About the Department

Sustainability refers to the capacity of a society to meet current needs without degrading the ecological, social, and economic systems on which the society will rely for meeting future needs. Established in 1999, the Sustainability and Environmental Studies (SENS) Program is an important part of Berea College’s efforts to develop a sustainable campus. SENS links the formal curriculum of the classroom to the many opportunities for experiential learning- learning by doing- that come from student, staff, and faculty participation in the creation and operation of a College that “walks the walk” regarding sustainability. SENS is a multidisciplinary program whose goal is to infuse the teaching of sustainability concepts throughout the College curriculum while guiding and supporting the efforts of the College to practice sustainability.

By conveying to all members of the Berea community an understanding of the severity of threats such as global climate change, social disruption, and economic globalization, and by exploring alternative visions of a sustainable future, the SENS Program seeks to both teach and foster sustainability at scales from local to global.

SENS facilities include faculty offices, a resource library, student work area, and laboratories. The 1000-acres of College farms and gardens and the 8000 acres of College forests including several reservoirs, ponds, and streams, serve as ecological laboratories for SENS classes, internships and projects. The landscapes and human communities of Appalachia provide dynamic case studies of the movement towards sustainability.

The SENS Program will ultimately promote learning at several levels:

• A rigorous core curriculum taught within the program and emphasizing basic and applied ecology

• A diverse set of electives drawn from throughout the College curriculum but particularly from the areas of economics, natural science, sociology, philosophy, and technology

• The introduction of sustainability concepts in a wide range of courses and departments through guest lectures and other contributions by the SENS staff

• A professional development program for faculty and staff

• A strong experiential learning component based on internships, student research, service learning, and participation in the ongoing transformation of the College into a sustainable campus

• An implicit curriculum derived from the daily opportunities for learning that occurs during residence on a campus in which sustainability is increasingly reflected in the architecture and practices.

For information about an independent SENS major proposal contact Dr. Richard Olson, , (859)-985-3593.