Sustainability and Ecological Literacy

This award is not eligible for Financial Aid

The interdisciplinary Academic Certificate (AC) in Sustainability and Ecological Literacy enhances students' understanding of sustainable living practices associated with economics, equity and the environment. Through a combination of coursework and experiential learning, students engage in critical thinking, inquiry, and discourse, skills necessary for becoming socially responsible citizens who are ecologically and environmentally aware. The certificate is designed for, although not limited to, students seeking an Associate in Arts Degree and planning transfer to four-year colleges and universities.

Details

Field of Interest
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
Degree Type
Academic Certificate (AC)
Academic Plan
Sustainability and Ecological Literacy (CER)
Academic Plan Code
6232N
Total credits required
16
Catalog Year
2025-2026
Effective Term
Fall 2025
Notes

Students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses within the program.
This program is not eligible for Title IV Federal Financial Aid.

What You'll Learn
  • Apply ethical theories and moral principles to global environmental moral issues.
  • Analyze pragmatic and intrinsic perspectives of ecology.
  • Compose oral and written discourse that defends a position on global environmental issues.
  • Use variety of analytical tools to critically analyze environmental quality and natural resource problems.
  • Analyze various cultural perspectives on the environment.
  • Demonstrate cognitive and socio-emotional awareness of nature.
Career Statistics

Successful completion of this certificate may lead to employment in a variety of different occupations and industries. Below are examples of related occupations with associated Arizona-based wages* for this certificate. Education requirements vary for the occupations listed below, so you may need further education or degrees in order to qualify for some of these jobs and earn the related salaries. Please visit with an academic advisor and/or program director for additional information. You can click on any occupation to view the detail regarding education level, wages, and employment information.

Environmental Science Teachers, Postsecondary
$90,820
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health
$66,390

* Career and wage information provided by Pipeline AZ using data, reports, and forecasts which are generated using government data sources. Sources

Course Sequence by Term

The following is the suggested course sequence by term. Please keep in mind:

  • Students should meet with an academic advisor to develop an individual education plan that meets their academic and career goals. Use the Degree Progress Report Tool in your Student Center to manage your plan.
  • The course sequence is laid out by suggested term and may be affected when students enter the program at different times of the year.
  • Initial course placement is determined by current district placement measures and/or completion of 100-200 level course and/or program requirements.
  • Degree and transfer seeking students may be required to successfully complete a MCCCD First Year Experience Course (FYE) within the first two semesters at a MCCCD College. Courses include FYE101 and FYE103. Course offerings will vary by college. See an academic, program, or faculty advisor for details.

Full-time Sequence

Full-time status is 12 credits to 18 credits per semester.

Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
PHI216 Environmental Ethics HU 3
BIO105 Environmental Biology NSI, SQ 4
GLG110 Geological Disasters and the Environment NSI in combo w/ GLG111; 3
GLG111 Geological Disasters and the Environment Lab NSI in combo w/ GLG110; 1
ENH206 Nature and Environmental Literature Students will choose 2 different courses from the following list for a total of 6 credits:
ENH206, ENH260, HUM201, RPM150AB, SBU200 		HU 3
ENH260 Literature of the Southwest AHM, C, HU 3
HUM201 Humanities: Universal Themes G, HU 3
RPM150AB Outdoor Adventure Skills 3
SBU200 Society and Business G, SB, SCB 3
HIS110 or
HIS111 or
HUM250 or
PHI104 or
POS120 or
PSY132 or
SOC101		 World History to 1500 or World History 1500 to the Present or Ideas and Values in the Humanities: Early Civilizations to the Renaissance or World Philosophy or International Relations or Psychology and Culture or Introduction to Sociology AHM, G, H, HU or AHM, G, H, HU or H, HU, L or AHM, HU or G, SB, SCB or C, G, SB, SCB or SB, SCB 3

Courses Not Currently Offered

South Mountain Community College does not currently offer these courses. These courses may be offered by other Maricopa Community Colleges as indicated below. Alternative courses, as outlined in the term-by-term course listing above, may also meet the same requirements for your degree or certificate.

Courses listed in this pathway map that are not currently offered at South Mountain Community College
Course Number Course Name Offering Colleges
ENH206 Nature and Environmental Literature Not currently offered
ENH260 Literature of the Southwest Not currently offered
GLG110 Geological Disasters and the Environment Glendale, Paradise Valley, Phoenix, Rio Salado
GLG111 Geological Disasters and the Environment Lab Glendale, Paradise Valley, Phoenix, Rio Salado
HIS110 World History to 1500 Chandler-Gilbert, Estrella Mountain, GateWay, Glendale, Mesa, Phoenix, Rio Salado, Scottsdale
HIS111 World History 1500 to the Present Chandler-Gilbert, Estrella Mountain, GateWay, Glendale, Mesa, Phoenix, Rio Salado, Scottsdale
HUM201 Humanities: Universal Themes Chandler-Gilbert, Estrella Mountain, GateWay, Mesa, Rio Salado
HUM250 Ideas and Values in the Humanities: Early Civilizations to the Renaissance Chandler-Gilbert, Estrella Mountain, Glendale, Mesa, Paradise Valley, Rio Salado, Scottsdale
PHI104 World Philosophy Chandler-Gilbert, Estrella Mountain, Scottsdale
PHI216 Environmental Ethics Chandler-Gilbert, Rio Salado
POS120 International Relations Chandler-Gilbert, Glendale, Mesa, Paradise Valley, Phoenix, Scottsdale
RPM150AB Outdoor Adventure Skills Rio Salado, Scottsdale
SBU200 Society and Business Chandler-Gilbert, Estrella Mountain, GateWay, Glendale, Mesa, Paradise Valley, Phoenix, Rio Salado, Scottsdale
Course Area Key
  • AHM = Arts and Humanities
  • C = Cultural Diversity in the US
  • G = Global Awareness
  • H = Historical Awareness
  • HU = Humanities, Fine Arts & Design
  • L = Literacy & Critical Inquiry
  • NSI = Natural Sciences
  • SB = Social-Behavioral Sciences
  • SCB = Social and Behavioral Sciences
  • SQ = Natural Sciences Quantitative
Disclaimer

Students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses within the program.

Course Sequence total credits may differ from the program information located on the MCCCD curriculum website due to program and system design.

This certificate is not eligible for Title IV Federal Financial Aid.

View MCCCD’s official curriculum documentation for additional details regarding the requirements of this award at https://aztransmac2.asu.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MCCCD.woa/wa/freeForm?id=16454570.

At Maricopa, we strive to provide you with accurate and current information about our degree and certificate offerings. Due to the dynamic nature of the curriculum process, course and program information is subject to change. As a result, the course list associated with this degree or certificate on this site does not represent a contract, nor does it guarantee course availability. If you are interested in pursuing this degree or certificate, we encourage you to meet with an advisor to discuss the requirements at your college for the appropriate catalog year.