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 decisionmaking
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
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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
Bachelor’s
N=90
Master’s
N=48
PhD
N=5
Proportion
N=143
Sustainability/Studies/Science/Systems
34
15
2
36%
Sustainable Development/Communities
12
15
1
20%
Environmental/Natural Resources Sustainability
20
4
2
18%
Sustainability & Environmental Studies/Sciences
13
0
0
9%
Sustainability Management (business/org?)
4
8
0
8%
Global/International Sustainability
3
2
0
3%
Other (Energy, Coastal, Peacebuilding)
4
4
0
6%
63%
34%
3%
100%
Name Category
Proportion of Total
Sustainability Specializations in Discipline
and Professional Field Degrees
Bachelor’s
N=139
Master’s
N=138
Business Administration/Management/Leadership
29
41
2
24%
Engineering/Technology
11
28
5
15%
Interdisciplinary Environmental
35
5
2
14%
Agriculture/Horticulture
30
4
1
12%
Architecture/Built Environment
6
16
6
9%
Natural Resources/Ecology
5
11
1
6%
Regional/Urban/Community Planning
1
13
2
5%
Public Policy/Affairs/Administration
5
9
1
5%
Geography
8
1
0
3%
Other (Anthropology, Chemistry, Economics,
Education, Geoscience, Law, Tourism)
9
10
1
7%
47%
46%
7%
100%
Disciplinary/Professional Field
Proportion of Total
PhD Proportion
N=21
N=298
Energy Minors and Certificates
UG
N=205*
GR
N=82*
Sustainability/Studies/Science
64
15
1
27%
Sustainability Management/Leadership
20
27
14
21%
Environmental/Natural Resources
Sustainability
26
4
2
11%
Sustainable Development
20
7
1
10%
Architecture/Built Environment
11
10
2
8%
Energy and Sustainability
15
3
1
6%
Agriculture/Horticulture
12
5
1
6%
Sustainability and Environmental
Studies/Sciences
14
1
0
5%
Engineering/Technology
8
4
3
5%
Global/International Sustainability
12
2
0
5%
Other (Law, Tourism, Politics and Policy)
3
4
0
2%
70%*
28%*
9%*
Name Category
Total
Professional Proportion*
N=25*
N=294
*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
Degree
N=143
24%
Specializations
N=298
39%
Minors &
certificates
N=294
31%
Program that Spans Units
50%
33%
36%
37%
School/Division within a College
1%
6%
3.5%
5%
School/Division/College
10%
13%
13%
12%
Other Location (Provost, US, GC)
2%
2%
2%
2%
Consortium
3%
0%
0.5%
1%
Center/Institute
10%
7%
14%
10%
Administrative Location
Department
Overall
N=735
33%
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
IE
OD
MC
-
5%
26%
46%
14%
-
36%
36%
30%
11%
-
55%
19%
5%
26%
-
• 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
svincent@ncseonline.org
918-629-5143
svincent@ncseonline.org
918-629-5143