This new Ethnobotany program will accept its first students in the fall of 2007. The Ethnobotany program is an interdisciplinary major that allows students to integrate science and culture as a way of understanding human reliance on plants and the environment. After obtaining a background in plant sciences, biogeography and cultural studies, students choose a track to follow within the major dependent on their particular interest. There are three concentrations within this major:

The pharmacological concentration was developed to provide students with the courses necessary to advance in the fields of medicine and herbalism. Students in this track will receive a strong education in chemistry to strengthen their understanding of how the chemical constituents of plants react with the human body. Students who follow this concentration will gain the skills to acquire the advanced training to work as an herbalist consultant for holistic veterinarians, doctors, and alternative health settings, drug detoxification programs, detention centers and working in laboratory technician positions in research settings.

The biogeography concentration allows students to explore the connection between plants and the physical environment. A focus of the concentration will be learning about the delicate balance of negotiating human use of the environment. Students in this concentration will acquire the skills to complete jobs such as vegetation mapping. Careers available to students in this concentration include environmental consulting; native and non-native plant mapping programs, plant nurseries, landscaping, invasive plant management research teams and arborist positions for private gardens.

The cultural perspectives concentration was designed for students with an interest in discovering how culture effects human use of the environment. This understanding will allow students to work from within a culture to help foster local appreciation for the environment. Students in this concentration will find themselves working within profit and non-profit organizations dealing with community environmental health, community garden/nursery organizations, summer camps for children, community coordinator with native American reservations and park naturalist positions.

This unique program will allow students to pursue careers in a number of fields given the breadth of classes and numerous field courses offered in this major.

Students participating in this program are encouraged to take part in study abroad experiences and foreign language classes to enhance their academic experience.

1. impart knowledge of the biological and chemical traits of plants considered by human cultures as valuable;
2. familiarize the student with the unique natural environment in which they live;
3. provide a unique learning environment in which biological and social science theories are integrated;
4. immerse students in coursework, research and applications which directly benefit communities where plants are used as part of the cultural heritage;
5. supply the student with tools and experiences necessary to carry out ethnobotanical studies;
6. instill in students an appreciation for the interdependence of nature and human societies, with an emphasis on botanical studies.

The pharmacological concentration: herbalist consultant for holistic veterinarians, doctors, and alternative health settings; drug detoxification programs, detention centers; technician positions in research laboratory settings.

The biogeography concentration: environmental consultant; USDA laboratories dedicated to native and nonnative plant mapping programs, plant nurseries, landscaping, USDA/ federal programs with invasive plant management, herbariums and private gardens conduct, World Wide Fund for Nature, Peace Corps.

The cultural perspectives concentration: agent within profit and nonprofit organizations dealing with community environmental health, community garden/nursery organizations, Peace Corps, summer camps for children, community coordinator with native American reservations, park naturalist.