Connecticut College
AC-3: Undergraduate Program

Environmental Studies is an interdisciplinary program that combines natural science, social science, humanities, and arts. It examines local, regional, national, and international environmental problems in a holistic manner. Coursework and learning goals require students to approach environmental issues from range of disciplines and perspectives including social and economic. Introductory courses and other courses in the major explicitly use a holistic sustainability framework.

The mission of the Center is to foster an understanding of biological diversity, the integrity of natural ecosystems and other fundamental environmental issues both in the College community and in the public sphere. Its programs foster an understanding of the interaction between people and ecosystems, including political, social and economic factors that influence natural resource use by different cultures worldwide.

Environmental Studies is an interdisciplinary program that combines natural science and social science. It examines local, regional, national, and international environmental problems in a holistic manner. The minor in Environmental Studies consists of a minimum of six courses. At least four of the courses for the minor must be at or above the 200 level and four must be listed under the Environmental Studies course offerings.

The Social Justice and Sustainability Pathway is one of several integrative pathways available to students at Connecticut College. Every Pathway is organized around a central theme, in relation to which students will consider an animating question that provides a focus for their work. Over three years in this Pathway, students craft new approaches to a more sustainable world for the benefit of all, as they become increasingly aware of how asymmetries of power and privilege operate on a daily basis. This Pathway brings together social justice and sustainability – approaches that have often been distinct. Social justice is necessary to sustain institutions, societies, and our planet over the long term. Likewise, social justice benefits from including the sustainability framework; by which long-lasting solutions to local and global challenges are developed through understanding the connections among social equity, environmental stewardship, and economic well-being and including these in decision-making and planning processes. Students, staff and faculty become active agents in the transformation of our world through critical and collective citizenship.

The Food Pathway is another of the integrative pathways available to students at Connecticut College. Every Pathway is organized around a central theme, in relation to which students will consider an animating question that provides a focus for their work. Over three years, students in the Food Pathway examine how existing and historical food systems function in relation to the surrounding environmental and cultural landscapes. Through experiential, community-based learning, students define and assess the responsible use of resources such as land, water, soil, and inputs to ensure sustainable food production and provisioning.

Botany with Sustainable Agriculture Concentration
The botany major is designed to accommodate a wide range of interests and to prepare students for careers in a variety of fields. The major consists of a core curriculum in botany together with electives in the natural sciences and statistics. In addition to the general track, students may opt for concentrations in ethnobotany or in sustainable agriculture, both of which include courses in the social sciences.