College of the Atlantic

Entire college devoted to human ecology, where students build their own course of study

Institution

College of the Atlantic

Region

North America

COuntry

USA

founding year

1969

student body

350

Website

Institutional Approach

College of the Atlantic is a small college with only 350 students enrolled at a time, entirely dedicated to human ecology - the interaction of humans and the environment. It was the first US college to go carbon neutral in 2007. There are no academic departments, as students create their own course of study ('self-designed majors') to focus on specific sustainability themes, such as food systems, agriculture, sustainable business or conservation biology. The student-led campus committee for sustainability leads initiatives on campus. Experiential learning is core to the pedagogical program, and all students must complete an internship at a workplace as well as a capstone project in their chosen field. The governance structure is horizontal: every week an 'All College Meeting' is held where students, faculty and staff participate in governance. Students also serve on faculty review and hiring committees.

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