Examine the skills, understanding and
practices that are vital to community living at Findhorn - one of the
best places to study abroad for sustainability studies and holistic
education in the U.K. Findhorn, located on the scenic north coast of
Scotland, is an Ecovillage of 400 people renowned for its environmental
consciousness, spiritual and personal growth, arts and creativity,
education, and global responsibility.
In a beautiful setting among an ancient fishing village, sand dunes and
flowering gardens, learn about the integration of human ecology and
natural systems as you gain valuable field experience in areas
including organic farming, creative expression for sustainable living,
and consensus facilitation. Experience the successes and challenges of
living and working sustainably in one of the first intentional
communities in the world, which has been awarded a Best Practices
designation by the UN Centre for Human Settlements. Findhorn is also
home to the Global Ecovillage
Network.
The Findhorn Foundation is a demonstration site for sustainable living.
Members maintain organic gardens and a community supported agriculture
system, two wind-powered turbines and a generator, a "Living Machine"
ecological sewage treatment facility, and a "green building" program
with over 30 ecological buildings completed (including a
green-renovated castle) and a further 30-40 in planning stages.
Findhorn is a founding member of the Global Ecovillage Network. The
Findhorn Foundation College was formed in 2001 to provide academic and
professional training programs by integrating personal development
theory and techniques with established educational methods. The college
has a holistic learning philosophy that balances development of mind,
body, emotions, spirit and relationships within an academic and
community context.
Read
more
about Findhorn and its location »
Applied Sustainable Ecovillage
Living
(Env. Design 592B - 4 cr.)
This course explores the core nature of our species and focuses
specifically on our relationship with the land, food and farming, in
the context of the Findhorn Ecovillage. The various ways in which we
provide for our other needs - shelter, energy, clothing, transport,
waste management - is also covered. Students explore the theory and
practice of living more lightly and joyfully through ecological
footprint analysis - a tool which helps us to gauge the impact of our
current activities on the environment.
Group Dynamics
(Comm 352 - 4 cr.)
This course looks at the psychology of groups - both small and large.
Students will learn observation, communication and facilitation skills
as practical, effective tools and to reinforce the theoretical
learning. Utilizing students' own experience and that of the Findhorn
Ecovillage as examples, the course will cover:
- Stages of groups development based on the Scott Peck
model*
- Roles, conflict and some techniques for facilitation
- The relationship between personal psychology and
group dynamics
- Common group dynamic issues: such as conformity,
safety, leadership, sub-groups, scapegoating, etc.
Exploring Self and Community through the Arts
(Honors 397L - 4 cr.)
This course helps students connect with the creative self through
painting, drawing and sculpting. Through exercises, lectures, and
projects, students study:
- An introduction to the world of color, form and line
from a developmental perspective.
- Painting as an expression of feeling in contrast to
verbal, intellectual art forms.
- Interaction and communication in groups through
artistic expression.
- Artistic connection with the natural world to inspire
and transform the way we see and perceive.
Worldviews and Consciousness
(International Ed 292E - 4 cr.)
This course aims to empower students to learn how individuals and
groups perceive and shape their mindsets. Particular attention is
placed on the study of world cultural traditions and the search for
meaning and fulfillment. Through the creation of theoretical and
experiential understandings of worldviews and consciousness, students
examine culturally-narrated truths, social constructs, and the process
that facilitates the evolution of an individual's belief system.
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| Become part of a small
learning community within the exceptional educational and spiritual
community that is Findhorn. More
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Fall Semester
August 28 - December 4, 2011
Application Deadline: March 15*
Spring Semester
February 24 - June 1, 2012
Application Deadline: September 30*
*Rolling admissions on a first come first serve basis, so apply early! Contact us for late availability.
Learn how to apply »
Questions? Contact us »
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the student experience
more » |
"
I really love the attitude towards learning here. It feels so supportive and so
completely different than anything I've ever experienced in traditional school.
We're surrounded by adults who want to inspire us and who want to understand
our individual needs and interests.
"
–Emily Vail, UMass Amherst (Fall 2008)
"
Findhorn is a complete internalization of education. To me, Findhorn is a
reminder of what learning actually is.
