More than ever before, the world needs leaders who will advocate for sustainability in every situation. If you are passionate about climate change, food systems, biodiversity, water access, environmental justice, or any other aspect of sustainability, you could be one of those leaders. While you’re at U-M, consider taking your interest to the next level. This menu of options is designed to help you leverage the opportunities available so that your sustainability interest can flourish.
Undergraduate Degrees
- Climate and Meteorology (Major)
- Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering (Minor)
- Earth and Environmental Sciences (Major)
- Earth Sciences (Minor)
- Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity (Major, Minor)
- Energy Science and Policy (Minor)
- Environmental Engineering (Major, Minor)
- Food (Minor)
- Geology (Minor)
- Paleontology (Minor)
- Program in the Environment (Major, Minor)
- Program in Sustainable Engineering (Specialized Studies)
- Oceanography (Minor)
- Sustainability (Minor)
- Water (Minor)
Courses
Sustainability courses are offered across a broad range of disciplines and departments. Look for courses using the Sustainability Special Offering filter in the LSA Course Guide.
PBA Training
The Planet Blue Ambassador program is the entry point to sustainability at the University of Michigan for students, staff, and faculty. The training covers campus sustainability goals, progress to date, and how each of us can help contribute.
Resources
The Maize and Blue Cupboard provides free food and personal care products to anyone with an M-Card.
Honors Cord
The Excellence in Sustainability Honors Cord program is designed to recognize students who go above and beyond to advance their knowledge, skills, and practice of sustainability ethics while studying at U-M. Students may apply to the program their senior year to receive a Sustainability Honors Cord.
Contact
For more information about these programs or sustainability at U-M, contact planetblue@umich.edu.
Co-Curriculars
- The Sustainable Living Experience residential learning community encourages first-year students with any intended major to engage in sustainability activities, build community, and develop leadership skills.
- The Planet Blue Student Leader program teaches students best practices for nudging their peers toward sustainable behaviors, as well as valuable skills for organizing and social change.
- The Erb Undergraduate Fellows program offers the opportunity for Ross and SEAS undergraduate majors and minors to network, attend workshops, and concentrate studies at the intersection of business and sustainability.
- The Graham Sustainability Scholars program provides sustainability leadership training through a wide range of activities, including skill-building workshops, team projects with external clients, and field-based experiences.
- The U-M Sustainable Food Program is a student-led organization that coordinates, connects, and supports U-M students who are developing innovative solutions to food system problems.
- The Student Sustainability Coalition connects sustainability-focused student groups with university administrators, keeping students up to date with what’s happening on campus and promoting the collective student voice.
Funding
- The Planet Blue Student Innovation Fund (PBSIF) provides up to $50,000 per semester for ambitious, student-initiated projects that reduce the university’s environmental footprint and promote a culture of sustainability on campus.
- The Social and Environmental Sustainability Grant provides up to $2,500 per project to advance diversity-, equity-, inclusion-, and justice-focused sustainability on campus, including special events.
- The Student Food Empowerment Fund provides up to $600 for culturally relevant foods for student events and up to $1,000 for student-led food sovereignty projects. This grant is open to any registered student organization at U-M Ann Arbor.