Overall Rating Gold
Overall Score 75.15
Liaison Laura Young
Submission Date March 3, 2022

STARS v2.2

Michigan State University
AC-5: Immersive Experience

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Laura Young
Sustainability Program Coordinator
Administration-EVP-Office of Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution offer at least one immersive, sustainability-focused educational study program that is one week or more in length?:
Yes

A brief description of the sustainability-focused immersive program(s) offered by the institution:

MSU's Education Abroad Program has been a national leader in education abroad for more than 20 years. In 2021, MSU ranked #1 for study abroad among public universities and tied 13th overall in the U.S. & World Report Best College Ranking. MSU has many different study abroad programs in sustainability, with topics and programs changing from year to year. MSU's signature sustainability study abroad experience is the Residential College of Arts and Humanities Program in Costa Rica (https://rcah.msu.edu/uniquely-rcah/education-away/costa-rica.html). The Sustainability and Civic Engagement in Costa Rica program focuses on the latest innovations in sustainability and community-participatory research. This groundbreaking experience reaches from the cloud forests of Monteverde to the mountains and archipelagos of Costa Rica and Panama’s Caribbean coast. In one semester, participants are trained for international leadership in sustainable community and organizational development.

A sample of other sustainability-focused or inclusive study abroad programs are listed below. For a full list of opportunities, visit: https://msueducationabroad.via-trm.com/visitor-programs.

Business law Ethics, and Sustainability in an Emerging Global Market is a study abroad program in Greece which aims to provide students the opportunity to learn principles of intercultural communication and skills for cultural discovery in situ as well as legal principles, theories and regulations that apply to businesses today while learning how to integrate law, corporate social responsibility, and sustainability and analyze their influence in a business firm’s operation domestically and globally. https://msueducationabroad.via-trm.com/visitor/programs/11750

Sustainable Food, Environment and Social Systems in Australia features an interdisciplinary exploration of sustainable social, food/agriculture, and environment systems. Special emphasis is placed on studying how humans interact with their built and natural environments in sustainable ways. Site visits include farms, agribusinesses, wildlife sanctuaries, national parks, museums and selected cultural and historical sites. Site visits are selected to stimulate critical thinking about and analysis of global citizenship in relation to policy, social equality, economics and environmental stewardship, and other topics.

Entrepreneurship, Agriculture and Environmental Studies in Belize is a study abroad program which students learn about environmental issues and how tourism and agriculture directly impact our environment. The program focuses on Belize's farming and food systems, environmental diversity, and sustainability.
https://msueducationabroad.via-trm.com/visitor/programs/11434

In addition, MSU also offers domestic immersive experiences for students. A signature program is the Residential Initiative on the Study of the Environment (RISE) living-learning academic program. The program is interdisciplinary by design and is co-sponsored by the colleges of Natural Science, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Engineering, Communication Arts and Sciences, and Social Science. Students live together in a LEED certified residential hall, earn a minor in environmental and sustainability studies, partner with campus operations to improve sustainability practices and processes, and conduct research with faculty in related disciplines. The current number of students in (ESS) Students in Environmental and Sustainable Studies is 430. Each fall semester an average of 60 students live in Bailey hall and join RISE. Information on RISE can be found at: https://rise.natsci.msu.edu/


Website URL where information about the institution’s immersive education programs is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

MSU's study abroad programs grow and change regularly, and several programs were suspended in 2020 because of the global pandemic.

For more information on specific courses in the study abroad programs and insights into when certain programs are offered, visit: https://msueducationabroad.via-trm.com/visitor-programs

For more information on our national rankings, please visit: https://educationabroad.isp.msu.edu/about/overview/


MSU's study abroad programs grow and change regularly, and several programs were suspended in 2020 because of the global pandemic.

For more information on specific courses in the study abroad programs and insights into when certain programs are offered, visit: https://msueducationabroad.via-trm.com/visitor-programs

For more information on our national rankings, please visit: https://educationabroad.isp.msu.edu/about/overview/

The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.