Sustainability Studies

Minor

The Sustainability Studies program at Mercyhurst University prepares students to understand and respond to the immense environmental, social, and economic issues that increasingly shape our world. Students choose courses that foster a holistic understanding of topics including climate change, environmental justice, food systems, energy transitions, and sustainable economies. Throughout the program, students hone their systems-thinking and problem-solving skills to graduate with the necessary green skills to enhance their professional and personal lives.

Drawing from the humanities, social and behavioral sciences, as well as natural sciences, the program emphasizes a multidisciplinary analysis of contemporary environmental crises. Students take three required courses before choosing three electives from a multidisciplinary list, tailoring their minor to their own career goals and passions. While learning from a diverse and knowledgeable faculty, students expand their understanding of the world and challenge the status quo.

Mercyhurst graduates become powerful change-makers, helping to advance a more just and secure future wherever they go. By adding a Sustainability Studies minor, graduates are prepared to enhance their resumes with high-demand green skills and transform their professional lives with a holistic and sustainable point of view. This minor pairs well with a degree in Environmental Science, Business, Fashion Merchandising, Anthropology, Religious Studies, Political Science, and more.

Fast Facts

Green projects come to life at Mercyhurst! All students have access to our Student Sustainability Fund, a pool of money designated to support innovative sustainability projects through small grants. Students enhance campus with their ideas while building their resumes and gaining valuable project management experience.
Students in Sustainability Studies have the opportunity to meet and interact with relevant professionals in the area through lectures, class visits, and volunteering. Erie’s environmental scene is booming, with organizations in urban farming, environmental justice, climate advocacy, urban planning, energy efficiency, and more!
Students are encouraged to engage with Mercyhurst’s Office of Sustainability to gain valuable experience through work study programs, campus club leadership roles, membership on all-university committees, and attendance at events and guest lectures.

Fast-Growing and Diverse Green Jobs Market

Mercyhurst Sustainability Studies graduates will enter a fast-growing and diverse green jobs market. According to LinkedIn's 2023 Global Green Skills Report, between 2018 and 2023, there is a shortage of qualified employees as:

Jobs Requiring One Green Skill Increased by 22%

Workers With Green Skills Increased by 12%

Only 1 in 8 Workers Possess at Least One Green Skill

Median Hiring Rate for Green Talent is 29%

Higher Than Workforce Average

Learning Outcomes

Demonstrate an understanding of the complex, systemic, and multidisciplinary nature of environmental challenges.
Develop the foundational knowledge and skills to implement sustainable initiatives in professional contexts.
Prepare to engage diverse communities in projects that meaningfully benefit both human welfare and ecological health.

Minor

Minor Requirements:

SUST 101: Foundations of Sustainability
SCI 100: Environmental Problem Solving
SUST 210: Responding to Climate Change
Three qualifying electives

Undergraduate Course Catalog

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To be considered for a bachelor’s degree, associate's degree, or certificate program, applicants are required to submit an application; a high school transcript, other evidence of high school completion, or equivalency (e.g. a GED diploma or certificate and substantiating scores); and, in some cases, a writing sample or letter of recommendation. SAT or ACT scores are not required for admission, but students are invited to submit their official test scores if they consider them a positive component of their admissions portfolio.

Campus Projects

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Student Workers

Opportunities for a paid work study position are available through the Office of Sustainability! With supervision by the Sustainability Coordinator, student workers have the flexibility to design and implement sustainability projects around campus. Past projects include the development of a sustainability newsletter, establishing rain barrels on campus, conducting a tree inventory for campus, and investigating a Green Cleaning Plan to eliminate harmful chemicals in our housekeeping practices. Pictured here, student worker Morgan proudly shows the potato she helped dig from the garden!
Student Clubs

At Mercyhurst, sustainability does not only happen in the classroom. Our campus is home to three sustainability-themed clubs, with a wide range of opportunities for engagement and leadership! Our Sustainability Club focuses on gathering like-minded students with eco-friendly art projects, tomato canning, jelly making, and preparing a garden-fresh dinner party for employees. The Ethical Purchasing Club focuses on economic sustainability, delving into campus purchasing, introducing ethically sourced merchandise in our Bookstore, and hosting a local farmers market. Citizen’s Climate Lobby is our politically active club, advocating for green policies, traveling to Washington D.C. to lobby for fresh water, and participating in protests downtown.
Conferences and Professional Development

Students in Sustainability Studies have traveled to conferences across the region! Prioritizing relevant information and professional development opportunities, students will have the opportunity to engage with sustainability professionals and learn from the experts. Previous conference opportunities include the PASA Sustainable Agriculture Conference, the Ignatian Justice Summit, and the Green Building Alliance’s 2030 District Progress Luncheon. These events help students network, find internships, and get a better understanding of their desired field of work.
Business and Sustainability

At Mercyhurst, we are proud to welcome distinguished and thought-provoking guest lecturers. In February 2025, Dr. Jon Erickson visited from the University of Vermont to promote a critical aspect of holistic sustainability: ecological economics. His talk reminded us that our futures rely on responsible economic growth. Therefore, we encourage business students to add a minor in Sustainability Studies, combining their passion for innovation with a responsibility to society and the natural world.
Tower Garden

As part of our commitment to counter food insecurity at the City of Erie, Mercyhurst University organizes the Tower Garden Lending Program, pictured here at Diehl Elementary School. These vertical aeroponic grow towers allow for the growth of leafy greens, small flowering fruits, and flowers indoors throughout all seasons. Pictured here, former VISTA Amber Marshall harvests lettuce for a 5th-grade lunch!
Greenhouse

Our most recent addition to the campus’s green infrastructure is our rooftop greenhouse, proudly opened to the public in November 2023. This greenhouse will serve as a conservatory for interesting plants, a growing space for year-round vegetables, a research opportunity for classes, student projects, and a workplace for gardening and potting in preparation for the growing season. Featuring such plants as a Venus fly trap, a rubber tree, a living stone, and a banana tree, the greenhouse is a beautiful oasis during the chilly winter months.
Tiny Forest

Urban forestry is a priority on campus and in the City of Erie. Trees provide many benefits, such as shade, food, water retention, and wildlife habitat. Mercyhurst’s Tiny Forest, pictured here, is the eighth such planting in the country and is host to almost 600 native trees within the space of a tennis court! Our commitment to trees is further highlighted by the over 100 trees planted in October 2025 to increase our own campus biodiversity and canopy, as well as the formation of a Landscaping Committee to help regulate tree maintenance and replacement.
Hurst's Sustainable Commitment

Mercyhurst's sustainability commitment goes beyond our gates and into the City of Erie. With partnerships formed throughout the city, a Mercyhurst education gives opportunities for innovative collaborations with businesses, nonprofits, local school districts, and neighborhoods. Pictured here, Sustainability Coordinator Molly Tarvin and Coordinator of Service and Justice Deonte Cooley serve Mercyhurst-grown salads at United Way’s National Night Out, complete with lettuce, kohlrabi, parsley, kale, and chives!