Areas of Study

Academics

College of the Atlantic

Boundaries between disciplines are largely artificial

Addressing the world’s problems requires combining knowledge in new ways. COA offers a self-designed degree in human ecology. You have the flexibility and freedom to design a curriculum that is right for you.

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Areas of study

The areas of study we’ve listed below are possibilities—constellations of interests, topics, or ideas around which students and faculty cluster. They’re neither majors nor formal concentrations. 

You may find yourself pulled towards one or more of these areas. You may have some other area of study in mind: perhaps something that is unique to you and doesn’t even have a name. Or you may see strands of knowledge as so interwoven that the idea of areas seems too limiting.

You can also search and browse courses without filtering by areas of study.

As you explore these areas of study, remember that they are mere suggestions: hints about how how you might want to put your curriculum together. We don’t like breaking up knowledge and experience into different areas. So please take these ‘areas of study’ with a grain of salt.  Or maybe an entire salt shaker.

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What is human ecology?

Human ecology is the study of the relations between humans and their natural, cultural, built, and technological environments. It is a philosophy of education that is interdisciplinary, action-oriented, value-driven, and which puts students in charge of their own education.

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