Abstract

Ecosystems underpin human well-being by regulating climate, cycling nutrients, supplying food and water, and buffering hazards—functions that directly and indirectly shape progress across the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Yet many “Ecosystem/Ecology” courses in higher education still emphasize disciplinary content without systematically translating ecosystem knowledge into SDG-relevant competencies, decision-making skills, and action-oriented learning. This article develops a typology of an “Ecosystem” course explicitly designed to support SDG achievement through (1) ecosystem typology as an organizing backbone, (2) ecosystem services and nature’s contributions to people as a learning bridge, and (3) sustainability competencies as intended outcomes. Using an integrative framework synthesis drawing on global ecosystem typology, ecosystem services assessments, ESD-for-2030 guidance, and competency-based curriculum design, we propose a four-type course typology: Type I—Foundational Ecosystem Literacy, Type II—Ecosystem Services & SDG Linkages, Type III—Socio-ecological Problem-Solving Studio, and Type IV—Transformative/Regenerative Ecosystem Design. Each type is defined by its learning aims, core concepts, pedagogies, assessment patterns, and SDG alignment profile. We provide a practical design toolkit: (a) a matrix to place a course on ecological–social complexity axes, (b) a semester map template using ecosystem functional groups, (c) assessment blueprints for systems thinking, futures thinking, values reasoning, strategy, and collaboration, and (d) example modules connecting local ecosystems to SDG targets. The typology offers a menu for institutions to redesign existing ecosystem courses, scaffold learning progression across years, and document SDG contributions in an evidence-based, assessable way.