Self-Designed Major Proposal:
A Guide to the Process
Contents
I. Timeline
2
II. Frequently Asked Questions
3
III. Sample Self-Designed Major Descriptions
5
IV. Some Hints for Writing the Narrative
8
IV. Sample Self-Designed Major Proposal:
Environmental Humanities
10
V. Sample Self-Designed Major Proposal:
Sustainable Livestock Management and Power Systems
15
VI. Sample Self-Designed Major Proposal:
Life Science Education through Agriculture
20
VI. Appendix A: Self- Designed Major Proposal Form
26
VII. Appendix B: Self-Designed Major Checklist
33
Rev. 9/15
Self-Design Major Proposal Handbook
Timeline
First Year
Take core course requirements
Explore widely in various majors
Second Year
Consider different major options
Talk with your advisor about whether a self-designed major path makes sense for your interests and
long-term goals
Third Year, 1st semester
1. Attend Community Week Self-Designed Major Informational Session
2. Enroll in bi-weekly SDM Workshop held throughout semester (1 credit INT course)
3. Work with your advisor and a second reader to develop, revise, and polish your proposal
4. Advisor and second reader approve proposal for submission to the Academic Council for
review
5. SDM proposals are due to the Academic Council by the 7th week of the fall semester
6. Upon approval a formal letter is sent from the Academic Council Chair to the students’
advisor and to the Registrar.
7. Revise your proposal as needed for final approval
Third Year, 2nd semester
Begin SARP or plan Senior Project
Submit any significant changes to your self-designed major to the Academic Council for approval
Fourth Year
Complete Senior Project or SARP
Submit any significant changes to your self-designed major to the Academic Council for approval
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Self-Design Major Proposal Handbook
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a self-designed major?
As described in our online academic catalogue, “The self-designed major is a student-centered
option for those who wish to explore an area outside of currently offered majors or to integrate
coursework from existing major areas. Students work closely with faculty to develop a high-quality
academic program that both fulfills a student’s educational goals and is within the realm of faculty
expertise.” It is essential to have a clear rationale for proposing a self-designed major.
Why design my own major?
Designing your own major (“self-designing”) enables you to weave a major course of study that
draws significantly on more than one area of study and/or that incorporates non-Sterling
coursework in significant ways. A major proposal that essentially replicates one of the offered
majors with one or two changes will not be approved.
What is the Self-Design Major Workshop?
The Workshop is an introduction to the process of designing a major. You will be guided through
the stages of developing a major proposal, be introduced to the proposal form, and begin working
with an advisor and a second reader during the course of the workshop. The 1-credit workshop is
required for students in the self-designed major process.
When do I have to submit a proposal?
Proposals are due to the Academic Council by the seventh week of the first semester of a student’s
third year. Students are expected to have discussed proposals with their advisor and second reader,
and revised as necessary, before submission to the Council.
Does the title matter?
Yes. The title is one of the most important components of your major. It indicates the focus of
your studies to people outside of Sterling, and many titles have very specific connotations.
Should I list every class I have taken?
No. Your self-designed major proposal should list only the courses that together create your major
(your major course of study).
Can courses I took at a different institution count toward my self-designed major?
Yes. Look at your transcript in order to include the course number and credits in your proposal.
Indicate the institution where you took these courses.
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Self-Design Major Proposal Handbook
Can I include core courses in my major?
No. Required Sterling core courses cannot also count as part of your major.
What is the description?
The description articulates in a concise way the scope and focus of your major. A one-sentence
statement of what the major is should introduce the description. Within the 200-words of the
description is where you have a chance to explain the parameters of the major to the Academic
Council, to your advisor, and to others outside Sterling. Some sample self-designed major
descriptions are included in this packet.
Can my narrative be a simple chronological listing of all the courses in my major?
No. The purpose of the narrative is for you to discuss how your courses fit together. While this
discussion might end up being chronological, it should be structured thematically, around
components of your major. See the sample self-designed major proposals in this packet for
examples of how you might approach the narrative. Be sure to include your plans for a SARP or a
Senior Project.
When will my self-designed major proposal be approved?
The Council will consider your proposal in a meeting shortly after the submission deadline, and
you will be notified of either approval or a request for revision in the week thereafter.
What happens if I make changes to my major after it has been approved?
Significant changes to an approved self-designed major must be submitted to the Council for
approval. Significant changes include more than two courses, a change in title, description, or
timeline. All changes should be discussed with your advisor.
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Self-Design Major Proposal Handbook
Sample Self-Designed Major Descriptions
DESCRIPTION of proposed major and rationale. The description articulates in a concise way the scope and
focus of your major. A one-sentence statement of what the major is should introduce the description. The
description is where you have a chance to explain the parameters of the major to the Academic Council, to
your advisor, and to others outside Sterling (approximately 200 words).
Be sure both to DESCRIBE what this major is (and what it explores) and to DISCUSS why you
are proposing this major.
Green Building & Design:
Green Building and Design (GBD) promotes healthier, more energy efficient building
methods, which reduce negative environmental impacts, while slowing the depletion of natural
resources. GBD majors will investigate the practical relationships between environmental science,
forest and land management, and green building practices and design. Students will incorporate a
broad understanding of human relationships, perceptions, and policies towards the environment,
with a diversified understanding of concepts related to the interaction of physical, chemical, and
biological processes within our environment. Students will study sustainable approaches to
material acquisition, construction, site design, building design, and the generation of energy, as
well as learning skills vital to historic preservation and the renovation and re-use of existing
buildings and materials. In addition, students will gain experiential knowledge in building science
fundamentals related to an interdisciplinary, whole-systems thinking, while developing
fundamental technical skills in architecture and construction. Upon completion, graduates will be
equipped with the knowledge to design and/or build structures that make positive contributions
to both their communities, and to their environment.
Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Heritage:
A major in Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Heritage studies responsible environmental
stewardship through ecological farming practices and respect for agrarian tradition. Sustainable
Agriculture is farming on a human scale, direct farm marketing and profitability, building
balanced soil, crop and livestock systems, and producing wholesome, nutrient dense food. Rural
Heritage is the preservation of agricultural history and the use of traditional farming techniques in
a practical and educational manner.
