Ecological Design

The Ecological Design curriculum integrates knowledge and skills from a wide variety of natural and social sciences and the humanities.  Students learn to visualize, develop, and share their ideas through coursework in visual arts and aesthetics, communication, and design.  More focused topics in energy, alternative building materials, and sustainable practices provide students with the opportunity to gain a depth of knowledge and experience.  Students are encouraged to integrate hands-on experiences with coursework throughout the program.

Students progressing through this program are prepared for the practical application of their skills during their junior or senior year at the ECOSA Institute, a local, semester-long sustainable design program where students use their knowledge and skills in working with real clients, challenges, and time constraints.  Senior follow this practicum with their Senior Project, which is the capstone demonstration of their competence in Ecological Design.

Graduates in the field of Ecological Design may enter a graduate program in architecture, open their own design business, or work as a consultant or specialist with any business, organization, or government entity that wants to adopt sustainable practices.  Ecological designers work in the fields of industrial ecology, architectural design, and city planning, to name a few fields.