108 Johnson Hall
(970) 492-4215
Coordinated by the School of Global Environmental Sustainability.
The Sustainable Energy Interdisciplinary Minor offers undergraduate students, regardless of their major, an opportunity to gain a deeper knowledge of the many dimensions of sustainable energy. Students will complete 21 credits (at least 12 upper-division credits) in core and elective courses that are relevant to the technical, environmental, and social science issues as we transition to a sustainable energy future.
Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion, students will be able to:
- Explain fundamental concepts of energy, including energy quantities, units, conversion, and efficiency.
- Describe, at a basic level, the science underlying each of the major energy sources.
- Articulate the environmental impacts of producing and consuming energy.
- Analyze the relevance of economic, social, and policy considerations to energy production and consumption.
- Evaluate the sustainability of energy resources.
Effective Fall 2025
Students must satisfactorily complete the total credits required for the minor. Minors and interdisciplinary minors require 12 or more upper-division (300- to 400-level) credits.
Additional coursework may be required due to prerequisites.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core Courses | ||
| GES 101 | Foundations of Environmental Sustainability | 3 |
| GES 141 | Introduction to Sustainable Energy | 3 |
| GES 441 | Analysis of Sustainable Energy Solutions | 3 |
| Social and Economic Issues Course List (3-6 credits must be upper-division – see list below) 1 | 6 | |
| Science and Technology Course List (3-6 credits must be upper-division – see list below) 1 | 6 | |
| Program Total Credits: | 21 | |
Social and Economic Issues Course List1
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Lower Division: | ||
| AREC 202 | Agricultural and Resource Economics (GT-SS1) | 3 |
| or ECON 202 | Principles of Microeconomics (GT-SS1) | |
| AREC 240/ECON 240 | Economics of Environmental Sustainability (GT-SS1) | 3 |
| POLS 101 | American Government and Politics (GT-SS1) | 3 |
| Upper Division: | ||
| ECON 444/AREC 444 | Economics of Energy Resources | 3 |
| ESS 542 | Greenhouse Gas Policies | 2 |
| NR 320 | Natural Resources History and Policy | 3 |
| POLS 364 | Air, Climate, and Energy Policy Analysis | 3 |
Science and Technology Course List1
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Lower Division: | ||
| ATS 150 | Science of Global Climate Change (GT-SC2) | 3 |
| May select one option from the following: | ||
| Principles of Plant Biology (GT-SC1) | ||
| Attributes of Living Systems (GT-SC1) | ||
| CBE 210 | Thermodynamic Process Analysis | 3 |
| CHEM 103 | Chemistry in Context (GT-SC2) | 3 |
| May select one course from the following: | ||
| Fundamentals of Chemistry (GT-SC2) | ||
| General Chemistry I (GT-SC2) | ||
| ESS 210/GR 210 | Physical Geography | 3 |
| May select one course from the following: | ||
| Geology and Society (GT-SC2) | ||
| Geoscience--Climate and Environmental Change (GT-SC2) | ||
| Dynamic Earth (GT-SC2) | ||
| May select one course from the following: | ||
| Physics of Everyday Phenomena (GT-SC2) | ||
| General Physics I (GT-SC1) | ||
| Physics for Scientists and Engineers I (GT-SC1) | ||
| Upper Division: | ||
| ATS 350 | Introduction to Weather and Climate | 2 |
| ATS 351 | Introduction to Weather and Climate Lab | 1 |
| ATS 555 | Air Pollution | 3 |
| BZ 440 | Plant Physiology | 3 |
| CON 476 | Sustainable Practice-Design and Construction | 3 |
| ECE 465 | Electrical Energy Generation Technologies | 3 |
| ESS 311 | Ecosystem Ecology | 3 |
| ESS 353 | Global Change Impacts, Adaptation, Mitigation | 3 |
| ESS 524 | Foundations for Carbon/Greenhouse Gas Mgmt | 3 |
| LIFE 320 | Ecology | 3 |
| MECH 337 | Thermodynamics | 4 |
| MECH 403 | Energy Engineering | 3 |
| MECH 463 | Building Energy Systems | 3 |
| MECH 575 | Solar and Alternative Energies | 3 |
| PH 361 | Physical Thermodynamics | 3 |
| SYSE 530 | Overview of Systems Engineering Processes | 3 |
| SYSE 532/ECE 532 | Dynamics of Complex Engineering Systems | 3 |
- 1
At least 9 of the 12 credits required between the two Course Lists must be upper-division (300- to 400- level) credits.