posted 11 years ago
What if there existed a Permaculture major at an accredited four-year college?
Would you be interested? Your kids? Anyone you may know?
I see requests for this all the time, both here and on the PRI forums, but we're trying to find out how much demand there might be. This is in pursuit of information for an actual project we're working on, for a real ivy-covered college back east.
The curriculum would look somewhat like this:
- Basic undergraduate courses required for general education (math, biology, chemistry, humanities, etc)
- 2 semester "deep-dive" PDC. Daily classes rigorously investigating the concepts, techniques, and applications of the Designer's Manual. No student exiting this series would fail to understand that Pc is a "holistic, ethical design science" that is applicable to any project/problem. An appropriate and thorough design project exercise to receive certification is mandatory. This course could be taken without following the complete degree'd curriculum.
- Survey of the Scientific Method, including history, purpose, and methods. Complete understanding that the scientific method is applicable to any project/problem.
- Physics to include thermodynamics, energy systems, and statistics. Tailor this course to essential concepts necessary to understand the world around us and how it works.
- Ecology: Soil science, microbiology, etc. Huge possibilities here and multiple tracks.
- Systems theory, theory of constraints, resilience, anti-fragility
- Economics/Finances: Not a Keynesian course, but an eye-opening examination of the IMS, how reserve currency works (and the abuse of such), and alternative approaches to financial systems
- Business: basics of business operations, taxes, approaches. Geared towards the Permaculturist as business owner.
- Horticulture, botany from the "in-concert with nature" perspective. Include insect studies (biology crossover).
- Basic engineering discipline, mechanical/structural essentials
- Pc-track History: How did we get to "Sustainability" from infinite growth? Examine energy as a catalyst to human technological and population growth. Chart resource discoveries, extraction, and shortage cycles.
- Hydrology. Deep understanding of water cycles, patterns, utilization, and limits. Include meteorology.
Students following the Pc curriculum would graduate with perhaps the finest Pc Certification available plus a Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science - Permaculture. We also believe that students would graduate with a realistic, aware, broad-based education that would allow them to address the world of today and make intelligent, conscious choices about their lives and future.
So, how about it? Do you see any demand for this type of program???
Thanks.
(And special thanks to Dr. Berman for curriculum inputs!)
Permaculture is a gestalt ... a study of the whole. Not just how to produce more and better food, but how human life on the planet affects and is affected by the surrounding environment.
Bill Kearns