Exploring the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in Economics Courses

Using the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Principles of Economics or Survey of Economics courses can help students bring the global local.  By engaging students with activities and assignments introducing them to the SDGs, students explore how countries, governments, businesses, consumers, and individuals make continual economic choices either aligned with or in opposition to the goals.  A supplemental, yet informal, curriculum module presents ideas and activities to explore each of the 17 SDGs within the context of learning fundamental economic principles. By integrating these ideas into economics courses, students can gain a deeper understanding of how economic principles intersect with global sustainability challenges and how economic analysis can help be part of the solution to these challenges.

Janet Scott teaches Economics, International Business, and Intro to Global Studies at Southeast Community College. Janet grew up in Kenya, has travelled to 48 different countries, and has a passion for helping students explore new perspectives and find global connections. Janet has served on the SCC Global Education Team for ten years, and in 2016 was co-leader for SCC’s service-learning trip to Kenya. Over the last 6 years, Janet has worked with the Midwest Institute for International/Intercultural Education to develop and share curriculum modules to integrate international content into Principles of Economics courses.