Sterling College

A Unique Curriculum

“My professors and peers in my graduate program in fire ecology at the University of Maine at Orono noticed my vast field knowledge and real world experiences, many of which stemmed from my time as an undergraduate at Sterling College.”— Erin Small (’00)

Sterling concentrates on four distinct but inter-related areas of the liberal arts: Conservation Ecology, Outdoor Education and Leadership, Circumpolar Studies, and Sustainable Agriculture.

Working closely with their faculty advisors, students explore deeply in a curriculum designed to foster a student’s self direction. All Sterling students have the opportunity to construct the academic pathways that are most fulfilling, challenging, and meaningful to them.

Sterling’s academic program is conducted indoors and outdoors, on campus and far afield, and is grounded in the study of the environment and guided by our commitment to the issues and practice of sustainability.

Internships encourage students to bridge their first-year experiences to a potential career. Through Global Field Studies students develop a perspective of the world by exploring with Sterling faculty and fellow students different cultures and extraordinary landscapes, while focusing on issues of human ecology and environmental sustainability. The senior capstone learning experience offers an opportunity for students to develop and apply the theoretical knowledge necessary to tackle a real problem in their field of study or create an independent project in their area of expertise.

Our 130-acre Northern Vermont campus includes woodlands, pastures, organic gardens, trails, bogs, and wetlands, composing the environment that supports academic study and residential life. We integrate research and discussion, field studies, culture and history, and the dynamics of human relations.