Practicum, you will gain real-world experience. You can develop your own project or work on an existing project. K. Heady

• • UCSC Campus Reserve: Habitat Assessment and Human Disturbance,
    Recreational Trail Use Monitoring, Continuous Forest Inventory before fuel
    treatments   
  • Coastal Sustainability: Mussel Collecting at Davenport Landing, Seabird vs
    Pigeon Nests Along West Cliff
    • CRSN 152-02 focus: Natural Resource Management

• CRSN 152-3: Innovative Water Systems for Food and Climate Learn water harvesting practices, sustainable food production, community engagement strategies, and much more. Offers students a deep dive into four sources of nonpotable water that can be optimized to grow food, create native habitat, save money and natural resources, and ultimately restore local water cycles and impact community micro-climates. A.Friewald

• Design and build active (tanks) and passive (in ground infiltration basins) RWH systems

• Learn strategies and skills to design and build home greywater systems (laundry, showers, baths), and 

• Assess, design and monitor stormwater (drainage) and blackwater (toilets, kitchen sinks) systems.

  • CRSN 152-03 focus: Innovative Water Systems for Food and Climate . 

• CRSN 152-4: Sustainable Designs for the Built Environment  The field-based course is designed to advance sustainability education with real-world impact. Enables students to develop as change agents and to make valued contributions to sustainable-design projects that advance new technologies or strategies and bring about societal and environmental change. May be repeated for credit. S. Carter
  • CRSN 152-04 focus: Sustainable designs for the built environment.

Additional Upperdivision Elective Options (Full list of  electives linked below)

• CRSN 160 Developing Leadership to Facilitate Environmental Education (Winter, 5 units) (to be taken in preparation for leading CRSN 161): Prepares students to facilitate working groups for Sustainable Living (courses 61/161) during the spring quarter. The skills acquired during this course include facilitation skills; problem-solving; syllabus planning; curriculum building; experiential learning techniques; leadership skills; cultural competence; and non-violent communication training. Enrollment by interview only. Enrollment is restricted to sophomores, juniors, and seniors.
• CRSN 161 Education For Sustainable Living Program (Spring, 5 units): Analyzes sustainability and its application in daily life and on campus, involving collaboration between students, faculty, staff, administration, and the community. Guest lecturers, discussions, optional UC-wide retreats, and essays allow engagement with aspects of ecological and social sustainability.

Full list of our Breadth Electives