Curriculum
Teaching & Research Subcommittee
The Teaching and Research Subcommittee, a subcommittee of the University Committee on Sustainability, seeks to develop opportunities for interdisciplinary curriculum development and research. The subcommittee supports a University-wide living-learning laboratory approach and serves as a resource for faculty engaged in promoting sustainability literacy through teaching and research.
Curriculum
Although sustainability can be learned through the study of practically any major, there are undergraduate and graduate programs at the University of Virginia that specifically address environmental issues and sustainability. UVA offers over 150 undergraduate courses that tie together the three pillars of sustainability: equity, economy, and the environment. Some relevant degree programs, undergraduate courses, and other curricular offerings are highlighted below.
One in six Charlottesville residents is food insecure. This means that about 17 people in a general 100-person lecture class at UVA lacks reliable access to affordable, nutritious food (Dictionary.com). This statistic inspired the creation of the Environment & Equity Fellowship at UVA as part of the First Lady’s Morven Food Lab. The lab’s intended purpose is to serve as a physical and organizational space where UVA students and faculty can collaborate with the Charlottesville Food Justice Network (CFJF) and the City Schoolyard Garden (CSG) to explore issues related to food, farming, and sustainability. The fellows, Alexandra Cook, a fourth year Government Major and Spanish Minor, and Jessie Duska, a fifth year Master’s of Public Health Candidate with a B.S. in Religious Studies, work under the guidance of CFJN Director Shantell Bingham. Alexandra, Jessie, and Shantell are working to support and advance efforts to address food justice and equity within the Charlottesville food system.