Experiential Education & Leadership:
A major in Experiential Education and Leadership is an integration of two complementary
fields of study: experiential education and leadership with an emphasis in social change. The major
combines specific areas of study within each of these core elements and utilizes the overlapping
fundamentals to create a unique educational philosophy and practice. Starting from a broad,
philosophical foundation, the major will explore an overview of the fields of study prior to putting
them into practice. By placing these interconnected components into practical situations, the
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Self-Design Major Proposal Handbook
Experiential Education and Leadership major will effectively prepare educators to utilize
experiential learning as a teaching tool, incorporate social justice principles into education, and
develop leadership skills for diverse educational positions.
Sustainable Livestock Production and Power Systems:
This major in Sustainable Livestock Production and Power Systems focuses my coursework
on livestock, small farm business, and agriculture power systems which will lead to a successful
career for me in the Livestock Production field. Opportunities off campus combined with on
campus study will complement each other in creating this major. For example, doing an internship
on a grass-raised cattle ranch, and taking a year of classes at Vermont Technical College will enable
me to pick up in-depth livestock production and business classes, along with automotive courses to
broaden and deepen my knowledge of various livestock production power systems. While at
Sterling I have gained the ability to integrate draft power in farming systems, along with knowledge
of basic animal science. My success and future in the livestock production business will depend on
my ability to form a more focused course of study than the Sustainable Agriculture degree allows.
Agroecology:
Agroecology integrates the studies of ecology, agriculture, and various related topics in land
and resource management. It also includes the study of how those topics interact with and
influence one another. The pursuit of this major will result in a student’s ability and knowledge to
design and manage productive agricultural lands as ecosystems. This major provides ecological and
agricultural backgrounds that allow a student to study ways in which humans interact with their
ecosystems, how those interactions affect the productivity of ecosystems, and the design process
involved with setting up productive agroecological systems. It also includes studies of woodlot
management, which will provide knowledge on how to interact with ecosystems that are natively
forested, like the one here in northern Vermont.
Humans have taken enough toll on the earth and it is time to start paying it back. This
major is important because as many people as possible need to start using what we as humans
know about how natural ecosystems function and they need to apply that knowledge to
agricultural systems. To not do that, and to not spread the knowledge of how to do that is
irresponsible and disrespectful to the natural world.
Through studying Agroecology, a student will have a broad and encompassing base of
knowledge and experience that will lead to success in a diversity of careers in field-based food
systems.
Environmental Chemistry:
Environmental Chemistry studies the interactions among organisms, between organisms
and their environment, and among environmental systems, where the nature of those interactions
is chemical. Of particular interest are the chemical components of soil, water, and air systems.
Studying the chemistry of the environment involves understanding the reactions, movement, and
transformation of chemicals, and quantifying the pools and fluxes that make up biogeochemical
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Self-Design Major Proposal Handbook
cycles. Environmental chemists use science to solve environmental problems around, for example,
pollution, nutrient management, climate change, and water quality, and knowledge of the
chemical basis of Earth systems helps allow for informed and directed stewardship.
Integrated Forestry and Woodworking:
Integrated forestry and woodworking explores the process of harvesting trees from the
woodlot, sending the logs through a mill, and crafting and marketing finished pieces, including
furniture and buildings. This major will provide an introduction to silviculture and woodlot
practices, logging, skidding and milling tools and equipment, including hand and power tools,
animal powered and gas powered skidding equipment, and different types of mills, as well as
carpentry skills and practices, construction methods and sustainable building design.
Natural History and Environmental Humanities:
This major integrates the study of natural history and the exploration of environmental
humanities, which includes both literary and visual arts. The natural history component provides a
backdrop and understanding of ecology and natural processes that inform creative expression in
the realms of creative writing, photography. The sciences provide understanding of the natural
world, while the arts and humanities provide outlets to explore its local, spiritual and universal
significance. I have chosen this as my major because I feel Natural History and Environmental
Humanities are intrinsically related, and connecting to the natural world through both science and
art are fundamental aspects of being human.
Environmental Field Biology:
Environmental Field Biology is the study of the ecological relationships between animals,
plants, macro-organisms, abiotic components, and the connection to the human impacts. This
includes the study of environmental toxicology, bio-indicators for pollution such as macroinvertebrates, and bio-remediation. These studies lead to a broader knowledge of ecology, field
sampling and data collection, conservation biology, and environmental toxicology.
This major is a stepping stone for those wishing to pursue a career as a field biologist in a
governmental or private agency, which is something I intend to pursue after graduating from
Sterling. I would like to further my studies on bio-indicators for pollution in water and soils, and
bio-remediation for terrestrial and aquatic habitats as I pursue a graduate degree.
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Self-Design Major Proposal Handbook
Some Hints for Writing the Narrative
NARRATIVE. This is a thematic discussion of your course of study, organized around the key components
of your major. Consider how your proposed coursework connects together to support your major description.
Address how your major includes both breadth and depth of study. Be sure to talk about your senior capstone
project and its relevance to the major (500-750 words).
Identify the key areas or components of your major, and dedicate a paragraph or section to
discussing the courses that are part of each.
Focus on how the courses you discuss contribute to your major and your course of study, rather
than simply describing them. Discuss what you learned in these courses and how this contributes
to your understanding of the components of your major.
Connect your narrative to your description.
Include an introduction and a conclusion.
Be sure to discuss your Senior Project or SARP (at least your ideas for them).
Consider discussing your internship and/or your future plans, if relevant.
It is OK to use “I.”
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Self-Design Major Proposal Handbook
SAMPLE SELF-DESIGNED MAJOR PROPOSALS
These sample proposals are intended to give you a sense of what a successful proposal looks like.
Keep in mind that there are many different approaches; these are merely three. They are not
meant to be prescriptive or to suggest that there is a “right” way to complete the proposal.
