The program examines resource use and allocation through the lenses of community engagement, sustainability and environmental justice. Students benefit from a broad range of interdisciplinary courses, as well as disciplinary and methods courses carefully selected to enhance students’ technical knowledge. Professional internships, a legacy project and study abroad experiences are encouraged to provide students with experiences beyond the classroom and the university campus. Graduates of this program will be prepared to enter professions in environmental, natural resource, agricultural and community development fields through careers in education, government, private industry, non-profit organizations, and public relations and communications or enter a professional or graduate school program.

The Department of Community Sustainability is an interdisciplinary department that offers programs leading to the Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, and Doctor of Philosophy degrees.

The department's faculty reflects a unique integration of the social sciences, humanities and natural sciences across its research, teaching and outreach missions. This integration advances the department's goal of educating scholars and practitioners who are able to create, integrate and harness new knowledge to protect and improve both social and natural systems. Students can focus their interests in community sustainability around majors and courses that address natural resources and the environment, food systems, recreation and tourism, education and leadership.

The department's programs reflect an understanding that how students learn is as important as what they learn. Courses, service-learning projects, internships, study abroad programs and other co-curricular activities combine academic content with the building of competencies such as fostering dialogue and action on critical issues, decision-making, leveraging diversity in communities and organizations, encouraging innovation within organizations and/or communities, and promoting and sustaining positive change.