Human ecology is at the heart of an education at College of the Atlantic. This educational approach is founded upon the premise that the complex problems and issues of modern society and the environment are not departmentalized -- or compartmentalized. Instead, human ecology posits that the roots of contemporary social, cultural, political and environmental issues are intertwined among various fields. "There is a tendency, especially in the academic world,” says Rich Borden, a professor at COA for the last 30 years, "to carve life into ever smaller pieces in order to make sense of it. The aim of human ecology is to remind us that we are part of a complex and interactive living world. Its broad mandate calls us to cross the boundaries of traditional disciplines and seek fresh combinations of ideas.”

At COA We Do:

• have a holistic view of learning and of our curriculum
• require every student to design his or her own education
• put environmental and social problems at the center of our curriculum
• work to prepare students to develop and implement solutions to environmental and social problems

We Don't:

• Have academic departments, as in traditional colleges and universities
•  Have defined majors