Environmental Education Endorsement &
Graduate Courses

The Environmental Education Endorsement has the purpose of providing persons interested in environmental education the opportunity to have training that meets national standards developed by the North American Assocation for Environmental Education. These standards have been adopted by the Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board. This endorsement allows persons with a teaching certificate to add this to their teaching certificate.

An elementary, middle school, secondary major that has their initial teaching certificate may take the endorsement at any one of the following levels:
   • Master's Degree
   • Fifth Year Program
   • Rank I Level
   • As a separate program just for the purpose of completing the endorsement

The endorsement is 12 credit hours and can be integrated into most graduate program.

ENVE 520 - Introduction to Environmental Education - This course provides students with an introduction to the field of environmental education. It includes basic history and philosophy, methodologies, resources for formal and non-formal educators, and current trends in the field. It is taught primarily through a series of hands-on experiences, simulations, and reflective discussion. (3 hours - offered fall & spring semesters)

ENVE 580 - Instructional Strategies in Enviromental Education - This course is designed to assist classroom teachers and other formal and non-formal educators improve their understanding of the natural and cultural environment. In addition, it provides participants with opportunities to utilize the environment in their instructional programs. Specific attention will be given to the teaching of the early childhood, elementary, middle school and high school levels, specifically as it relates to outdoor and environmental education. Goals, objectives, and teaching strategies associated with environmental education will be reviewed in keeping with the characteristic needs of learners at specific age levels. Emphasis will be placed on the interrelatedness of environmental education with traditional curriculum content areas. On-site experiences will be conducted at various sites at Land Between the Lakes, in west Kentucky and Tennessee. (3 hours - offered summer semester and when needed) Permission from the instructor is required before registering.

 • ENVE 585 - Special Topics in Environment Education - This course is designed to address current issues in environmental education. It includes a consideration of special topics to acquint the advanced student with significant problems and developments of current interest in environmental education. (up to 6 hours - offered when needed) Permission from the instructor is required before registering.

   • EDU 507/GEOG 507 - Geographic Concepts and Skills for Teachers - This course is designed for experienced social studies, earth science, and geoscience teachers. The course will provide up-to-date geographic content, information, and related geographic skills associated with geography core content for the P-12 classroom. (3 hours - offered fall semester online and summer semester face-to-face)

   • GEOL 511 - The Dynamic Earth - This is a web-based course in Earth System Science and problem based learning. The couse is primarily designed for in-service high school teachers; however, any teacher or with interests in Earth Science education and problem based learning is welcome to take the course. Students will learn about coral reefs, tropical forests, ozone depletion and climate change from an Earth System Science perspective. (3 hours - offered on-line)

   • REC 532 - Environmental Education Resources - This course provides experiential learning about environmental education resources. Emphasis is placed on knowledge of both natural and cultural environments. Field experiences required and students are required to provide their own means of transportations to field sites. (3 hours)

   • REC 434g - Environmental Interpretation - This course provides a framework for individual professional growth within the broad range of skills and philosophies of environmental interpretation. It includes a study of nature trail design and preparation, live and inanimate exhibit design and preparation, resource inventory, building, exhibit material purchase, vandalism, and other problems related to the developoment of nature oriented areas and facilities. (3 hours)

   • ELED/MGE/SEC 570 - Workshops: Environmental Education - This couse is workshops dealing with selected topics and issues in environmental education. (1-3 hours - offered as needed)

PLEASE NOTE: Additional courses may be added to a student's graduate program in environmental education with approval from both the student's advisor and the coordinator of the environmental education endorsement.

Graduate students may take environmental education classes to meet individual needs within a personal or professional development program, to fill a specific set of skills, or to meet elective requirements.

Link to Advising Form)

For further question contact Dr. Terry Wilson, terry.wilson@wku.edu