Those interested in learning about the origins of the Sustainability Studies program at Roosevelt University can check out the new journal article just published by program co-founders Michael Bryson and Carl Zimring. Their essay, entitled “Creating the Sustainable City: Building a Seminar (and Curriculum) through Interdisciplinary Learning,” appears in the latest issue of the academic journal Metropolitan Universities (click here for a pdf version). Bryson and Zimring’s discussion is part of a series of articles documenting “The Green Revolution of Metropolitan Universities,” which has emerged as a growing trend in higher education. As their abstract notes:
Using the wealth of sites available in the Chicago metropolitan area, on-line learning technologies, and classroom interactions, Roosevelt University’s spring 2009 seminar, “The Sustainable City,” took a multidisciplinary approach to urban ecology, waste management, green design, climate change, urban planning, parklands, water systems, environmental justice, ecological restoration, and urban agriculture. The seminar introduced adult undergraduates to the study of the Chicago metropolitan area’s natural and social environment through field trips, Blackboard-based online discussions, and team-taught lectures and in-class discussions. Most significantly, it inspired a new curriculum in Sustainability Studies at Roosevelt.
The themes and issues noted here are explored in the current and forthcoming SUST courses at Roosevelt, notably SUST 210 The Sustainable Future, which will be offered at both the Chicago and Schaumburg Campuses in spring 2011. (A preview of Prof. Bryson’s course can be seen here.)
If you are curious about enrolling at Roosevelt University for Sustainability Studies courses, please visit our Sustainability Studies website, call 1-877-277-5978 (1-877-APPLY RU) or email applyRU@roosevelt.edu.
