Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 81.82
Liaison Ryan Ihrke
Submission Date Feb. 23, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Green Mountain College
AC-4: Graduate Program

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.00 / 3.00 Thomas Mauhs-Pugh
Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs
Academic Affairs/Administration
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Does the institution offer at least one sustainability-focused major, degree program, or the equivalent for graduate students (I.e. an interdisciplinary academic program that concentrates on sustainability as an integrated concept)?:
Yes

Name of the sustainability-focused graduate-level degree program:
M.S. in Resilient and Sustainable Communities

A brief description of the graduate-level degree program:

From urban areas to small towns, citizens are rethinking traditional approaches to providing food, energy, transportation and governance in response to rapid
environmental and economic changes. As we adapt to conditions brought about by a changing climate, depletion of fossil fuels, and growing inequalities in wealth
and access to vital resources, the MRSC program gives students the skills to develop, advocate, and implement fundamental changes in how communities function.

At the heart of this program is the understanding that sustainability depends on creating resilient communities, which can adapt to changing conditions in ways that allow them to evolve without losing their fundamental identities. In this program students will synthesize knowledge about land-use planning, economic development, energy production, food systems, resource management, and social justice, while developing skills in leadership, group organization, and conflict resolution.


The website URL for the graduate-level degree program:
Name of the sustainability-focused, graduate-level degree program (2nd program):
M.S. in Environmental Studies

A brief description of the graduate degree program (2nd program):

Green Mountain College's MSES program is distinctive in its bioregional focus; students are asked to apply the skills and knowledge they are learning to issues and ecosystems in your local area. This enables students to go beyond conventional education and learn to identify and solve problems in your own community. Your classes will typically begin with a case study, then move to a relevant theory, before asking students to apply the theory to issues in their local bioregion.

Students in this program can expect to gain a solid foundation in environmental science, law, policy, and organizing principles. Students have ongoing interaction with the College’s excellent faculty in disciplines as diverse as history, biology, business and economics, geology, communications, philosophy, law, education, English, and
natural resource management.

Students choose between three concentrations—conservation biology, writing and communication, and self-design—and graduate as experts in the workings of their own bioregions. This emphasis on practical application of knowledge prepares students for professional work, whether they are just launching a career or looking for growth in an established position. Green Mountain College's MSES students graduate with the knowledge and confidence to become leaders.


The website URL for the graduate degree program (2nd program):
Name of the sustainability-focused, graduate-level degree program (3rd program):
M.S. in Sustainable Food Systems

A brief description of the graduate degree program (3rd program):

In today’s world of complex food and agriculture systems, we need leaders. Our Master of Science in Sustainable Food Systems program prepares future leaders in the burgeoning food movement with a graduate level interdisciplinary understanding of sustainable agricultural production, and a deep knowledge of the economic, ecological, and social forces driving food systems.

At Green Mountain College, we’ve been teaching about sustainability for two decades. Our distance MSFS program -- built on the success of the College’s undergraduate major in sustainable agriculture and on the surging interest in food and agriculture in the U.S. and beyond -- is designed to provide students with the skills to conduct in-depth interdisciplinary investigations into the complex arena of their own bioregional food systems. Our MSFS students graduate with the knowledge and confidence to become leaders and join a cutting-edge community ready to make a difference.


The website URL for the graduate degree program (3rd program):
The name and website URLs of all other sustainability-focused graduate-level degree programs:
Does the institution offer one or more graduate-level sustainability-focused minors, concentrations or certificates?:
No

Name of the graduate-level sustainability-focused minor, concentration or certificate:
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A brief description of the graduate minor, concentration or certificate:
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The website URL for the graduate minor, concentration or certificate:
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Name of the graduate-level sustainability-focused minor, concentration or certificate (2nd program):
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A brief description of the graduate minor, concentration or certificate (2nd program):
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The website URL for the graduate minor, concentration or certificate (2nd program):
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Name of the graduate-level sustainability-focused minor, concentration or certificate (3rd program):
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A brief description of the graduate minor, concentration or certificate (3rd program):
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The website URL for the graduate minor, concentration or certificate (3rd program):
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The name and website URLs of all other graduate-level, sustainability-focused minors, concentrations and certificates:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

All graduate programs listed are being offered in the fall of 2017.


All graduate programs listed are being offered in the fall of 2017.

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.