2020-2021

Sustainable and Resilient Communities, Minor

Department of Geography, Planning, and Recreation

College of Social and Behavioral Sciences

The Sustainable and Resilient Communities minor is designed to provide students a background in geographic man-land interactions involving community, resilience and the environment as communities seek to use or restrict resources, or respond to the environment they interface with.  Students in this minor explore the essentials of community development including infrastructure, urban planning, community need and resilience, economic and environmental impacts of development and the sustainable use of resources by user communities at the local and global levels.
 
Students will learn to assess the requirements of NEPA and write environmental assessment and impact statements, to visually represent spatial data using geographic information systems, to critically assess impacts of culture, economics and values regarding development and environmental interfaces, and evaluate land ideologies and policies formulating use and response.
 
The minor in Sustainable and Resilient Communities is a useful supplement for students preparing for careers in public lands agencies, community response agencies such as FEMA, community nonprofits at local and global scales, and conservation organizations as well as those interested in advocating as citizen planners.

  • A minor is earned in conjunction with a bachelor's degree.

    To receive a minor (18 - 24 units) at Northern Arizona University, you must complete a planned group of courses from one or more subject matter areas with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0. At least 12 units of the minor must be unique to that minor and not applied to any other minor.

In addition to University Requirements:

  • Complete individual plan requirements.

Students may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.

No more than fifty percent of the units used to satisfy minor requirements may be used to satisfy major requirements.

Minimum Units for Completion 19
Major GPA 2.0

Purpose Statement

The Sustainable and Resilient Communities minor is designed to provide students a background in geographic man-land interactions involving community, resilience and the environment as communities seek to use or restrict resources, or respond to the environment they interface with.  Students in this minor explore the essentials of community development including infrastructure, urban planning, community need and resilience, economic and environmental impacts of development and the sustainable use of resources by user communities at the local and global levels.
 
Students will learn to assess the requirements of NEPA and write environmental assessment and impact statements, to visually represent spatial data using geographic information systems, to critically assess impacts of culture, economics and values regarding development and environmental interfaces, and evaluate land ideologies and policies formulating use and response.
 
The minor in Sustainable and Resilient Communities is a useful supplement for students preparing for careers in public lands agencies, community response agencies such as FEMA, community nonprofits at local and global scales, and conservation organizations as well as those interested in advocating as citizen planners.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to:

  • Understand the basic principles of community development including human and environmental interfaces, infrastructures, community need and environmental limitations.
  • Critically analyze environmental and human change in interface areas and built environments.
  • Understand development issues in both developed and developing world areas including sustainable use of resources, change and resilience.
  • Research, analyze and communicate through mapping technologies and location analysis.

Minor Requirements
  • Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.