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LSE Program Overview

The LSE specialty serves those who wish to teach, develop, or manage sustainability education programs in various settings including schools, nonprofit organizations, local governments, and businesses. LSE students develop a program of study in one of the following areas:

  • Garden-based education in schools and communities
  • Sustainability education in schools, colleges, and community organizations

LSE alumni currently work in the field of sustainability education in the following capacities: Sustainability education coordinators for nonprofit organizations and private companies, garden coordinators for schools, teachers using garden-based curriculum, sustainability instructors in higher education, sustainable business owners, and project coordinators for community-based sustainability organizations

Mission statement

LSE prepares graduates for professional careers in sustainability education through rigorous study of educational leadership and application of sustainability education pedagogical principles that address the importance of ecological systems, bio-cultural diversity, social and economic justice, and multicultural perspectives.

Program description

Sustainability education focuses on developing the knowledge, perspectives, new ways of thinking, and skills needed to advocate for justice and equity, democratic participation, economic viability, and the regeneration of communities and ecosystems.  The LSE program is unique for several reasons. First, the program is inherently interdisciplinary, recognizing that complex socio-cultural and ecological problems must be addressed from a whole systems perspective. Second, LSE not only focuses on understanding the interconnected relationships between ecological, socio-cultural, political, economic and ethical aspects of sustainability issues, but on knowing how to educate about complex sustainability issues using participatory, place-based, transformational and culturally relevant pedagogies. Third, LSE serves to prepare learners with the leadership skills and opportunities, through coursework and community-based learning, to take leadership roles in envisioning and designing change and educating for sustainable solutions in our communities.

LSE Key Learning Areas

  1. Self understanding- developing sustainability values and ethics; developing an ecological identity and sense of place; developing a personal educational and leadership philosophy
  2. View of the world- understanding sustainability issues as interconnected, holistic, and relational; developing systems thinking; understanding and valuing the importance of multiple perspectives
  3. Relationships- developing strategies for working with diverse groups to affect change; understanding how power, privilege and justice impact relationships; developing sustainability networks and partnerships
  4. Tools for change- developing a toolkit for enacting sustainable change; gaining tools for educating for sustainability; developing leadership skills 

LSE guiding principles

The following values guide the LSE program:

  1. A commitment to social, ecological and economic justice
  2. A commitment to multiple perspectives including multicultural, interdisciplinary, intergenerational, indigenous, local, and global perspectives
  3. The development of reflective practitioners and critical thinkers with strong communication skills
  4. The empowerment of change agents with leadership skills and the capacity to collaborate with diverse individuals
  5. The integration of theory, research, assessment and practice
  6. A commitment to bio-cultural diversity, ecological restoration, and the greater good
  7. The integration of indigenous knowledge and whole systems design
  8. The fostering of participatory, inclusive, transformational, and lifelong learning
  9. The promotion of applied, experiential and community-based learning
  10. The fostering of hope and resiliency through networks and relationships within local and global contexts

LSE Learning Outcomes

By the end of their LSE program, students will be able to:

  1. Effectively communicate ideas in discussion, presentations and in writing
  2. Access, evaluate, synthesize and apply research and information, including grassroots initiatives and knowledge from ELP core studies, to improve sustainability education practice
  3. Reflect critically on one’s own learning, practice, and professional development
  4. Demonstrate a theoretical understanding of leadership, and the skills needed to offer effective leadership for sustainability
  5. Critically examine dominant systems and paradigms and analyze complex sustainability issues locally and globally
  6. Articulate a broad-based understanding of sustainability education including its interconnected relationships between ecological, socio-cultural, political, economic and ethical aspects
  7. Envision and create sustainable solutions using a whole systems perspective
  8. Educate others about complex sustainability issues using participatory, place-based, transformational, and culturally relevant pedagogies
  9. Work collaboratively, create learning communities and develop networks with diverse individuals
  10. Establish a commitment to leadership in bio-cultural sustainability education