Environment Behavior and Place Studies Emphasis

Environment Behavior and Place Studies (EBPS) focuses on the behavioral and experiential aspects of person-environment relationships and their implications for environmental design and research. The program examines varying philosophic and methodological approaches to issues in environment-behavior and place experience. Approaches to these issues range from quantitative, explanatory styles of research, emphasizing analytic philosophies, pragmatic strategies and solutions, to qualitative, descriptive styles emphasizing continental philosophical concerns. Within this framework, students’ programs of study and research are individualized to meet particular interests and needs. After completing an introductory core curriculum, students may choose to concentrate on a specific environmental problem or approach, or to work creatively to combine several approaches and issues. Within environment-behavior and place studies, areas of focus can include community and facility design for special populations, experience of place and landscape, project planning and programming, or a special focus meeting the particular educational and career goals of an individual student. Students, in consultation with the advisor, combine elective courses within and outside the College to meet the needs of their specific areas of focus.

Any of the thirteen elective credits in the Environment-Behavior and Place Studies Emphasis may be taken outside the Department. Courses in other Departments including Philosophy, Anthropology, Art and History may be considered, pending approval of the student’s advisory committee.

Graduate Emphasis in Gerontology

An optional interdisciplinary program, administered by the Center for Aging in Fairchild Hall. It is designed to be taken concurrently with or in addition to a disciplinary graduate degree program. This requires 6 credit hours in addition to the 30 credit hours required for the Master of Architecture, with 12 credit hours applying to both programs.