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Self-Design Major Proposal Handbook
Sterling College Self-Designed Major Proposal
YOUR NAME: Schirin Rachel Oeding
TITLE of proposed major: Environmental Humanities
INTENDED DATE OF GRADUATION (including completion of SARP): May 2012
DESCRIPTION of proposed major and rationale. This section should identify the academic
context of your proposed major as well as your specific goals and objectives and why you have
chosen to pursue this particular major track at Sterling College (approximately 200 words).
This major integrates art and sustainable agriculture, with a focus on “reading the landscape”
to explore and understand ecological concepts. Concurrently, this understanding of ecology
(primarily through courses in natural history) emphasizes the environmental humanities, especially
literature, creative writing, and place-based/folk arts. Together, these subjects create a strong blend
of the arts and the sciences, resulting in a major that provides not only the practical skills necessary
for the various disciplines mentioned above, but also the philosophical approach needed to engage
in a deeper exploration of the world.
I have chosen this as my major because I feel that it reflects my interest in connecting
farming and art. To me, both art and agriculture are fundamental aspects of our humanity: we
need to eat, and we need to express the creative powers that live inside us. It only makes sense to
find a middle ground where the two can connect. In this place, inspiration for art, whether it be
writing, spinning and weaving, drawing, or throwing pots on a wheel, grows out of the landscapes
around us almost as naturally as the plants and trees do.
Faculty and Other Resources for this Course of Study: a brief narrative (approximately 100 words)
on how particular Sterling faculty expertise and interests, as well as off-campus resources, support
the major.
Carol Dickson is my advisor (and will also be the primary advisor on my SARP), and will
continue to advise me over the course of my final three semesters at Sterling. Furthermore, Jody
Stoddard, Ross Morgan, Anne Obelnicki, various farm/garden faculty, as well as humanities
faculty (including Carol Dickson and Pavel Cenkl, specifically for SARP work) will act as resources
for this course of study. Off-campus resources include the Northeast Organic Farmers Association
of VT (NOFA-VT) and Maine Organic Farmer’s and Gardener’s Association (MOFGA)
conferences and trainings, as well as attending various other trainings and workshops pertinent to
my course of study. Work with farms and farmers, artists, writers, chefs, and my upcoming
experience as garden manager and intern at Camphill Häggetorp in Vedum, Sweden (Summer
2011) will round out the major.
DOCUMENTATION of coursework comprising the major, including year and term, credits and
distribution area for each course. Be sure to indicate courses you have completed, are currently
enrolled in, and to be completed. This list should be organized according to discipline and/or
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Self-Design Major Proposal Handbook
chronologically, whichever is most appropriate. Be sure to include any transferred courses that
apply to your major.
The number of self-designed major credits must total at least 30 credits. (This does not include
core course requirements or SARP or SP.)
Be sure to also account for the following minimum requirements in your self-designed major
courses:
* 1 credit of Applied Sciences
* 3 credits of Natural Sciences
* 3 credits of Social Sciences
* 3 credits of Humanities
* 6 credits of 300-400 level coursework within the proposed major, including a senior
seminar. (Please identify these courses with an asterisk.)
(Keep in mind that you must meet General Education distribution requirements, as described in
the Sterling College Catalogue.)
MAJOR COURSE NUMBER/TITLE
SEMESTER/YEAR
CREDITS
Summer 2010
1
NS 240/Forestry
Spring 2009
3
NS 235/Natural History of the North Woods
Fall 2009
3
*NS 318/Animal Science II
Spring 2010
4
HM 455/Senior Seminar in Circumpolar Studies
Spring 2010
1
NS 245/Soil Science
Fall 2010
3
*NS 328/Vertebrate Natural History
Spring 2011
4
NS 206/Human Nutrition
Fall 2010
3
Spring 2010
1
Applied Science:
AS 361/Independent Study: Beekeeping
Natural Science:
Social Science:
SS 455/Senior Seminar in Circumpolar Studies
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Self-Design Major Proposal Handbook
SS 381/ Conflict Management
Fall 2010
2
*HM 375/Literature and Film of the North
Spring 2009
3
HM 230/Fiber Arts I
Spring 2009
3
*HM 381/Contemporary Native American Literature
Fall 2009
3
*HM 326/Nature Writing
Spring 2010
3
HM 455/Senior Seminar in Circumpolar Studies
Spring 2010
1
HM 245/Fiber Arts II
Summer 2010
2
HM 275/Black River Sketches
Fall 2010
2
HM 272/Pottery
Spring 2011 (Intensive) 2
Humanities:
Total Credits:
44
NARRATIVE. This is a thematic discussion of your course of study. In this narrative, consider
how your proposed coursework connects together to support your major description. Address how
your major includes both breadth and depth of study. Be sure to talk about your senior capstone
project and its relevance to the major (500-750 words).
The coursework for my self-designed major in the Environmental Humanities provides a
balance of sciences and humanities, which are used to mirror, inspire, and enhance one another.
Art and agriculture are at the heart of this major: they provide the nexus point where the
disciplines cross and connect. All the classes I have taken, or will take to support this major, meet
at this point, and can be looked at both from an agricultural perspective and an artistic perspective
––or, ideally, from both, simultaneously.
This focus feeds and is fed by various streams of coursework. Natural history and ecology,
through courses in Northwoods Natural History, Vertebrate Natural History, as well as the Senior
Seminar in Circumpolar Studies, Soil Science, and Forestry provide the fundamental knowledge
needed for understanding the natural world. Here, the practical skills necessary for farming are
underlined by an awareness and cognition of the cycles of nature. Human Nutrition gives deeper
insight into the relationship between our health and the health of the land that feeds us. This
relationship perfectly exemplifies the close and irreplaceable connection we have to our
environments. In essence, our bodies internally replicate, through health or disease (mental or
physical), the external landscape. In turn, this external landscape is impacted by the health of the
people who live there. The basic need for internal and external peace is acknowledged through a
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Self-Design Major Proposal Handbook
class in Conflict Management. Without peace, much of what I have talked about so far falls to the
wayside (even though both art and agriculture could be essential components to managing
conflict). Conflict is often unavoidable. Nevertheless, conflict ignored is seldom productive; in
order for a community to function, whether it be locally or globally, conflict needs to be accepted
and addressed.
