Professionalizing Sustainability in Higher Education
If you wanted to get a green job, to be part of the green economy, to do good and get paid, how would you do it? The field of "sustainability" is struggling as it professionalizes. Universities are facing pressure from students who demand degrees and curriculum that will prepare them for green jobs. Who decides how a green professional is trained? What courses should a freshly-minted college graduate have to get a job in the green economy? Let's explore how some campuses are answering these questions:
Arizona State University was the first school to offer a degree program in sustainability. They actually offer two degrees with two different course programs. Within ASU's Bachelor of Science in Sustainability students can emphasize economics, managing ecosystems, or resources and technology. The Bachelor of Arts in Sustainability emphasizes humanities and social science courses in environmental policy, international development, and urban sustainability. ASU also offers graduate degrees in sustainability that have a great deal of flexibility and are largely designed by students and faculty advisors. Though the Sundevils have a leg up on many universities with their School of Sustainability (see the video below), other schools are putting together programs, as well.
Welcome to the School of Sustainability from Institute of Sustainability on Vimeo.
The interdisciplinary nature of sustainability poses problems and opportunities for universities as they try to decide what makes a green professional. ASU has split their degree: one for harder sciences and one for humanities and social sciences. The division of most institutions into different colleges (Letters and Sciences, Agriculture, etc.) can work against a truly interdisciplinary approach to sustainability.
If you wanted to get a green job, to be part of the green economy, to do good and get paid, how would you do it? The field of "sustainability" is struggling as it professionalizes. Universities are facing pressure from students who demand degrees and curriculum that will prepare them for green jobs. Who decides how a green professional is trained? What courses should a freshly-minted college graduate have to get a job in the green economy? Let's explore how some campuses are answering these questions:
Arizona State University was the first school to offer a degree program in sustainability. They actually offer two degrees with two different course programs. Within ASU's Bachelor of Science in Sustainability students can emphasize economics, managing ecosystems, or resources and technology. The Bachelor of Arts in Sustainability emphasizes humanities and social science courses in environmental policy, international development, and urban sustainability. ASU also offers graduate degrees in sustainability that have a great deal of flexibility and are largely designed by students and faculty advisors. Though the Sundevils have a leg up on many universities with their School of Sustainability (see the video below), other schools are putting together programs, as well.
Welcome to the School of Sustainability from Institute of Sustainability on Vimeo.
The interdisciplinary nature of sustainability poses problems and opportunities for universities as they try to decide what makes a green professional. ASU has split their degree: one for harder sciences and one for humanities and social sciences. The division of most institutions into different colleges (Letters and Sciences, Agriculture, etc.) can work against a truly interdisciplinary approach to sustainability.
Responding to student demand, many schools are evaluating their slate of courses with an eye to selecting those that have a focus on the environment. Others are scrambling to cobble together courses they already offer to put together a degree program. For a true sense of the diversity of coursework and programs that identify themselves as sustainable, check out this list.
Most large universities seem to be developing "institutes" that can help them bridge the disciplinary divides to make broad coursework in sustainability possible for students. The University of Wisconsin is taking its Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies in this direction. The Institute, named in honor of Earth Day's founder Gaylord Nelson, now only offers a certificate in Environmental Studies if you are an undergraduate. At Wisconsin, like many other schools, students have to commit to a disciplinary home base in politics, 
forestry, biology, business, or any number of other departments and then build their degree program with the help of faculty advisors. This multi-disciplinary degree in environmental studies is the approach other schools take: University of Delaware's Center for Energy and Environmental Policy, the University of Florida's Natural Resource School, and Ball State's sustainability minors are all examples of ways schools approach sustainability and environmental studies.
forestry, biology, business, or any number of other departments and then build their degree program with the help of faculty advisors. This multi-disciplinary degree in environmental studies is the approach other schools take: University of Delaware's Center for Energy and Environmental Policy, the University of Florida's Natural Resource School, and Ball State's sustainability minors are all examples of ways schools approach sustainability and environmental studies.Schools of Architecture and Design have also been quick to incorporate sustainability into their degree programs. Check out the University of Texas and Yale University have programs that emphasize sustainability and environmental awareness in design. Colorado State University has a program in Construction Management that offers an emphasis in sustainability.
There is a lot at stake in this professionalization battle. Which disciplines will dominate the debate on sustainability and the environment will have far-reaching consequences for our world. What courses do you think should be a part of a degree in sustainability? Should the engineers, biologists, business leaders, or policy folks steer the debate on environmental issues?
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment