Sustainable systems engineering is a technical, transdisciplinary field focusing on how to design, integrate, and manage complex systems over their life cycles, with the goal of addressing climate change, energy, environmental, and economic sustainability. The discipline of sustainability grows from the recognition that the current trajectory humans are on cannot be sustained unless the problem is understood and actions are implemented. This minor gives the foundation in sustainability, climate change, and energy from a systems engineering perspective, and creates a foundational understanding of local and global problems from a social, economic, and environmental perspective as well. Solutions for many of the complex, large-scale sustainability issues we currently face, such as social injustice, economic inequity, environmental destruction, energy shortages, and climate change, require an understanding of these issues. The topics on energy are inherently multidisciplinary and intertwined with climate change and substantiality, and it is imperative to understand the economics and policy driving their nexus. The minor in sustainable systems engineering offers an attractive complement to many undergraduate majors. This minor is open to all majors, and especially appropriate for students in the natural sciences, computational sciences, information technology, finance, economics, mathematics, engineering, or computer science programs.
Policies
Eight credits of coursework must be unique to the minor and students must complete all coursework with a minimum GPA of 2.00. For policies governing all minors, see AP.5.3.4 Minors.
Minor Requirements
Total credits: 15-17
Note: Some of the courses listed below have additional prerequisites. Students should pay careful attention to prerequisites when selecting courses.
Required Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SYST 414 | Systems Thinking | 3 |
| SYST 473 | Decision and Risk Analysis | 3 |
| SYST 496 | Sustainable Systems Methods Practicum | 3 |
| Select one course from the following: | 3-4 | |
| Global Warming: Weather, Climate, and Society (Mason Core) | ||
| Introduction to Global Climate Change Science (Mason Core) | ||
| Engineering Economy | ||
| Introduction to Renewable Energy | ||
| Energy Infrastructure, Market, and Management | ||
| Physics of Renewable Energy | ||
| Electricity Sector Engineering, Economics, and Regulation | ||
| Energy Policy | ||
| Renewable Energy Engineering | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 3-4 | |
| Environmental Issues and Solutions Around the World (Mason Core) | ||
| Environment and You: Issues for the Twenty-First Century (Mason Core) | ||
| Sustainable World (Mason Core) | ||
| Economics of Environmental Policy | ||
| Introduction to Environmental Policy | ||
| Food-Energy-Water-Climate Nexus | ||
| Smart Grid and Cyber Security | ||
| Sustainability in Action (Mason Core) | ||
| Total Credits | 15-17 | |