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 Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources. 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 Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources offers a curriculum emphasizing the natural and social sciences as they apply to environmental problem-solving. ENVS majors take eight required core courses alongside majors in Forestry, Wildlife, Recreation Management, Environmental Science, and Natural Resources. The Rubenstein School is engaged in an exciting project to expand and “green” its building with all the latest sustainable energy ideas. As a learning community, the School places high value on school social relations and innovative environmental thinking.
Requirements for all ENVS majors
ENVS 001 Introduction to Environmental Studies (4 credits)
ENVS 002 International Environmental Studies (4 credits)
ENVS 151 Intermediate Environmental Studies (3 credits)
Senior Capstone (9 credits) - Choose one of three options:
- ENVS 201 Research Methods (3 credits) and ENVS 202/203 Senior Project and Thesis (6 credits minimum)
- ENVS 202 Senior Internshp (6 credits) and a 200-level course related to the student's ENVS concentration
- Three 3-credit 200-level courses related to the student's ENVS concentration.
The ENVS Major in the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources
Completion of ENVS major core courses: 001, 002, 151, and 9 credit Senior Capstone; plus 30 credit hours of approved environmentally-related courses at the 100 or higher level, including 3.0 credit hours at the 200 level, with at least one course (from ENVS course offerings or other disciplines) in each of these areas:
- natural sciences
- humanities
- social sciences
- international studies (may be fulfilled by study abroad experience)
All to total a minimum of 50 credit hours.Download a RSENR ENVS major plan form .
The ENVS Minor in the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources
Completion of 17.0 credit hours in Environmental Studies including: ENVS 001 and 002; 9 credit hours at the 100-level or above, including 3.0 at the 200-level. Note: One non-ENVS course at the appropriate level may be substituted with the approval of the student's advisor and the Environmental Program.Download an ENVS minor plan form.
For more information about the Environmental Studies major at the Rubenstein School, please go to http://www.uvm.edu/~envnr/.