"
–Jen Swanson, Washington University St. Louis (Fall 2008)
"
Wild and windy with hills covered in heather and ferns. There are no trees just
rocks and scrubs. And you almost always have a view of the sea. We saw Balfour
Bay and climbed down to a sea cave that I bet was a pirate hideout in days
past. We climbed to the high point of the island and climbed onto the wishing
rock to make wishes guaranteed to come true. Erraid Island really is a magical
place.
"
–Hannah Eubanks, Missouri State University (Fall 2009)
read more »
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Includes tuition, program costs, room and board, in-country travel
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Credit included
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Spring 2012 - $16,900
For future program costs, contact us »
Learn about financial aid options »
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| Week
1 |
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Introduction to the
Findhorn Ecovillage and community life |
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| Week
2: |
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Academic and
cultural orientation |
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Introduction to
holistic learning & assessment |
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Identify learning
goals and learning contract |
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Local field trips
and campus and community tours |
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| Weeks 3 - 5: |
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Classes, tutorials
and self-directed research |
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Community
gatherings, events, and group check-ins |
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| Week
6 |
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Field Study on
Erraid Island |
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Practicum and
seminars on social, cultural and environmental dimensions of
sustainability |
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| Weeks 7 -
13: |
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Classes, tutorials
and self-directed research |
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Community
gatherings, events, and group check-ins |
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| Week 14: |
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Synthesis of
learnings, assessments and Learning Contract presentations |
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| Get contact information for an alum of this program » |
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Earn 16 transferable credits through the
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Find out about transferring credits to your home
school »
View the full curriculum for this program »
Graham Meltzer
Graham Meltzer, PhD, Architecture and B.DesSt., Built Environment, University of Queensland, Australia
Meltzer has a deep abiding interest in communal living, architectural design,
and green building. His academic research, teaching and experience over the
last 20 years have focused on co-housing, looking specifically at the links
between social cohesion, design theory and the human environment,
environmentalism and sustainability. Meltzer is on the board of ICSA, the
International Communal Studies Association, and is currently working for the
Findhorn Foundation as Community Architect and Project Manager. He has written
numerous articles, chapters, and books including, Sustainable Community:
Learning from the Cohousing Model and Another Kind of Space: Creating
Ecological Dwellings and Environments (co-author).
Gill Emslie
Diploma (M.A. equiv.) in Process Oriented Psychology, School of Process Oriented Psychology
Portland, OR, and London UK; Certificate in Holotropic Breathwork, School of Holotropic Breathwork, CA
Gill has extensive experience as an international trainer and facilitator,
drawing on her training in transpersonal psychology, as a consultant to
organizations and communities, and as a psychotherapist. She delivers
trainings in group dynamics and conflict facilitation, social design, personal
development, staff training, supervision, and developing the relationship
between individual purpose and its application in the workplace and the world.
Gill currently works within the corporate and voluntary sectors both in Europe
and Latin America, as well as teaching in a variety of educational program.
Melissa Godbeer
B.MSc, M.MSc University of Metaphysics, California
Melissa is passionate about Living Education and personal sustainability, and
teaches on a range of themes from green mind programming to pro-peace activism.
She has been an educator with the Findhorn College since 2005 where her key
area of interest is the beneficial communal effects of right-livelihood. With a
diverse history originating in Zimbabwe, Africa, Melissa dynamically draws on
over 10 years of team leadership and group facilitation experience, and
utilizes advanced facilitation technology as a means to reach her audience.
While maintaining an authentic level of compassion to support and mentor
students through the academic demands of the rigorous Findhorn Community
Semester program, Melissa’s capacity to demystify the seriousness of
sustainable education brings relief to the learning community.
Lisa Shaw
M.F.A.,Grays School of Art, Aberdeen; B.F.A., The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, NYC
An artist, designer and educator, Shaw is the art director of the Ecovillage
Institute, an ecological design and engineering firm based in Findhorn,
Scotland. She has worked on projects for the restoration and sustainable use of
water and soil in India, China, Bolivia, Russia and the UK. This work targets
problems of water scarcity, contamination and land degradation. Shaw is
involved in ecological art and is currently researching issues of self-image in
relationship to the environment in Scotland.
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