¶¶Òõ̽̽

Type of Degree

B.S.

School or College

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Area of Study

Environment and sustainability

Program Format

On-campus, Full-time

Climate change, growing global populations and agricultural sprawl threaten the world’s ecosystems. Food production and landscape design for the 21st century are in desperate need of more sustainable practices to improve planetary health and human wellbeing.

Program Overview

Choosing between our majors

Agroecology integrates environmental science, ecology and communities to grow food in a way that sustains people and the planet. It is a science of collaboration involving working with people wherever agriculture, conservation, and policymaking converge.

Ecological Landscape Planning and Design is an art and a science that supports both natural ecosystems and human livelihoods. Landscape designers create multifunctional and sustainable landscapes to improve environmental and social systems across urban to rural settings.

Grounded in agricultural and horticultural sciences, each of our curriculums teaches students how to help transform current agri-food and land management systems with the use of ecologically sound and socially just methods.

Both bachelors degrees are offered through the Department of Agriculture, Landscape and Environment.

Our flexible major offers two  pathways to your career goals. In both majors our students gain an understanding of ecological systems through hands-on coursework, research, internships and engaging with local and global communities.

Agroecology Major

Choose Agroecology if your goals are to understand the connections between food production and the environment, work within the farming community, address food insecurity, improve production methods or provide education to communities.

Ecological Landscape Planning and Design Major 

Choose Landscape Design if your goals are to understand multifunctional landscapes, learn conservation methods for land and water resources or provide education to communities.

Our programs bring science-based ecological practices to traditional agriculture and land management systems.

Growing a Sustainable Future

¶¶Òõ̽̽ was one of the first programs in the nation to integrate ecological practices into traditional agriculture.  

Discover America's  #1 College Town

Life in Burlington, Vermont.

Admissions

Outcomes

Beyond the Classroon

Our faculty work closely with the agricultural community not only in Vermont, but nationally and internationally. Faculty are both professors and professional researchers, providing rich opportunities for students to engage in research and internships beyond the classroom. ¶¶Òõ̽̽ students have the opportunity to work in faculty labs, in the field on our research farms and in the community while earning credits, skills and making meaningful connections. Read more about our

Graduate Employment Rate

91% of CALS graduates were employed full-time or continuing their education within 6 months of graduating from ¶¶Òõ̽̽

Careers

  • Brewery Owner, Hops Specialist
  • Conservationist, Land and Water
  • Educator, Extension Outreach Professional
  • Environmental Technician, Soil and Water
  • Flower Farm Owner
  • Greenhouse Operations Coordinator
  • Urban Landscape Designer
  • Winemaker, Wine Cellar Management

Where Alumni Work

  • EcoGardens Landscaping, LLC Philadelphia PA
  • Ernest & Julio Gallo Wines, CA
  • Land Trust Alliance Commission, Saratoga Springs NY
  • Longwood Gardens, Philadelphia PA
  • Mother Earth Organics, Portland OR
  • Parks and Recreation Department, Burlington VT
  • Self-employed business owners, breweries, wineries, and mead
  • The Trust for Public Land, San Francisco CA

Graduate Schools

  • Harvard University, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology
  • Iowa State University, Department of Horticulture
  • SUNY- College of Environmental Science and Forestry, NY
  • University of New Hampshire, Department of Plant Biology

Explore the Path to Career Success through the ¶¶Òõ̽̽ Career Center Resources