Environmental Sociology Program: Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University

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Context

The Environmental Sociology Program will be located at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) within The College of Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities, Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice

Sustainability and Action

Attracting New Students

The Department has not yet advertised the Environmental Sociology track; however, we have announced that it will be added soon.
The department envisions recruiting students from within sociology and criminal justice initially, as they can be immediately prepared to join the surrounding communities that may need immediate assistance. Students from other disciplines could double major or obtain a minor to increase their marketability while becoming productive, contributing community members. Additionally, the department will be a part of the University's recruitment effort within high schools and community colleges in surrounding cities and states, as well as use different communication advertisements to attract new students, and provide general information at conferences.

Engaging with Sustainability

There is one course offered this Fall semester, 2017, as the inaugural course in what is hoped to become the Environmental Sociology track within the sociology major. This course, Strategies for Community Development, examines theory, principles, and techniques of major contemporary strategies of community development.

Moving to Action

The program will allow comparison of merits and limitations of strategies for work in rural and urban communities and environmental responses. Applications of knowledge through simulation exercises will also be included. The students will be given the option of an internship or community service with an agency focusing on environmental social issues.

Design and Assessment

• Design Impetus - Adding this program will give the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice an opportunity to introduce its students and others to the potential benefit that the environment exerts on their day-to-day behaviors. Learning how important some of their decisions are to the advantage of all members of the community is important to community cohesion and the community's ability to survive an unexpected event. In addition, the department also plans to develop partnerships with the state and local governmental agencies that are responsible for disaster preparedness, environmental policies, and administration. Further, the department is in a unique position to assist The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and other environmental agencies to meet the changing demands of industry, and the public by developing the Environmental Sociology track focusing on the community and the environmental demands that are a part of the emerging 21st Century. For example, structuring programs around the environment would fit well with the department's current curricula that include data collection, analysis and presentation, and will be helpful in explaining community resilience and sustainability.
• Program-Level Learning Goals - The Environmental Sociology track will focus on the interactions between groups and their environments. Competencies gained in this area include an understanding of people and communities that are entitled to equal protection by environmental health laws and regulations, the social dimensions of environmental problems, and environmental justice. A major focus includes people of color and disadvantaged communities.
• Graduate Career Preparation - The department plans to develop partnerships for career paths with the state and local governmental agencies that are responsible for disaster preparedness, environmental policies, and administration. The department's internship program will be instrumental in cultivating these relationships.
• Other Careers - The department has not produced any graduates in this proposed program. We will begin tracking the first cohort of graduates when appropriate.
• Program Assessment - The program is in the proposed developmental stages, if approved, it will be assessed using the requirements of the current sociology program, with emphasis on the specifics of the Environmental Sociology track.

Courses and Sequencing

Entry Courses

Core Courses

Capstone: Seminar in Sociology

Electives

Requirement: We are proposing 12 credits (4 courses and/or an internship)

Other Key Features

Addition Materials and Information