fields

The PhD program focuses on two fields: sustainable rural communities and sustainable landscape systems. Sustainable rural communities are characterized by long-term well-being based on the integration of economic, social and environmental factors in their planning and activities. Four sectors of sustainable rural communities have been designated: environment and sustainability, social structure and processes, human resource development, and sustainable rural economic development. The sustainable landscape systems field examines structure, process, and change in the rural landscape through research on bio-physical and socio-cultural sectors. A number of different disciplines are represented and an interdisciplinary approach is taken to integrate across subject areas. Students may choose among fields and choose a sector within the field for relatively more-intensive study. Students may also study rural interdisciplinary topics that fall outside of either of these fields.