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 creditsPlus an Individual-Design Program:
Download a CESS ENVS major plan form.
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.
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/.