In learning about the world, whether it be food, farming, or understanding peace, conflict,
and justice, the arts are a tool used to engage in a more personal experience of learning and
understanding. Thus, the arts are brought in as a way to reflect the realities of nature and human
interaction with/within nature, and deepen my understanding of these. Place-based visual arts,
such as discovering watersheds with paints and a sketchbook, working with fiber from local sheep,
turning and shaping bowls which twin the shapes of the surrounding mountains, nurture a deeper
understanding of ecological concepts and connections.
Like farming, place-based arts represent another way of interacting with the landscape.
Several of my classes, specifically those in the Circumpolar Studies major and my independent
studies in fiber arts, have given me the opportunity to explore a place through its literary history
and by studying traditional folk-arts. These explorations have given me great insight into the
connection between traditional arts and crafts and the subsistence of a people (for example the
elaborate knitted sweater patterns in the Scottish Isles, used to identify the origin of a drowned
fisherman).
This illustrates the nexus point between art and agriculture that I mentioned in the
description above: this meeting place is rich in opportunities. I often find myself carried off by new
interests, be it in copper work, or pottery, cultivating rare heirloom vegetables, or rereading the
Brother Grimm’s fairytales. Initially, it seems like these are disparate interests, meant to distract
me from a more single-minded course of study. Yet, when I widen my gaze, I realise that these are
all related. Even the fairytales provide insight into folk beliefs, the quality of fiber, the reverence
felt for simple work like weaving and spinning, the mystery of the transformation of raw materials
into something useable ––straw became gold, after all.
Some of my interests may be called anthropological interests. I can see myself delving more
deeply into folk history, or folk anthropology. In particular studying fiber traditions, their
connections to agricultural practices of the times, mysticism, and nature.
On the other hand, I can also imagine creating curriculum around place-based arts for
children. Things that grow from the earth, plants and animals, tell stories like nothing else. I have
had the experience of processing fleeces on their home turf, carding and spinning wool, gathering
dye plants in ditches and meadows, and making clothes with the dyed fiber. Like a medieval
tapestry that told a story then and still tells us a story today, albeit a different one, the process of
handmaking also creates such a diptych image. While making it, we learn about it and its place, be
it a sweater, a hand-woven linen cloth, a basket, a clay vessel, and whenever we use it, it will tell us
a story, and serve as a reminder of a place and a time.
My SARP, which I will mention only briefly as it is currently still in its infancy, also meshes
my interest in art (in this case I consider oral histories as storytelling art) and agriculture, and aims
to tell as story through these disciplines. I am designing a project which incorporates the firstaccounts, that is, the oral histories, of beekeepers in Vermont into a broader synthesis of the
human relationship with the honeybee, and its use as a metaphor throughout history. I would like,
through the accounts, to create a document giving insight into the current state of beekeeping in
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Self-Design Major Proposal Handbook
Vermont as well as the history of individual beekeepers, with a focus especially on how and where
they learned their crafts. A survey of beekeepers in Vermont will also, hopefully, contribute useful
statistics in terms of the average age of beekeepers in the state, the average apiary size, whether
there are many new beekeepers in the state, and if there is a need for educational workshops to
train new beekeepers.
The coursework is further rounded out by the completion of an internship during the
summer of 2011. The internship involves managing a market and kitchen garden on a small
biodynamic farm at a Camphill community in Vedum, Sweden, while living and working with
special needs adolescents and adults. It is an opportunity to study biodynamic agriculture1 more
deeply (a long-standing interest of mine), be involved in the daily routine of the community, as
well as becoming more familiar with the principles of curative education (a term used by Waldorf
educators to describe the interdisciplinary approach used in the education of people with special
needs) through developing daily garden-based activities for an integrated group of people with and
without special needs. The Camphill tradition strongly emphasizes the use of art, especially
seasonal crafts like candle-dipping, knitting, spinning, and weaving, as well as seasonal festivals
with choral music and dance, and harvest celebrations. Music, both vocal and instrumental, is
incorporated into everyday tasks, and is often strongly associated with seasonal changes. Painting,
singing, weaving, gardening ––all are simple acts of reverence for world, for that which is visible
and that which is not.
My education grows outward in many directions, and yet, at the root, there is a place of
wholeness, a place where everything connects. This major gives me not only the inklings of answers
to the more practical questions described above, but also provides me with an opportunity to
continue making the far-reaching connections that I so value in my education, while always
nurturing its roots in environmental stewardship.
The momentous relationship between what we do, who we are, and where we are is
unquestionable. The design of my major aims to reflect this reality.
1
The philosophy and science in which biodynamic agriculture is rooted clearly run parallel to the thoughts
expressed in the above paragraphs, as well as the coursework which is described. The image of the farm as a living
organism engenders the acceptance of humans as part of nature, and makes working with nature, rather than against
it, a necessity for success. The human being, whatever his or her ability, is accepted as a catalyst for change and
good, and the need for purposeful action is emphasized.
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Self-Design Major Proposal Handbook
Sterling College Self-Designed Major Proposal
YOUR NAME: Ryan Taliaferro
TITLE of proposed major: Sustainable Livestock Production and Power Systems
INTENDED DATE OF GRADUATION (including completion of SARP or SP): Fall 2012
DESCRIPTION of proposed major and rationale. This section should identify the academic
context of your proposed major as well as your specific goals and objectives and why you have
chosen to pursue this particular major track at Sterling College (approximately 200 words).
This major in Sustainable Livestock Production and Power Systems focuses my coursework
on livestock, small farm business, and agriculture power systems which will lead to a successful
career for me in the Livestock Production field. Opportunities off campus combined with on
campus study will complement each other in creating this major. For example, doing an internship
on a grass-raised cattle ranch, and taking a year of classes at Vermont Technical College will enable
me to pick up in-depth livestock production and business classes, along with automotive courses to
broaden and deepen my knowledge of various livestock production power systems. While at
Sterling I have gained the ability to integrate draft power in farming systems, along with knowledge
of basic animal science. My success and future in the livestock production business will depend on
my ability to form a more focused course of study than the Sustainable Agriculture degree allows.
