Middlebury College
IN-3: Innovation 3

The MSoE's core courses emphasize hands-on practice, interdisciplinary approaches, local engagement, and global perspectives. Its electives are dynamic and innovative. On any given day students might be on Middlebury's research boat in Lake Champlain, testing for pollutants; working on a video documentary; or designing a game that simulates how environmental problems are solved. Students study a wide variety of subjects, from environmental justice to renewable energy to systems thinking to policy development. MSoE's program is designed to tackle the most pressing environmental questions of our time. It integrates classroom learning with hands-on experience, and give students the chance to interact closely with highly accomplished faculty and practitioners. MSoE gives students the opportunity to apply knowledge from one course into another, and develop holistic and interdisciplinary perspectives on the environment. Our courses encourage students to think creatively and to think outside of the box. Added to that, students at the School of the Environment gain leadership training from the co-curricular program to build skills in communication, organization, problem solving and group dynamics. The curriculum overlaps with environmental leadership training, bringing in national environmental leaders for workshops, presentations and discussions and who engage students directly into the global conversation on environment.

Now at the beginning of its third summer, the MSoE has graduate nearly 50 students over its first two summers. Program evaluations of the experience show that it has a transformative impact on students with a wide variety of interests in terms of their passion, understanding and commitment to pursue careers and graduate study that will affect a more sustainable future.