Trends in Interdisciplinary Environmental and Sustainability Education

AASHE 2012 Conference October 14-17 Shirley Vincent Director of Education Research, NCSE

Mission – improving the scientific basis for environmental decision making Programs – foster collaboration between diverse institutions and individuals (research, education, environmental, and business organizations as well as governmental bodies)  Education and Careers  Science Solutions  Science Policy  International Council for Science and Environment Environmental Internship Clearinghouse

• • • • • • • • • • • NCSE Resources & Reports ncseonline.org

Conference videos, lectures, recommendations for decision-makers Climate change teaching modules/webinars Congressional Research Reports on environment and sustainability

Interdisciplinary Environmental Education on the Nation’s Campuses: Elements of

Field Identity and Curriculum Design - June 2010 Online Education Webinar Series Federal Funding for Environmental Research and Development - September 2012

Interdisciplinary Hiring and Career Development: Guidance for Individuals and

Institutions - April 2011

Interdisciplinary Environmental and Sustainability Education: Results from the 2012

Census of U.S. Four-Year Colleges and Universities - September 2012

Non-traditional and Broad Energy Education: Results from the 2012 Census of U.S.

Four-Year Colleges and Universities - October 2012

Sustainability Education: Results from the 2012 Census of U.S. Four-Year Colleges

and Universities - November 2012 IE & sustainability degree programs survey results and analysis 2013

2012 Census of Environmental & Sustainability Academic Programs • • • • • All 1638 4-year HE institutions in U.S. – 2010 Carnegie Classification (76 multiple campus FP) Interdisciplinary/broad programs Discipline & professional fields with specializations Minors/certificates Center & Institutes

Census Definitions of IE & Sustainability Academic Programs • • • Named environmental science(s) or studies, broadly focused programs in natural resources , related to the environment that incorporate an interdisciplinary approach (natural/social) Focus on sustainability/sustainable theory and practice Focus on energy sources not currently commonly and widely used in the United States ( non-traditional energy ) or those that focus on energy broadly

Presentation Overview – Focus on sustainability academic programs but compare energy and all IE degree programs – Prevalence and distribution of HE institutions offering academic programs – Types of programs • Sustainability degrees • Sustainability specializations with disciplines and professional fields degrees • Sustainability minors and certificates – Administrative location of programs

Sustainability Academic Programs 350 schools 576 programs/units 143 degrees 298 specializations 294 minors & certificates

Energy Academic Programs 133 schools 190 programs/units 39 degrees 158 specializations 107 minors & certificates

IE & Sustainability Degree Programs 842 schools (↑29%, +190) 1166 programs/units (↑39%, +326) 1859 degrees (↑57%, +676)

Trends: Rapid Growth in HE Institutions Hosting Programs

IE Degree Types

Diversity Considerations Institutions Hosting Sustainability Academic Programs (22%) Institutions Hosting IE and Sustainability Degree Programs (51%)

Sustainability Degree Programs

Name Category Sustainability/Studies/Science/Systems Sustainable Development/Communities Environmental/Natural Resources Sustainability Sustainability & Environmental Studies/Sciences Sustainability Management (business/org?) Global/International Sustainability Other (Energy, Coastal, Peacebuilding) Proportion of Total Bachelor’s N=90

34 12 20 13 4 3 4

63% Master’s N=48

15 15 4 0 8 2 4

34% PhD N=5

2 1 2 0 0 0 0

3% Proportion N=143 36% 20% 18% 9%

8% 3% 6% 100%

Sustainability Specializations in Discipline and Professional Field Degrees

Disciplinary/Professional Field Business Administration/Management/Leadership Engineering/Technology Interdisciplinary Environmental Agriculture/Horticulture Architecture/Built Environment Natural Resources/Ecology Regional/Urban/Community Planning Public Policy/Affairs/Administration Geography Other (Anthropology, Chemistry, Economics, Education, Geoscience, Law, Tourism) Proportion of Total Bachelor’s N=139

29 11

35 30

6 5 1 5

8 9 47% Master’s N=138 41 28

5 4

16 11 13 9

1

PhD N=21

2

5

2 1

6

1 2 1 0

Proportion N=298 24%

15% 14% 12% 9% 6% 5% 5% 3%

10 46%

1

7%

7% 100%

Energy Minors and Certificates

Name Category Sustainability/Studies/Science Sustainability Management/Leadership Environmental/Natural Resources Sustainability Sustainable Development Architecture/Built Environment Energy and Sustainability Agriculture/Horticulture UG N=205*

64 20 26 20 11

15

12

GR N=82*

15 27 4 7 10 3 5

Professional N=25*

1 14 1 1 2 1 2

Proportion* N=294 27% 21% 11% 10%

8% 6% 6%

Sustainability and Environmental Studies/Sciences Engineering/Technology Global/International Sustainability Other (Law, Tourism, Politics and Policy)

14 8 12 3 1 4 2 4 0 3 0 0 5% 5% 5% 2%

Total 70%* 28%* 9%* *Some programs can be earned as UR or GR or UG/GR or professional so these numbers will not add to 294; likewise proportions will not equal 100%

Administration Location of Sustainability Academic Programs

Administrative Location Department Program that Spans Units School/Division within a College School/Division/College Other Location (Provost, US, GC) Consortium Center/Institute Degree N=143

24%

50%

1% 10% 2%

3%

10%

Specializations N=298 39% 33%

6% 13% 2% 0% 7%

Minors & certificates N=294 31% 36%

3.5% 13% 2% 0.5% 14%

Overall N=735 33% 37%

5% 12% 2% 1%

10%

IE and Sustainability Degree Program Administrative Locations 6% increase in IE/sustainability schools, colleges, centers and institutes 6% decrease in traditional departments No change in interdisciplinary departments or programs that span units

Sustainability Academic Programs: Competition or Perception?

Academic Program Type Sustainability degrees (SD) Interdisciplinary environmental degrees with sustainability track (IE) Other discipline/fields with sustainability track (OD) Sustainability minors and certificates (MC) SD

14%

30%

19%

IE

5%

-

11% 5%

OD 26% 36%

-

26% MC 46% 36% 55%

• • • Schools tend to offer either sustainability degrees or IE with sustainability track, but not both Many schools just offer minors and certificates Schools that offer sustainability tracks within disciplines and fields tend to also offer sustainability degrees and minors/certificates, fewer with IE tracks

NCSE Survey will Enhance Understanding – Survey instrument developed by experts (CEDD, AASHE, AAAS, AESS, NAEP) – Rich picture of curricula and administrative structures (resources, faculty, assessment, partners) – Distinctions between IE and sustainability programs, learn about nascent interdisciplinary energy and other programs – – Processes used to align curricula with workforce Learning outcomes and assessment criteria and processes Additional surveys including institute/center study

Framework for Understanding IE Degree Programs

[email protected]

918-629-5143

[email protected]

918-629-5143