Faculty and Other Resources for this Course of Study: a brief narrative (approximately 100
words) on how particular Sterling faculty expertise and interests, as well as off-campus resources,
support the major.
Rick Thomas and Louise Calderwood are very knowledgeable about alternative farm power
systems, and animal science and livestock production, and will be vital resources in pursuing my
major. Also my advisor Carol Dickson will be a critical asset in advising me through the process
helping me make decisions and providing aid for technical writing pieces. I also will utilize the
resources at Vermont Tech which will help me in creating a well-rounded and sturdy base to build
my future livestock production career on. Other resources in the Northeast Kingdom I can utilize
are local beef producers such as John Ramsay who runs a grass-fed cattle operation in Greensboro,
and works for Vermont Land Trust, and also Helm Notterman who owns a grass-raised Holstein
beef farm in East Hardwick.
DOCUMENTATION of coursework comprising the major, including year and term, credits and
distribution area for each course. Be sure to indicate courses you have completed, are currently
enrolled in, and to be completed. This list should be organized according to discipline and/or
chronologically, whichever is most appropriate. Be sure to include any transferred courses that
apply to your major.
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Self-Design Major Proposal Handbook
The number of self-designed major credits must total at least 30 credits. (This does not include
core course requirements or SARP or SP.)
Be sure to also account for the following minimum requirements in your self-designed major
courses:
* 1 credit of Applied Sciences
* 3 credits of Natural Sciences
* 3 credits of Social Sciences
* 3 credits of Humanities
* 6 credits of 300-400 level coursework within the proposed major, including a senior
seminar. (Please identify these courses with an asterisk.)
(Keep in mind that you must meet General Education distribution requirements, as described in
the Sterling College Catalogue.)
SEMESTER/YEAR
CREDIT
S
AS204: Livestock Systems Mgmt./Completed
Summer/2010
2
AS209: Organic Crop Production/Completed
Summer/2010
2
AS215: Agriculture Power Systems/Completed
Summer/2010
4
AS280: Practicum in Diverse Small Farm
Mgmt./Completed
ATT120: Engine Diagnostics and Repair/to be
Completed
ATT2040: Automatic Drive Trains/to be Completed
Summer/2010
4
Fall/2011
4
Spring/2012
4
NS245: Soil Science/Completed
Fall/2010
4
NS222: Animal Science 1/Completed
Spring/2010
3
NS318: Animal Science 2/in Progress
Spring/2011
4
Fall/2011
3
MAJOR COURSE NUMBER/TITLE
Applied Science:
Natural Science:
AGR 3020: Advanced Livestock Production/to be
Completed
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Self-Design Major Proposal Handbook
AGR2030: Animal Nutrition/ to be Completed
Spring/2012
4
AGR1030: Reproduction and Genetics/to be Completed
Spring/2012
3
AGR2050: Large Animal Disease/to be Completed
Spring/2012
3
AGR2060: Beef Production/to be Completed
Spring/2012
3
NS200: Watersheds Ecosystem Analysis/to be Completed
Summer/2012
3
SS337: *U.S. Agriculture Policy/Completed
Fall/2010
3
SS317: *Small Business Mgmt/in Progress
Spring/2011
3
BUS2260: Financial Mgmt/to be Completed
Fall/2011
3
HM226: Literature of the Rural Experience/to be
Completed
Summer/2012
2
HM350: Current Agricultural Issues (Independent
Study)/to be Completed
Summer/2012
2
Social Science:
Humanities:
Total Credits:
63
NARRATIVE. This is a thematic discussion of your course of study. In this narrative, consider
how your proposed coursework connects together to support your major description. Address how
your major includes both breadth and depth of study. Be sure to talk about your senior capstone
project and its relevance to the major (500-750 words).
In the next two years of my journey through higher education I want to pull all my courses
together and focus on the common theme of sustainable livestock production and power systems.
By concentrating my sights on specific aspects of course work available to me, but at the same time
bringing varying practices and education philosophies together, I will create a well rounded
education and broad knowledge base for my future career. This self-designed major has two major
themes: livestock production, and alternative power systems. I will explore these themes through
Sterling courses, Vermont Tech classes, an internship on a grass raised cattle ranch, and a senior
capstone project based on the production of grass raised beef here in Northern Vermont.
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Self-Design Major Proposal Handbook
The livestock piece will focus on meat production, sustainable pasture management
techniques for a grass based feed system, animal husbandry, regulated watering systems, manure
management, and facility efficiency. To me a sustainable operation is based upon a closed system
where most inputs are produced on farm. I will build upon this basis and philosophy with in-depth
studies of animal diseases for prevention and treatment, reproduction and genetics to build
genetically strong livestock, and animal nutrition to raise healthy and superior tasting meat. The
coursework at Sterling will give me a basic understanding of small farm systems, as well as
philosophy of sustainable agriculture. Classes at VTC will give me the knowledge to run a
financially viability livestock operation and a scientifically in-depth study of animal nutrition,
forage production, disease and reproduction. Through my Sterling internship on a beef ranch I
will gain the practical hands-on experience of managing a beef operation, grazing systems and
forage harvesting. Through my senior capstone project, I will research various production and
management methods for raising grass-fed beef in northern Vermont.
The second part of my major focuses on alternative and mixed power systems for farm
operations. This is a comprehensive study of various sources of power for farm work, from draft
horse-powered operations, to tractor-operated farms, and mixed-power sources. Classes at Sterling
will give me the practical experience and knowledge to operate a team of horses for different farm
work and logging systems. During the summer agriculture semester, I learned techniques of strictly
tractor-operated systems. Through both outlets I learned advantages and disadvantages of both
types of power sources in helping to build a sustainable, but viable and efficient small livestock
operation, and gained a deeper appreciation of each technique of farming. At VTC automotive
skills will give me the basic mechanical knowledge to look over my equipment, and diagnose and
troubleshoot issues, as well as hands-on experience which will build my confidence in pursuing
future interests in the automotive and diesel mechanic field. These two methods of implementing
power sources for efficiency, practicality, and sustainability, will give me the ability to use a mixed
power system and creativity to best manage my power sources and output.
