Sustainability and Environmental Studies
Think Critically. Act Responsibly. Lead for Change.
Sustainability and Environmental Studies (SEST) offers a dynamic, interdisciplinary education designed for students passionate about creating a more sustainable and just world.
Grounded in critical thinking, social justice, and community engagement, Sustainability and Environmental Studies invites you to explore the complex relationships between human communities and the natural world.
Whether you're passionate about climate justice, sustainable development, food systems, or global environmental politics, Sustainability and Environmental Studies will equip you with the knowledge and skills for careers that drive real-world impact toward a more just, resilient and sustainable future.
Program Highlights
- Flexibility to shape your area of focus on topics like food and energy systems, policy and politics, ethics and values, activism and social change, or community sustainability.
- Option to purse a major, minor, or honours.
- Opportunities for directed research, community-based projects, and field-based learning.
Study abroad and internship opportunities.
Rooted in Place, Oriented to the World
The watershed of the Wolastoq – the beautiful and bountiful river –is the traditional and unceded homeland of the Wolastoqey people. From STU’s hilltop campus overlooking the Wolastoq, your studies connect you with Indigenous worldviews that shape relationships with the land and water, and the responsibilities we all share as dwellers in this place. Several Sustainability and Environmental Studies courses are are taught in the Aotiitj program in Elsipogtog First Nation.
As global citizens, Sustainability and Environmental Studies coursework and extra-curricular activities connect us to international processes and a global community of changemakers working towards a common goal of a socially just, ecologically resilient world.
Why Choose Sustainability and Environmental Studies?
Interdisciplinary Learning: Blend insights from ecology, philosophy, policy and politics, economics, history, and Indigenous knowledge systems to analyze complex problems and derive solutions.
Experiential Learning: Engage in hands-on projects, field courses, community-based research, and internships that connect classroom learning with real-world impact.
Social Justice Focus: Our program centers social and ecological justice, recognizing that environmental degradation disproportionally impacts marginalized communities locally and globally, and that solutions arise from those communities.
“The Sustainability and Environmental Studies program is a challenging and transformative journey—one that will push you to think critically and inspire the changemaker within. As you pursue your major, you will become part of a powerful community of passionate individuals, all driven by a shared commitment to building a sustainable and just future.”
Jenna Polchies, Wotstak (Woodstock) First Nation, Class of 2025
“I enjoyed the flexibility to shape projects around my own interests. The small class sizes, freedom to express my opinions, and supportive professors created a collaborative learning environment that prepared me for my work as a Project Leader with the Petitcodiac Watershed Alliance.”
Arabella LeBlanc, Colpitts Settlement, NB, Class of 2024
What You’ll Learn
Students in the Sustainability and Environmental Studies program graduate with:
- The ability to connect environmental concerns with questions of ethics and human rights.
- The ability to analyze sustainability through ethical, cultural, economic, and scientific perspectives.
- Practical tools for sustainability assessment, community engagement, and sustainable development.
- Research, writing, and communication skills that transfer across careers and fields.
- Appreciation of the complexity of sustainability problems and solutions and recognition of your place within those complex relations.
Where the study of Sustainability and Environmental Studies Can Take You
Our graduates go on to make a difference in fields like:
- Entrepreneurship, social enterprise and sustainable business
- Renewable energy and sustainable food systems
- Climate change adaptation and mitigation
- Non-profit sector leadership and advocacy
- Public service - municipal, provincial, federal, international
- Policy research and urban planning
- Environmental law and journalism
- Communications and marketing
- Education and public health promotion
- Graduate studies in diverse fields
“Our Sustainability and Environmental Studies program is designed with your future in mind. By the time you graduate, you’ll be ready to take on meaningful roles in sustainability innovation and leadership — transforming your passion into a purposeful career in a rapidly changing world.”
Dr. Janice Harvey, Director, Sustainability and Environmental Studies
Featured Courses
Understanding Environmental Problems
Understanding Sustainability
Food and Society
Energy and Society
UN Sustainable Development Goals: Critical Perspectives
Climate Crisis: Society at a Crossroads
Healthy Planet, Healthy People
Pathways to Community Sustainability
Communicating Sustainability
Global Environmental Politics
Canadian Environmental Law and Policy
Ready to Make a Difference?
Join our vibrant community of scholars and changemakers. Explore complex systems. Challenge assumptions. Shape a more resilient future. You won’t just be studying sustainability; you’ll be living it. Sustainability and Environmental Studies prepares you for careers in diverse fields—and for a lifetime of thoughtful, informed action.