Welcome to the Environmental Program at University
of Vermont. This broadly interdisciplinary program is a campus-wide
program serving students in four colleges across the university. Established
in 1972, the Environmental Program was developed to meet the need for
greater understanding of the ecological and cultural systems supporting
and impacting all life on earth. Our students and faculty come from
New England and beyond, and represent many perspectives and motivations
for studying the environment. We currently serve over 350 majors pursuing
interests as diverse as environmental education, international development,
sustainable agriculture, environmental law and policy, religion and
ecology, and landscape restoration.
The Environmental Program offers a major in Environmental
Studies (ENVS) that can be pursued in four different colleges, including The College of Education and Social Services. Students can
choose which college best suits their broad educational needs and then
pursue the Environmental Studies major from within that college. While
major requirements differ slightly from college to college, the core
curriculum is the same. Following the introductory courses and working
closely with our advisors, each student creates a plan for an individually-designed
major concentration in their focus area of choice. This learning plan
culminates in a final capstone project or thesis, usually carried out
in the senior year.
Environmental Studies students at UVM find they are
part of a vibrant and creative culture. We encourage community engagement
through internships and service learning and we support student activism
and political awareness. We promote environmental education at all levels
as well as artistic expression of environmental values. The faculty
are committed interdisciplinary thinkers drawing on the sciences, social
sciences, and humanities in their work. The Environmental Program community
is a lively hub of activity, addressing local and global issues with
equal concern. We believe in collaborative problem-solving and the power
of human imagination to create a more sustainable future. We think you
will find this Program a beacon of hope amidst the very challenging
environmental dilemmas that face humanity.
The College of Education and Social Services
offers a curriculum emphasizing the education philosophy and practical
teaching methods as they apply to environmental education. Students
choosing ENVS concentrations must meet the college distribution requirements,
which provide a broad general education background useful for teaching
all age levels. The College of Education and Social Services prepares
students for professional work in education, social work, and human
services, with the aim of creating a more humane and just society that
fosters respect for ethnic and cultural diversity, and maximizes quality
of life.
The Major in Environmental Studies in the College of Education and Social Services
(For Early Education, Elementary, Secondary, Family and Consumer Sciences,
and Physical Education students)
** Important Note: Environmental Studies is not a Vermont State
approved endorsement area. Students in Secondary Education who select
Environmental Studies will need a second 30-hour major to be eligible
for a Vermont Teacher's license and their first content endorsement.
Students who are completing a minor in Environmental Studies will not
be eligible for a second endorsement in this area.
Completion of ENVS core courses:
001 Introduction to Environmental Studies, 4 credits
002 International Environmental Studies, 4 credits
294
Environmental Education, 3 credits
Plus an Individual-Design Program:
19.0 credit hours of approved environmentally-related courses at the
100 or higher level, including 3 hours at the 200 level, with at least
one course in each of these areas:
- natural sciences
- humanities
- social sciences
- international studies (may be fulfilled by study abroad experience)
All to total 30 credit hours.
Download a CESS ENVS major plan form.
The Minor in Environmental Studies in the College of Education and Social Services
(For Secondary Education students)
Completion of 18 credit hours in Environmental Studies including: ENVS
001, 002, 294 (Environmental Education, 3.0 credits), and 7.0 credit hours
of approved environmentally-related courses at the 100 level or above.
Download a CESS ENVS minor plan form.
For more information about the Environmental Studies
major at The College of Education and Social Services, please go to http://www.uvm.edu/cess/.
