Prescott College > Areas of Study > Sustainable Community Development

Sustainable Community Development

Bachelor's Degree

Why this program?

You believe that healthy communities are the key to a just and sustainable world. You want to learn how to design, enhance, or restore resilient and vibrant communities. You want to learn how different communities work: how they face struggles and solve problems current and future, how they strive to provide for everyone regardless of circumstance, and how they intersect with government and organizations to obtain the services they need to navigate challenges and seize opportunities. You are an empathetic problem solver, and you believe in the power of both high-level thinking and on-the-ground elbow grease.


What can you do with this degree?

Many of our students go on to study at the graduate level (including our accelerated pathways in graduate programs such as Resilient and Sustainable Communities, Sustainable Food Systems, or Sustainability Management.). Others choose to start their fulfilling careers, landing positions such as Community Program Director and Community Mentor.


What does this program look like?

Whether on campus or online, this undergraduate program well-equips you with both a global perspective and the ability to make real-world impact. Develop a holistic understanding of human systems and ecology throughout the world. Analyze essential functions of communities at various levels of development and scales. Research, develop, and assess approaches for addressing these challenges. Learn to create sustainable, resilient, and socially just communities. Evaluate environmental, social, and economic challenges that communities face at multiple scales. Spotlight a particular community, study its physical and natural environments, values, practices, needs, and access points to relevant government and private enterprises whose activities affect its well-being. Your degree culminates in a Senior Capstone Project based around the real needs of a community of your choice. At every level, hone an invaluable skillset of problem-solving, effective communication, community engagement, and inclusive group facilitation.

Key program information

Start Dates:
August 20, 2024
January 14, 2025

Application Deadlines:
August 5, 2024
January 2, 2025

Application Checklist

  • Completed Application
  • Official transcripts
  • List of References
  • Essay

Admissions & Apply

Nathalie Burgeff ’23 Presents at National Zero Waste Conference

Her presentation outlined Prescott College’s remarkable journey toward becoming a Zero Waste campus. In the spring of 2023, Nathalie was fortunate to receive funding from the Sustainability Council at Prescott College, enabling her to embark on a transformative Fellowship with the Post Landfill Action Network (PLAN). This opportunity granted her the honor of becoming a Zero Waste Fellow within PLAN, where she conducted a comprehensive assessment of the Prescott College campus’s waste management strategies and zero-waste initiatives.

SUSTAINABILITY SPOTLIGHT

Chubby Chickens and Expanding Animal Agriculture

Our campus chickens–Dylan, Ruby, Gus, and Pippy are just one aspect of agriculture on campus. This fall, we welcomed new ‘little ones’ to the Sustainability Center (Wren) building as they rapidly grow under a warm heat lamp. Once they reach full development, they will be slowly integrated into our campus flock! No official names have been given as we wait for their unique personalities to develop into identifiable names. We are looking for opportunities to expand animal agriculture on campus in the Village Kitchen Garden space – what would you like to see on our campus? 

Careers & Opportunities

Career Pathways

The jobs listed below show how versatile our Bachelor of Arts in Sustainable Community Development is and how valuable our graduates are:

  • Community Program Director
  • Community Mentor
  • City Planner
  • Ecological Designer
  • Aid worker
  • Outreach and Education Coordinator
  • Resilience Specialist
  • Human Services Program Planner
  • Environmental Scientist

Career Planning

Our student success team works with you to map out a plan that works, for your goals and your life. There are many ways to get where you’re going, and we’ve seen it all!

Are you interested in being part of our community?

One thing we all have in common is our passion – passion for helping others, passion for the environment, passion for social justice and a passion for a different kind of learning experience.