Hottest Green College Degrees Around
Eco-Friendly, Environmental and Sustainability Education Programs
Aug 28, 2009
College students and high school graduates all over are preparing to return to school very soon and are looking at what their futures might hold. With all the talk about sustainability and its importance to the planet as well as everyone's very lives, many want to do more than just incorporate social responsibility activities into their time in school. They want to incorporate good citizenship into their careers.
While for many this may mean pursuing traditional degree programs and then obtaining employment with organizations in the field of sustainability, for others it means receiving a degree specifically related to sustainability. What many of these majors often do is allow students who want to take the traditional business route to incorporate social responsibility into their major program. So what are the trendiest eco-degrees around?
Sustainable and Environmental College Degree Programs
Taking care of the environment is not just about recycling any more. There are a ton of undergrad and graduate degrees out there which offer a focus on the global environment. They include everything from old standbys such as environmental health or environmental engineering to majors in topics such as environmental conservation or environmental and natural resources law.
Or for students thinking they would rather have sustainability as a major, there are several options, too. Today’s colleges offer degrees in topics such as sustainable business, sustainable living, and sustainable architecture. Or how about sustainable urbanism?
Actually a certificate program, rather than a degree, sustainable urbanism is offered by Texas A&M and is meant to explore “sustainability and urban design in a rapidly urbanizing world.” It is part of the College of Architecture program and allows students to earn credits toward the study abroad program.
Another popular sustainability degree is sustainable design, which actually may have different meanings depending on the university. For instance, at Boston Architectural College sustainable design focuses on architecture and landscaping, while at Huxley College of the Environment at Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA, the focus is on products and processes that promote long-term economic, social and ecological values.
Other Eco, Green, and Organic Degrees
For students who still haven’t found the degree they seek, there are plenty of others out there labeled ecology, green and even organic. Degrees in subjects such as ecotourism, geothermal development, green interior design, and organic agriculture, for instance.
For students who think wind energy technology might be up their alley, there are a variety of clean-energy career programs that range from one-year technical diplomas to graduate degrees. And the demand for wind turbine technicians and mechanics is increasing. Studies in solar energy and hydrology (the study of water) are also gaining in popularity.
The fact is that colleges throughout the nation offer a wide range of environment-focused education programs. Students just need to find one that aligns with their favorite eco-, environmentally- or sustainability-friendly degree major.
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