Sustainability and Resiliency

Sustainability in the Curriculum

Brown excels at education that integrates knowledge from diverse fields of study, which is ideal for teaching and learning about the multifaceted environmental challenges facing our world.

Across Brown’s campus, opportunities abound for students to prepare for careers in environmental fields or to bring an informed environmental consciousness to whatever field of study they choose to pursue.

Undergraduate Students

For undergraduates, the Institute at Brown for Environment and Society (IBES) offers undergraduate concentrations in environmental studies and environmental science. These concentrations provide a broad survey of environmental study along with the disciplinary depth and practical experience needed to launch students into productive professional careers. Elsewhere, Brown’s School of Engineering offers a concentration in environmental engineering, taught by faculty working at the leading edge of environmental technology.

In addition to dedicated concentrations, IBES and departments across campus offer a range of environmentally focused classes and research opportunities, and Brown’s Open Curriculum enables students from any concentration to explore them. The Cogut Institute for the Humanities offers numerous environmental humanities courses, from an exploration of animal depictions in French literature to an archeology class focused on the interfaces of water, culture and power. Programs in urban studies focus on the environmental challenges unique to the world's cities.

Graduate Students

For graduate students, Brown offers opportunities to work side by side with top scholars studying environmental issues from a variety of perspectives. Environmental research at Brown spans environmental science and engineering to anthropology, history, economics and beyond.

Brown continues to work toward developing increased coursework on sustainability, and integrating sustainability more broadly in the day-to-day experience of life at Brown. This is part of our commitment to expand upon Brown’s already diverse range of research and educational opportunities focused on sustainability challenges.