Sustainability Teaching

Learning Objectives

	Learning Objective #1: Students will demonstrate systems thinking by explaining how society, the economy, and the natural environment interrelate and influence one another holistically.
	Learning Objective #2: Students will critically reflect on their values and those of stakeholders while navigating value differences in sustainability-focused decisions.
	Learning Objective #3: Students will apply systems thinking to develop business strategies to address sustainability challenges and will critically evaluate the impact of those strategies at internal, local, national, and global levels.

Robins School Sustainability Courses

ACCT 359: Sustainability Initiatives (Special Topics)

ECON 211 Economic Development of Asia, Africa, and Latin America 

ECON 230 Environmental Economics 

ECON 234 Urban Economics 

ECON 330 Environmental and Resource Economic Theory 

MGMT 348 Environmental Management

MKT 359 Sustainable Marketing (Special Topics)  

Sustainability Minor at the University of Richmond

Beyond the courses explicitly focused on sustainability, the RSB faculty actively integrate sustainability topics across at least 41 courses spanning across various business disciplines, which include 38 undergraduate and three MBA classes. 

According to the 2024 Sustainability Teaching survey, RSB faculty incorporate at least one or two pillars of sustainability—environmental, economic, and social—into their courses. Notably, at least 12 faculty integrate all three pillars at once.

Faculty incorporate sustainability into their coursework using a diverse range of teaching methods, a few of which are outlined below:

The Sustainability Gradual Curriculum Infusion Model encourages RSB faculty to integrate sustainability into their course content, even if the course is not designated as sustainability-focused. This model allows faculty to address one or more of the sustainability learning objectives outlined at the top of the webpage, allowing students to engage with these critical concepts across diverse disciplines.

According to the 2024 Sustainability Teaching survey, RSB faculty incorporate at least one or two pillars of sustainability—environmental, economic, and social—into their courses. Notably, at least 12 faculty integrate all three pillars at once.

Faculty incorporate sustainability into their coursework using a diverse range of teaching methods, a few of which are outlined below:

Teaching Methods	Number of Faculty
Integration of sustainability within broader course discussions	26 (42.6%)
Case studies focused on sustainability	19 (31.1%)
Specific units or modules dedicated to a sustainability topic	17 (27.9%)
Ethical dilemas focused on sustainability	15 (24.6%)
Sustainability-focused assignments	10 (16.4%)
Guest speakers or panels on sustainability	6 (9.8%)
Experiential projects with sustainability themes (e.g. consulting, service learning)	5 (8.2%)
Field trips	4 (6.6%)
Simulations	2 (3.3%)