By attending classes at VTC I will gain knowledge and practical experience by learning and
working on different farms using different methods of operating. VTC’s dedication to producing
students that go onto successful and productive careers will benefit me greatly in how I approach
my business and how I approach farming.
I will also be doing an internship on a grass-raised cattle ranch in south central Montana.
This will give me the practical everyday experience and knowledge of operating a pasture based
beef operation, and different operating methods. I will be learning different fencing systems,
rotational grazing patterns, herding cattle on horseback, and pivot irrigation operating; from a
rancher who has been in the business for the last 30 years. This will give me experience of working
with cattle in a totally different climate and operating methods, but with the same dedication to
quality grass raised beef. This internship will give me another experience and knowledge base to
pull from and draw my own conclusions and opinions, enhancing a broad range of methods and
techniques I have experienced.
Humanities courses will contribute to my major by broadening my horizons about various
agriculture issues, practices, and perspectives currently and historically.
I will conclude my education at Sterling with my senior capstone project which will be an
intensive look into various operating techniques grass raised beef producers use here in northern
Vermont. This study will range from winter housing and manure management, to summer pasture
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Self-Design Major Proposal Handbook
watering systems, ratio balancing for optimal nutrition benefits and weight gain, intensive
rotational grazing systems, breeding systems and genetic selection. This capstone project will allow
me to independently explore local farms and talk with producers, to gain a greater understanding
of farmer’s personal philosophies and methods of farming. Not only will I be gaining first hand
experience and knowledge from farmers; but I will be networking and forming connections and
resources that will benefit me after I graduate.
In the future I plan to own a small-scale livestock production operation, raising purely
grass-fed beef cattle from calf to slaughter, along with pastured hogs and free-range broiler
chickens. All livestock will be raised on natural forages in a low stress environment; a system built
around sustainably raising the highest quality meat. This will be a business dedicated to the
humane raising of livestock, customer service, hard work, and quality products. Sterling College
and Vermont Tech will bring this major together with many varying opinions, methods of
operation, philosophy, and both in-depth studies and broad philosophical oversights, which will
create a well diversified and intensive study in Sustainable Livestock Production and Power
Systems.
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Self-Design Major Proposal Handbook
Self-Designed Major Proposal
YOUR NAME: Allyson Justine Makuch
TITLE of proposed major: Life Science Education through Agriculture
INTENDED DATE OF GRADUATION (including completion of SARP): Dec. 2013
DESCRIPTION of proposed major and rationale. This section should identify the academic
context of your proposed major as well as your specific goals and objectives and why you have
chosen to pursue this particular major track at Sterling College (approximately 200 words).
This major integrates natural science and sustainable agriculture with a focus on the power
of applied outdoor experience in agriculture to teach both specific and broad scientific concepts.
This type of natural science education emphasizes the interrelationships in an agroecosystem, such
as the interrelationship between soil biota and crop plant productivity, with the goal of
encouraging ecological thinking and a more robust understanding of the sciences. It also
engenders interest and values in young people regarding local food systems, ecological agriculture
and the cycles that human beings all depend upon.
This major merges my passion for teaching natural science with my life’s experience in
sustainable, diversified agriculture. While teaching at Sprout Creek Farm I realized the efficacy of
the agricultural medium to explore complex scientific and ecological concepts. Making science,
which is essentially the study of life, connected to the act of producing food which sustains and
protects life, can be transformative for students’ environmental values and understanding of
science.
Faculty and Other Resources for this Course of Study: a brief narrative (approximately 100
words) on how particular Sterling faculty expertise and interests, as well as off-campus resources,
support the major.
Allison Van Akkeren is my advisor as well as the primary advisor on my SARP. Her
extensive involvement in this field within the local community is invaluable in my exploration of
these topics. Other faculty who have or will serve as resources include John Zaber, Jill Fineis,
Charlotte Rosendahl, Louise Calderwood and other farm, garden and education faculty. In order
to have as much classroom experience and teaching experience as possible I will be working with
Cheryl Eckland, a middle school science teacher in Albany and Peter Merrit, the science teacher at
the Craftsbury Academy. Another local connection will be my proposed SARP focus, working with
the Craftsbury Academy to design and implement a sustainable agriculture program with curricula
blending into the sciences. Education classes at Johnson State College as well as my proposed
internship at one of the many “Enviroschools” in NZ will round out the education component of
my major.
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Self-Design Major Proposal Handbook
DOCUMENTATION of coursework comprising the major, including year and term, credits and
distribution area for each course. Be sure to indicate courses you have completed, are currently
enrolled in, and to be completed. This list should be organized according to discipline and/or
chronologically, whichever is most appropriate. Be sure to include any transferred courses that
apply to your major.
The number of self-designed major credits must total at least 30 credits. (This does not include
core course requirements or SARP or SP.)
Be sure to also account for the following minimum requirements in your self-designed major
courses:
* 1 credit of Applied Sciences
* 3 credits of Natural Sciences
* 3 credits of Social Sciences
* 3 credits of Humanities
* 6 credits of 300-400 level coursework within the proposed major, including a senior
seminar. (Please identify these courses with an asterisk.)
(Keep in mind that you must meet General Education distribution requirements, as described in
the Sterling College Catalogue.)
