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New School to Prepare Students for New York City Green Business Sector

June 27, 2008  |  from greenbuildingsNYC

In the fall of 2008, the New School will begin offering a multi-disciplinary program in Environmental Studies. Students may choose to take either a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies, and each brings its own level of specialization.

The new program will be administered by the New School’s Tishman Environment and Design Center, which is currently the main area of environmental studies at the university. It will focus on New York City as its laboratory, with a special emphasis on urban ecosystems and sustainable design.

“The environment is not just about rainforests and the polar ice caps, but also the cities in which most of the world’s population lives,” said New School President Bob Kerrey in a press release. “This program is truly pioneering—no other university brings together the study of design and urban ecosystems in such a dynamic way. And where better than New York City to study this new frontier of environmental education.”

The program will allow students to draw on the resources afforded to them by both the New School and Parsons The New School for Design. Students from both streams will be taking courses from both institutions, giving a real “hands-on” feel to the program. While students of the program will be given classes in all available fields, those choosing the Bachelor of Arts stream will be able to concentrate in either urban ecosystems or public policy, and those choosing the Bachelor of Science may specialize in sustainable design or urban ecosystem design. Both streams feature internships, fieldwork, and collaborative final projects.

The program is designed to prepare students for the green business sector, which is expected to become the largest employment growth sector in the new millennium. Graduates will be able to work in government, architecture, education, recycling, and many other industries with a specialized skill set.

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Filed: Green-Construction