last modified:2009-11-09 14:17:55
About the EH Graduate Program
| A Sample Thesis Abstract - Patrick Mabey, MA 2007 |
The Masters degree in Environmental Humanities is a 2-year post baccalaureate degree that is designed to accommodate interdisciplinary demand and interest in a humanities perspective on environmental areas of scholarship.
The state of Utah offers a unique site in which to examine and explore the environment from a humanities perspective, learning about a sense of place, of more fully inhabiting a specific place by knowing its ecology, its human and nonhuman histories, its cultural traditions, and its environmental challenges.
The program is designed to provide students with a broad-based understanding of social, cultural, ethical, historical, communication, and literary perspectives and with a focus on how these humanities perspectives intersect with and influence public policy, scientific, legal, industrial, and corporate concerns. As such, the proposed program complements other graduate degrees offered in the western region, which investigate environmental issues from social scientific, technical, and scientific perspectives.
Purpose of Degree
The purpose of the degree is to provide needed graduate work beyond the bachelor degree.
Currently, bachelor degrees in Environmental Studies are offered at the University of Utah and at other institutions in the Intermountain West. The Environmental Humanities degree program complements other graduate degrees offered in the western region, which emphasize environmental issues from social scientific, technical and scientific perspectives.
Post baccalaureate students throughout the region have the option to further their understanding of environmental issues from a broad-based humanities perspective, making them more marketable in their career choices. The Masters Degree program serves an expanding need in business, education, government, industry, law, public policy, and community planning.
Market Demand
In addition to a traditional academic track, students who earn the Masters in Environmental Humanities can readily move into the increasing number of positions dealing with environmental impact, sustainability, policy, and theory in business, law, government, media, non-profits, and universities. They do so with a broad-based understanding of social, cultural, ethical, historical, communication, and literary perspectives and with a focus on how these humanities perspectives intersect with and influence public policy, scientific, legal, industrial, and corporate concerns.
With its emphases on interdisciplinary and international concerns, this program of study is designed to enhance marketability of its graduates in this expanding field while its breadth will effectively prepare these students for the dynamic evolution sure to accompany the field's multiple and complex applications.