Studying Sustainability

This is Your World

Two students researching in the field

Sustainability is the commitment to safeguard a healthy and productive planet now and for generations to come. This matters to you, and it matters to us, too.

This is your world. Let's work together to protect it.

At the UNH College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, sustainability is at the core of everything we do. Sustainability informs our faculty’s approach to research and teaching, our capital investments, and our operational practices.

We believe deeply that the most valuable education is not just one that provides you with the ability to meet the needs and solve the challenges of the present, but one that teaches you to understand how actions and decisions impact the future.

As a student at the UNH College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, there will be many opportunities for you to think and live sustainably and for sustainable thinking to shape and direct the course of your studies and, eventually, your professional life.

1

STARS Platinum

The highest possible from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) in recognition of our sustainability achievements.

 

4

"Coolest" School

The Sierra Club, recognizing our leadership in sustainability and our commitment to protecting the environment, addressing climate issues, and encouraging environmental responsibility.

 

1

Best Alternative Energy College

Great Value Colleges has recognized UNH at the top of a list of 50 universities that use the greenest power sources.

 

2

Ecology Research

Journal of Ecology

 

8

Best Environmental Science Program

Schools.com

Majors

Discover your sustainable pathway. Regardless of the major you choose, you can take coursework or engage in extra-curricular experiences that will prepare you to think and live sustainably and develop a holistic understanding of the world and its interconnectedness. Here, we highlight the programs that have an exceptionally strong focus on sustainable thinking and problem-solving.

Dual Majors

Explore the multi-disciplinary dual majors, which bring together subjects from two or more colleges on campus to create a unique academic program.

Minors

Add an important perspective to your education with a minor that offers a significant focus on sustainability. Choose to minor in any of the majors listed above, or consider these additional programs.

Study Abroad

Take advantage of extraordinary opportunities to learn about sustainable practices in another part of the world.

Additional Opportunities and Resources

Reach beyond your coursework to challenge yourself through meaningful and skill-building research and internships.

  • Hands-on environmental studies for U.S. students
    Ecology, sustainability, and environmental science were the focus of a special visit by EcoQuest’s international students to the Ramsar wetland at Pūkorokoro Miranda on 28 October 2022.
    Hands-on environmental studies for U.S. students
    Ecology, sustainability, and environmental science were the focus of a special visit by EcoQuest’s international students to the Ramsar wetland at Pūkorokoro Miranda on 28 October 2022.
  • Promoting energy efficiency within the food service industry
    Madelyn Bradley is an environmental and resource economics major from Wakefield, R.I. who was awarded a sustainability fellowship by the UNH Sustainability Institute.
    Promoting energy efficiency within the food service industry
    Madelyn Bradley is an environmental and resource economics major from Wakefield, R.I. who was awarded a sustainability fellowship by the UNH Sustainability Institute.
  • Preparing for a career protecting vulnerable ecological communities
    A passion for wildlife and its habitats has been propelling Grace McCulloch out of bed very early this summer. On weekday mornings, Grace wakes at 3:30 a.m. and heads to one of the many sites in New Hampshire where she’s studying the birds that depend on the climate-change-threatened saltmarsh...
    Preparing for a career protecting vulnerable ecological communities
    A passion for wildlife and its habitats has been propelling Grace McCulloch out of bed very early this summer. On weekday mornings, Grace wakes at 3:30 a.m. and heads to one of the many sites in New Hampshire where she’s studying the birds that depend on the climate-change-threatened saltmarsh...
  • A Rising Tide? The role of social networks for women oyster farmers in Maine and New Hampshire
    Natalie Lord is pursuing her master’s degree in environmental conservation and sustainability and plans to apply her skills and knowledge to a career in marine science management.
    A Rising Tide? The role of social networks for women oyster farmers in Maine and New Hampshire
    Natalie Lord is pursuing her master’s degree in environmental conservation and sustainability and plans to apply her skills and knowledge to a career in marine science management.
  • Learning how to use solutions-based research to protect oceans
    Kennedy McGrath is a dual major in marine, estuarine and freshwater biology and sustainability with a minor in marine policy. Kennedy conducts research on marine plastic pollution, and she is currently being mentored by Taja Sims-Harper, a doctoral candidate in the marine biology Ph.D. program.
    Learning how to use solutions-based research to protect oceans
    Kennedy McGrath is a dual major in marine, estuarine and freshwater biology and sustainability with a minor in marine policy. Kennedy conducts research on marine plastic pollution, and she is currently being mentored by Taja Sims-Harper, a doctoral candidate in the marine biology Ph.D. program.