Why minor in Sustainable Business and Consumption?

The Sustainable Business and Consumption minor empowers you to lead businesses toward more sustainable and responsible practices. You’ll learn how to apply environmentally conscious strategies across industries, from product design and sourcing to operations. Courses cover topics like product development, responsible sourcing, entrepreneurship, retailing and market strategy, giving you the tools to evaluate how consumer behavior, production and business decisions impact the environment and society.

Through hands-on projects and experiential learning, you’ll explore how consumers make decisions, how products and supply chains can be designed for sustainability, and how businesses balance profitability with social and environmental goals. You’ll leave with the skills to identify opportunities for sustainable innovation across industries.

Whether your goal is to develop sustainable retail strategies for global brands, launch your own eco-conscious startup, or manage responsible sourcing and supply chains in the food or fashion industries, this minor provides the foundation to lead change in a variety of industries.

Degree Requirements & Courses

The minor requires six courses, or 18 units. 

Core:
Complete 9 units from the following:

• RCSC 150B1 (3) Consumers, Environment and Sustainable Consumption OR RCSC 240 (3) Consumer Behavior OR MKTG 450 (3) Consumer Behavior
• RCSC 380 (3) Sustainable Consumption
• RCSC 480 (3) Sustainable Retailing

Electives:
Complete 9 units from the following:

• RCSC 325 (3) Retail Innovation and Entrepreneurship
• RCSC 326 (3) Product Development
• RCSC 330 (3) Food Retailing Principles
• HECL 331 (3) Consumers, Food and the Future of Eating
• RCSC 350 (3) Supply Chain Management
• RCSC 385 (3) Responsible Sourcing and Supply Chain
• RCSC 400 (3) Retail Marketing Strategy
• RCSC 485 (3) Sustainable Marketing
• RCSC 496A Special Topic (Designated as a sustainability topic)