MAJOR COURSE NUMBER/TITLE
SEMESTER/YEAR
CREDITS
AS100 Agricultural Techniques I
Fall 2010
2
AS204 Livestock Systems Management
Summer, 2011
2
AS168 Intro to Draft Horse Management
Summer, 2011
2
AS219 Feed and Forage
Summer 2011
1
AS310 Permaculture Design
Fall 2011
4
MAJOR COURSE NUMBER/TITLE
SEMESTER/YEAR
CREDITS
NS135 Integrated Chemistry and Physics
Spring 2011
3
NS200 Watershed Ecosystem Analysis
Summer 2011
3
Applied Science:
Natural Science:
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Self-Design Major Proposal Handbook
NS245 Soil Science and Lab
Fall 2011
4
NS271 Topics in NS: Soil Fertility and Water
Quality
Fall 2011
2
NS381A ST in NS: Agroecology
Fall 2011
3
NS254 Biology and Lab
Spring 2012
4
NS346 Plant Science and Lab
Spring 2012
4
Fall 2012
2
Spring 2013
2
NS205 Environmental Science (AP Credits)
--
3
Independent Study: Scientific Research Methods
Fall 2014
2
SS135A&B Whole Farm Thinking
Summer 2011
2
SS337 US Agricultural Policy
Fall 2011
3
Spring 2011
3
Spring 2012
2
Fall 2012
3
Spring 2011
3
Fall 2012
2
Fall 2012
1
SS330 Experiential Curriculum Design
Fall 2012
3
SS325 Education and Culture
Spring 2013
3
MAJOR COURSE NUMBER/TITLE
SEMESTER/YEAR
CREDITS
Summer 2011
2
NS410a College Teaching Experience: Soil Science
and Lab
NS410b College Teaching Experience: Biology and
Lab
Social Science:
SS256 Environmental Education: Elementary
School Outreach
SS410 College Teaching Experience:
Environmental Education
EDU2360 Perspectives on Learning (Johnson State
College)
SS240 Education and Learning Theory
SS233 Independent Study: Small Group Dynamics
and Classroom Observation
Independent Study: Secondary School Education
Methods
Humanities:
HM275 Black River Sketches: Landscape Art
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Self-Design Major Proposal Handbook
HM272B Topics in HM: Pottery
Spring 2012
Total Credits:
2
72
NARRATIVE. This is a thematic discussion of your course of study. In this narrative, consider
how your proposed coursework connects together to support your major description. Address how
your major includes both breadth and depth of study. Be sure to talk about your senior capstone
project and its relevance to the major (500-750 words).
The three core themes that I have followed through my career at Sterling are: natural
science, sustainable agricultural techniques and education. Although separate disciplines, all three
are connected; each adds more context and meaning to the other. Natural science is one of my
greatest intellectual passions and is the foundation of my course work as 30 credits of the 70 in my
major have been dedicated to it. In of themselves, the natural science courses I have taken at
Sterling can be seen as layers upon a strong foundation of Biology, Plant Science and Integrated
Physics and Chemistry. Specifically, these three courses provide a basis for understanding the key
inner-workings of entirety of life on Earth. From there, larger systems, such as those explored in
Soil Science, Agroecology and Soil Fertility and Water Quality can be understood in a deeper
more meaningful way. Watershed Ecosystem Analysis connects all of these systems through the
almost artful movement of water in the landscape.
Using the work and studies I have done in the agricultural field as a lens to study natural
science, my understanding of both disciplines is strengthened. The integration of coursework in
agricultural techniques and natural sciences epitomizes the type of ecological systems thinking that
Sterling encourages. While it may appear that I have not taken many applied agricultural classes,
many of the natural science classes I have taken are agriculturally focused. Soil Science,
Agroecology, Plant Science and Soil Fertility and Water Quality exemplify those classes that bridge
the discipline divide by adding context to the sciences they teach. These credits in agriculture and
natural science also complement my studies in education by informing its content and place in the
greater biosphere. Also these themes directly overlap through my work at Sterling assistant
teaching Biology and Soil Science as well as my engagement in Environmental Education as a
student and T.A.
While the humanities have played a relatively minor role in my coursework at Sterling, they
play an integral role in my other areas of study. The experiences I gained in pottery could easily be
woven into a unit I might teach on soil science; being able to work with clay and form something
useful and beautiful deepens the connection of human life to the soil. In Black River Sketches, we
found ways to observe and express the natural world through the medium of water color; this
would also be an excellent component of a class I might teach. Firstly, the fact that the medium is
water based forces the understanding of the dynamics of water on a page, but also in the
landscape. Also, the close observation of general patterns in nature as well as the details which
comprise it allow for a more whole understanding of the natural environment.
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Self-Design Major Proposal Handbook
From PTA meetings I would attend in elementary school to speaking to the board of
education about the importance of school gardening programs in high school, education has been
a critical part of my life’s path. My experience at Sterling further clarified my calling as an
educator. The educational theme of my major perhaps demonstrates the greatest depth and
breadth of my studies, if not simply through the amount of time I have spent engaged in this field.
The education classes which most applied to my major were those that explored the educational
system, teaching, and curriculum design. While there are many other classes in outdoor education,
the subject matter was too far away from the setting and circumstances I envision myself educating
in. Therefore, I decided that the best way I could use my time at Sterling was to design
independent studies and projects that completely fit with my vision and greatest interests. For
example, in the fall intensive in 2012, I plan on deeply engaging in school standards by looking at
policy, analyzing curricula and designing a science-based agriculture class with those standards as a
guide. Moving away from such a narrow view, I have also had the experience of just being able to
make mistakes, make jokes and make friends with the elementary school students just down the
hill. My work program job as the Farm-to-School Coordinator next fall and spring will also ensure
that I have as much productive time as possible in the classroom and engaged in the local school
system.
Through my incessant questioning of local farm-to-school advocates and environmental
educators it is clear that there is a major gap in the influence of those programs in high schools. In
fact, the vast majority of environmental education and farm-to-school occurs only in grades 7 and
below. Thus, the first option for my SARP (which hinges on a grant and is still in development)
will be working with the Craftsbury Academy to develop and implement an agriculture program,
including such efforts as: evaluating the program’s effectiveness at teaching scientific, social and
environmental concepts, building infrastructure, and writing curriculum. This would be a fantastic
opportunity to engage directly in what I want to do later in life. If the Academy does not receive
the grant, I will most likely be working with the new science teacher developing curriculum,
implementing it and creating infrastructure for classes to be taught in an agricultural context
outdoors etc. My proposed internship at an Enviroschool in NZ would add a layer of depth and
experience to this major. Enviroschools employ what is called the “Whole-School Approach to
Sustainability”, which has been proven to increase environmental awareness, critical thinking skills
and other qualities in students. Working in an Enviroschool would be an excellent opportunity for
me to comparatively assess the New Zealand style of environmental educating with our own. Also,
I would gain an array of educational tools, experience in the classroom and a new perspective on
educational methods.
