Colleges have played a huge role in the environmental revolution from its beginnings. For decades, universities across the nation and world have sought to educate students in environmental science and environmental law. Learning about the history of environmentalism, the impact consumerism has on our land, and ways to reduce our imprint on our world, college students are geared to become better citizens of the world after their four-year educational endeavor.

These three universities offer inspiring and innovative degree programs in environmental science, environmental law, and agricultural sustainability that encourage students to get active in living green and become innovators for a new generation.

1. Wellesley College: Ranking near the top of the list among green colleges in 2011, Wellesley receives some of its highest marks for its efforts in environmental sustainability. Wellesley’s Environmental Studies degree is an interdisciplinary program at the university that trains students to address pressing issues in environmentalism and environmental science. Wellesley’s environmental studies program focuses on the biodiversity crisis, involving the collapse of oceanic fisheries, toxic waste disposal, global climate change, green building design, and the inequities and causes of environmental degradation. The program emphasizes hands on involvement from its students in internships, directed studies, and field trips. Wellesley works to develop students that are knowledgeable and capable of real action when they complete their academic pursuits.

2. Montana State University: Dedicating an entire college to the study of sustainable food systems and sustainable agricultural research, Montana State University’s College of Agriculture is unique in the world of academia. Students enrolled at the College of Agriculture are also students in the College of Education, Health, and Human Development. With an interdisciplinary curriculum, Mo State develops students who are prepared to learn about the environment and sustainable agriculture as well as teach future students about sustainability and pressing environmental issues. With a two-plus acre vegetable farm on campus, students in the College of Agriculture put their knowledge to work each and every day on the farm, practicing sustainable agriculture. This innovative sustainability program leads to careers in bioenergy production, food safety, and agricultural biosecurity.

3. Arizona State University: As one of the leading institutions in environmental activism for many years now, ASU offers several programs dedicated to environmental conservation and education for future leaders in the world of sustainability and environmentalism. The environmental technology management program is one of the strongest of its kind offered in the United States. Offering a curriculum that is prepares individuals to face and conquer environmental and emergency management challenges. This program teaches students the scientific and technical aspects of controlling environmental pollution as well as the economic, political, and legal problems facing managers in today’s business climate. In addition to the program in environmental education, ASU also developed the Global Institute of Sustainability, focusing on the affects of urbanization on our ecosystem. This institute allows students, professors, and community leaders to joint in the mission to create solutions for the world’s most pressing environmental emergencies today.

This guest contribution was submitted by Lenore Holditch, who specializes in writing about top online colleges. Questions and comments can be sent to: holditch.lenore@gmail.com .

PHOYO: My Majors

Most incoming college students are becoming aware of the need for environmental protection and a way to ensure the healthy and long-standing existence of the human race on Earth. They are also aware that some of the biggest surges in job opportunities will be in these areas. For this reason, college programs in sustainability and environmental protection are becoming more readily available. Here are some of the top programs in this important field.

Sustainability is one of the fastest growing degree programs in the United States today. Much of the focus in a sustainability program will be on how human beings can promote the well-being of their species and environment over the long term. Students will study the environmental, social and economic factors relating to this goal.

There are many colleges and universities offering degrees in sustainability. As long as the school is accredited, the degree should provide a thorough background in all areas necessary to begin a career in this field. There are also very interesting subsets within sustainability studies. For example, The University of New Hampshire offers a degree in EcoGastronomy, in which students study sustainable agriculture and holistic nutrition. They receive hands-on experience in kitchens, farms and laboratories in order to learn how to create and prepare food in an agriculturally sustainable way.

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Students at Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design can pursue majors in Green Interior Design. Here, they study how to create eco-friendly home and business interiors. They learn how to make homes more sustainable in the long-run and better for the environment in the short-run. They study LEED standards and practice redesigning buildings and making models of sustainable homes. They also work in the field, restoring historic Denver office buildings in order to make them more environmentally friendly.

Sustainable Tourism is another area of sustainability that should see a surge, as tourism is the world’s largest industry. Sustainable Tourism majors at East Carolina University will have the opportunity to study how to practice the business of tourism while preserving the environmental attributes of the vacation destination. Their studies relate to fields as wide-ranging as the arts, medicine, recreation and hospitality.

Environmental Studies is another degree that will become more popular with the advent of environmental awareness. Environmental studies is the study of human interaction with the environment and encompasses both the natural environment and the human-built environment. There are many colleges today offering environmental studies degrees.

The University of Pennsylvania has a program that allows students to earn a master’s degree in environmental studies and an MBA at the same time. This is especially relevant for students who would like to start their own sustainable or otherwise environmentally-related business. Also, Duke University offers a wide variety of environmental studies degrees, from Earth and Ocean Sciences to Master of Environmental Management in Energy and Environment.

Another great degree program for environmentally-minded students is Ecology. Ecology focuses on the scientific study of the small-scale biological relationships between organisms and their environments. One interesting school offering ecology programs is the College of the Atlantic. All enrolled students graduate with a major in Human Ecology, which is the study of the human relationship with the environment.

One thing tech-savvy students should also keep in mind is the amount of environmentally related majors that are offered today online. The Natural Resources Distance Learning Consortium aims to connect web-based learners with schools offering distance degrees in the environmental and natural resources studies. Some of the participating schools include Virginia Tech, University of Idaho, Utah State University, The University of Montana, Penn State, The University of Tennessee, Oregon State University, North Carolina State University, and Mississippi State University. Degree programs include Master of Natural Resources, Master of Geographic Information Systems, Master of Science in Resource Interpretation, Masters of Forest Biomaterials, Masters of Environmental Assessment, Masters of Science degree in Forestry, Masters of Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Sport Management, Master of Public Administration, and Master of Geospatial Information Science and Technology. And this is only a small selection of the types of degrees offered through distance education.

Mariana Ashley is a freelance writer who particularly enjoys writing about online colleges. She loves receiving reader feedback, which can be directed to mariana.ashley031@gmail.com.