---
title: "Sustainability Studies Minor"
url: "/academics/programs/sustainability-studies-minor"
type: program
date: 2026-09-23
updated: 2026-09-23
---
# Sustainability Studies Minor
# Sustainability Studies Minor
**Open to any major, Manhattan University's Sustainability Studies minor builds the skills and experience to solve environmental, economic, and social problems.**
Open to undergraduates in all three of Manhattan University's schools, the Sustainability Studies minor helps you understand how environmental, economic, and social issues connect and gives you practical experience working on them. Courses in environmental science, your own field, and a second school lead to a capstone where you apply what you've learned to a real project.
[ Visit Manhattan University ](/admissions/visit)
[ Request Information ](/admissions/undergraduate/request-information) [ Apply to Manhattan University ](/admissions/undergraduate/apply)
Credit Hours15
Time to CompleteCompleted as Part of Bachelor Degree
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This program is part of [Interdisciplinary Studies](/academics/kakos)
What Set's Us Apart The Manhattan University Difference
## What Sets Us Apart
Not long ago, sustainability was something only environmental scientists studied. Today it is part of the job in nearly every field, and the problems behind it rarely fit inside a single discipline. This minor was designed with that reality in mind. Rather than living inside one department, it brings the science, the economics, and the policy together in a single program, then puts you to work on an actual problem in a city where those questions are anything but abstract. Few sustainability minors in the region combine that cross-school design with real professional experience.
Start With the Science
Every student begins with Introduction to Environmental Science and Sustainability, which explains how natural systems work and how human activity affects them. That scientific and systems-based footing supports everything else you'll do in the minor.
Depth in Your Own Field
Two of your five courses come from your home school, so the minor builds on what you already study rather than pulling you away from it. Your sustainability expertise speaks the language of your profession.
A Course From Another School
One course comes from outside your school. An engineer might study environmental politics, a business major might take environmental health, and everyone learns to see a problem the way a different profession does.
A Capstone With Real Clients
In the Urban Sustainability Consulting Capstone, you'll join students from other majors to tackle a real problem for a nonprofit, public agency, or company, then deliver a professional consulting report and public presentation.
Designed to Fit Your Degree Plan
Nearly every course already runs regularly, and most cross-school options have no prerequisites, so pre-law, business, engineering, and public health students alike can add the minor without much rearranging of their degree plans.
Ethics and Equity, Built In
Sustainability raises hard questions about who bears the costs of pollution, energy, and infrastructure decisions. In keeping with our Lasallian mission of service, you'll study environmental justice and equity alongside the science and economics.
Why Study Sustainability Image
The Manhattan Advantage
## Why Study Sustainability Studies at Manhattan University?
Sustainability work looks different depending on where you stand. In a company, it means ESG reporting, sustainability strategy, and regulatory compliance. In engineering, it means clean energy, resilient infrastructure, and environmental cleanup. In public health, it means understanding how environmental conditions shape people's health, and in law and government, it means climate policy and environmental regulation. Most students see only one of those views. Because the minor requires coursework from more than one school, you learn how scientists, economists, engineers, and policymakers each approach the same problem, which is what real sustainability work requires.
This sustainability minor draws on scientific literacy, economic analysis, ethical reasoning, and systems thinking. These are the same foundations a liberal arts education is meant to build, and they pay off after graduation. You'll be prepared for careers and graduate study in sustainable engineering, environmental policy, corporate sustainability, public health, environmental law, and urban planning, and you'll have a credential that strengthens an application to law school, business school, or a graduate program.
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Curriculum & Courses
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## Why Study in New York City
New York City is confronting sustainability questions at a scale few places can match: protecting neighborhoods from flooding and heat, modernizing aging infrastructure, shifting the country's largest city toward clean energy, and correcting the uneven way environmental burdens fall across communities. For students in the minor, that makes the city a living laboratory. The challenges you read about in class are being worked on a subway ride from campus, by the agencies, nonprofits, and companies you may end up partnering with, interning for, or joining after graduation.
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Potential Careers
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About
## One Minor, Three Schools
The Sustainability Studies minor was developed by faculty and deans from chemistry, chemical engineering, civil and environmental engineering, economics and finance, marketing and management, and political science, a collaboration spanning the entire University. The Kakos School of Arts and Sciences anchors the science, public health, and policy coursework, the AACSB-accredited O'Malley School of Business connects sustainability to environmental economics and ESG strategy, and the School of Engineering brings applied depth in energy, water, and sustainable design. Grounded in the Lasallian Catholic mission and located near the heart of New York City, the three schools offer a minor that complements every major.
[ Explore Kakos School of Arts and Sciences ](/academics/kakos) [ Explore the O'Malley School of Business ](/academics/business) [ Explore the School of Engineering ](/academics/engineering)
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Program Costs & Financial Aid ## Program Costs & Financial Aid
Manhattan University is committed to making a high-quality, career-focused education accessible and affordable. Through a combination of competitive tuition, robust financial aid, and our **Jasper Guarantee**, students and families can plan their education with confidence. The Jasper Guarantee locks your tuition rate for all four years—ensuring financial stability and eliminating unexpected increases as you work toward your degree.
More than 90% of Manhattan University students receive some form of financial assistance, including merit scholarships, grants, and need-based aid, significantly reducing the overall cost of attendance.
- **Tuition & Fees:** View current undergraduate rates
- **Financial Aid:** 90%+ of students receive aid
- **Scholarships:** Multiple merit- and need-based opportunities
- **Jasper Guarantee:** Your tuition rate is locked for all four years
A Manhattan University education is an investment in your future, and we are dedicated to helping you access the resources that make it possible.
[Learn More About Costs and Financial Aid](/admissions/financial-aid/)
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A Smarter Investment in Your Future
## Jasper Guarantee
At Manhattan University, every undergraduate student is protected by the Jasper Guarantee, which locks your tuition rate for all four years—ensuring clarity, stability, and peace of mind as you plan your education. This promise reflects our commitment to affordability and to supporting students and families throughout their academic journey.
[ Learn More About the Jasper Guarantee ](/admissions/undergraduate/jasper-guarantee)
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Admission Information ## Admissions Information for Manhattan University
**Start Your Journey in Sustanability Studies**
Applying to Manhattan University is designed to be clear and accessible. Review the requirements below to take the next step toward your degree.
**Requirements:**
- Application & transcript
- SAT/ACT optional
- Personal statement
- Letter(s) of recommendation
**Deadlines:**
- Early Action: November 15
- Regular Decision: February 1
[Admission and Application Process](/admissions/financial-aid/)
### International Students:
Support available for visas, documentation, and English-language assessments.
[Learn More about International Financial Aid](/admissions/international/financial-aid/)
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## Prepare for the Real World
At Manhattan University, your education is built around who you are and where you want to go. Whether you’re ready to apply or just starting to explore, take the next step when you’re ready — we’re here to help.
[Visit Manhattan University](/admissions/visit)
[Apply Today](/admissions/apply)
[Request Information](/admissions/request-information)
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## Related Programs
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[Engineering - Civil Engineering B.S.](/academics/programs/civil-engineering-bs)
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[Environmental Science B.S. / Minor](/academics/programs/environmental-science)
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[Economics BA, B.S. / Minor](/academics/programs/economics)