Sustainable Agriculture and Permaculture College Programs

I was wondering if anyone was familiar with any sustainable agriculture or permaculture programs in American colleges? I've run across quite a few but I have trouble determining whether or not they're decent or noteworthy programs.
I'm currently out of college with a less than awesome transcript so I'm a bit limited in what colleges I can look at (high end colleges are pretty much out of the question) and I'll definitely have to attend community college for a year or two first but I figured it couldn't hurt to start looking now.

Any colleges or related programs you might suggest? Has anyone attended school for this or something similar? What are your feelings on attending college for something like sustainable ag v.s. just learning on your own?

Thanks for any help or info.

I heard that Indiana University, Bloomington campus has a program of some sort, but have no idea how it rates nationally. The upside is the state univ. part which means tuition is somewhat lower than a private school. It seems that a permies member said that they were a student there, in the field. Anyway, looking quickly at the course catalog, this is the closest item I found. http://www.indiana.edu/~spea/prospective_students/masters/masters_degrees/mpa/Sustainable%20Development.shtml

Purdue has something that might sort of suit. http://www.admissions.purdue.edu/Majors_Programs/majors_details.php?MjrCd=SUSAGSYS

Thank you Lolly I will definitely check it out. Indiana is especially nice as it is close to my family in Ohio.

I would like to add, in case anyone else checks out this thread for similar advice, that Montanta State University has several interesting programs that have some impressive course listings and descriptions imo. They have a sustainable Food and Bioenergy Degree with a Sustainable Food Systems Option, Sustainable Crop Production Option, Agroecology Option, and Sustainable Livestock Production Option.

Cosmic Bob's Plan for Your Life - As Revealed to Douglas Bullock

College big resource. Much in books, observation, dialogue, and experience. Living with nature and its attuned issssssss

I'd have a look into Fairhaven College (apart of Western Washington University) as they have a program where you can design your own degree program and they're really getting into permaculture, sustainability, along with human rights, social justice etc.

I really wanted to attend this college but couldn't really fit it into my current life situation.

Good Luck!

Jacob Oostra wrote:I'd have a look into Fairhaven College (apart of Western Washington University) as they have a program where you can design your own degree program and they're really getting into permaculture, sustainability, along with human rights, social justice etc.

I really wanted to attend this college but couldn't really fit it into my current life situation.

Good Luck!

They're into permaculture there?? Man, I'm hitting myself right now for not applying. I applied to WSU instead. I don't know much about Western.

In response to OP's question though, here are some schools that I know of: UC Davis (Sustainable Agriculture), WSU (Organic Agriculture), Appalachian State (Sustainable Development, Warren Wilson, College of the Atlantic, The Evergreen State College, Oregon State (Organic Ag), University of New Hampshire (Sustainable Ag). That's all I can think of off the top of my head right now. Hope that helps!

But honestly, I'm only attending college because I don't have the money to do what I actually want to do (take a PDC, and I also want to become a certified natural builder), and my parents are paying for my college, so I might as well go and try to save up money in the meantime. Maybe my college education will help me in the long run, anyway. Who knows!

Hi Saer and anyone else checking out introductory Permaculture classes,
I went through this same search a year ago and found a good class, free and online from North Carolina State University.
It gives you the basics and more than enough to start your own journey. Enjoy.
http://courses.ncsu.edu/hs432/common/podcasts/

The University of Florida is said to have an outstanding Organic Agriculture program. The Gainesville campus is about an hour drive away.