Examples of integrating projects are the design of a nature reserve, or a position paper on the US response to the Kyoto negotiations. The Earth Semester is attended by 75 students from colleges and universities around the country and is offered twice per year. It includes students from a wide variety of disciplines and backgrounds in the same courses. In order to bring all students to the same starting point, there are background lectures in the relevant fundamentals of each of the disciplines. Extra opportunities are also provided for students with advanced knowledge, such as special non-credit seminars.
All students also spend one day per week on a term project mentored by faculty and research staff.
In a typical semester, students spend two weeks on extended field trips in the southwest. The Earth Semester carries 16 credits from Columbia University. Represented majors include anthropology, archeology, biology, business, education, ecological studies, English, environmental science, chemistry, geology, history, math, pre-med, political science, psychology, public administration and Spanish. Partnerships and Scholarships Formal partners have made a commitment to send a specific number of students each semester. They also work with us in refining the course content and offerings.