Teaching science in an engaging way through agricultural examples and hands-on
experience can open the door to ecological thinking for students in almost any situation. This is
due to two major benefits of this type of education; the first is that it provides for a basic need.
Without basic needs met, children will simply not be able to reach their potentials in school.
Second, it gives a useful construct to physically handle and experiment with scientific concepts.
When I was in New Zealand, I met Roy Fraser, director of the Buddhist Golden Light Sutra
Center in Mongolia, who expressed the need for impoverished students in Mongolia’s capital city
to have science education in an applied agricultural context. He, amongst many others see this as a
valuable opportunity to make a difference in the lives and minds of children. I cannot stress
enough how influential this type of education can be for children with so little and also for
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Self-Design Major Proposal Handbook
children with so much. For five years I taught organic gardening and farming techniques as well as
social/food justice to the poorest children in Poughkeepsie, who didn’t know where their next
meal was coming from alongside some of the wealthiest children in the country, living in
apartments on the most expensive streets in New York City. Through that experience, slowly I
began to see that agriculture is the great equalizer of humanity. Everyone, in no matter what
economic situation, can benefit and often gain inner meaning from understanding the systems
that sustain us as a species and our fundamental place in those systems.
This world is in ecological transition in many ways. If I can help students become
connected to the environment both emotionally and through scientific understanding, I believe
this transition may be more compassionate and informed.
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Self-Design Major Proposal Handbook
APPENDIX A: SELF-DESIGNED MAJOR PROPOSAL FORM
(The form can also be found under “Academic Advising” on the Sterling website.)
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Self-Design Major Proposal Handbook
Sterling College Self-Designed Major Proposal
The Self-Designed Major is an option for those who wish to explore an area outside of currently
offered majors or to integrate coursework from existing areas of study. Students work closely with
faculty to develop an academic program that both fulfills students’ educational goals and is within
the realm of faculty expertise. Examples of self-designed majors include: Sustainable Systems,
Natural History, Ecotourism, Agroforestry, and Human Ecology.
Students are encouraged to consider self-designed majors early in their tenure at Sterling College.
Students, in consultation with their advisors, should begin developing a self-designed major plan
by the end of their sophomore year in order to complete this proposal in a timely manner.
The completed Self-Designed Major Proposal form is due to the chair of the Academic Council by
the seventh week of the first semester of a student’s junior year (or 5th semester). The Academic
Council reviews the proposal to assess the curricular content of the proposal. Students will be
asked to attend the meeting at which the proposal is being discussed to help address any specific
questions that may arise. Students are typically informed of approval or recommended revisions by
the end of the first semester of their junior year. Students may not enroll in course in their senior
year without submitting a Self-Designed Major Proposal or Major Declaration Form and having it
approved.
Significant changes to an approved Self-Designed Major or course timeline must be submitted for
approval (e.g. more than two courses or a title or description change).
Students should be thoughtful and deliberate when choosing to name a major that implies a
specific body of knowledge or professional expertise. Students should work with their advisors to
assess whether or not a major title accurately represents a given course of study.
Please include the following signatures before submitting this form to the Academic Council.
Title of Proposed Major: ____________________________________________________
_________________________________ __________________________ __________
Student Name
Student Signature
Date
_________________________________ __________________________ __________
Faculty Advisor Name
Faculty Advisor Signature
Date
_________________________________ __________________________ __________
Second Reader Name
Second Reader Signature
Date
_________________________________ __________________________ __________
Academic Council Chair
Chair Signature
Date
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Self-Design Major Proposal Handbook
Self-Designed Major Proposal
YOUR NAME:
TITLE of proposed major:
INTENDED DATE OF GRADUATION:
DESCRIPTION of proposed major and rationale. The description articulates in a concise way the
scope and focus of your major. A one-sentence statement of what the major is should introduce
the description. The description is where you have a chance to explain the parameters of the major
to the Academic Council, to your advisor, and to others outside Sterling (approximately 200
words).
Faculty and Other Resources for this Course of Study: a brief narrative (approximately 100
words) on how particular Sterling faculty expertise and interests, as well as off-campus resources
(including people and organizations), support the major.
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Self-Design Major Proposal Handbook
DOCUMENTATION of coursework comprising the major. Include the year and term, credits
and distribution area for each course. Be sure to indicate courses you have completed, are
currently enrolled in, and to be completed. This list should be organized according to discipline
and/or chronologically, whichever is most appropriate. Be sure to include any transferred courses
that apply to your major.
The number of self-designed major credits must total at least 30 credits. (This does not include
core course requirements or SARP or SP.)
Be sure to also account for the following minimum requirements in your self-designed major
courses:
* 1 credit of Applied Sciences
* 3 credits of Natural Sciences
* 3 credits of Social Sciences
* 3 credits of Humanities
* 6 credits of 300-400 level coursework within the proposed major. (Please identify these
courses with an asterisk.)
(Keep in mind that you must meet General Education distribution requirements, as described in
the Sterling College Catalogue.)
MAJOR COURSE NUMBER/TITLE
SEMESTER/YEAR
CREDITS
Applied Science:
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Self-Design Major Proposal Handbook
MAJOR COURSE NUMBER/TITLE
SEMESTER/YEAR
CREDITS
Natural Science:
Social Science:
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Self-Design Major Proposal Handbook
MAJOR COURSE NUMBER/TITLE
SEMESTER/YEAR
CREDITS
Humanities:
Total Credits:
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Self-Design Major Proposal Handbook
NARRATIVE. This is a thematic discussion of your course of study, organized around the key
components of your major. Consider how your proposed coursework connects together to support
your major description. Address how your major includes both breadth and depth of study. Be
sure to talk about your senior capstone project and its relevance to the major (500-750 words).
32