Green Mountain College

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This school appears in our ranking 20 Most Affordable Master's in Agriculture Online Degree Programs 2018.

Green Mountain College was established in October 1834 as the Troy Conference Academy by Rev. Stocking and the United Methodist Church. Briefly acquired by John Newman for Ripley Female College in 1863, the coeducational academy was reinstated by 1874. During James M. Pollock's 17-year tenure, Green Mountain College dropped its Methodist affiliation and switched to four-year degrees. GMC's 155-acre campus gained Rutland County's first LEED-certified building and complete climate neutrality in the Taconic Mountains of Vermont. In 2006, the private, nonprofit ELA-centric liberal arts school also joined Moodle for online graduate study. Endowed for $3.7 million, Green Mountain College now enrolls 712 Eagles in the Eco League. Linked to 3,727 LinkedIn alumni, GMC has trained Amsale Aberra, William Duell, George E. Royce, Brunonia Barry, and more.

The U.S. News & World Report ranked Green Mountain in the top 187 Northern colleges with 74 percent retention. On Niche, GMC is America's 364th most liberal school and 594th hardest university. The Princeton Review crowned Green Mountain College the 15th greenest campus nationwide. The Sierra Club placed GMC second among the coolest schools for sustainability. According to the AASHE, Green Mountain has Gold rating for the country's #1 environmental studies. College Factual honored Green Mountain for the 237th most diversity, 163rd most popular agriculture program, and 18th most focused hospitality management degree. Washington Monthly named GMC the 171st best liberal arts college with the 125th most service. The "College of Distinction" also landed 44th on Forbes for tuition discounts.

Green Mountain College Accreditation Details

In April 2016, Green Mountain College underwent comprehensive evaluation by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Institutions of Higher Education to renew its Level III accreditation for 10 more years under president Dr. Robert Allen. Based in Burlington, this regional agency is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to assess the quality of GMC's 24 baccalaureate and four master's majors from Poultney to Killington and online. Green Mountain is authorized by the Vermont State Department of Education. Programmatic approval is also extended from the Council on Accreditation of Parks, Recreation, Tourism, and Related Professions.

Green Mountain College Application Requirements

Getting into Green Mountain College is considered "moderately difficult" by Peterson's with a Fall 2016 acceptance rate of 79 percent. The Office of Graduate Programs only admits online master's applicants who've completed a four-year baccalaureate. Foreign credentials must be equivalent to regionally accredited U.S. education and evaluated by NACES-approved services. The Sustainable MBA has prerequisites in Statistics, Economics, Finance, and Accounting. The Online MS in Environmental Studies also requires four undergrad courses: Biology, Ecology, Chemistry, and Statistics. A maximum of nine master's-level credits are accepted with grades of "C" or better. Prior academics should have a cumulative GPA above 2.9. Preference is also given for two years of relevant industry experience or eco-friendly activism. Green Mountain has a GRE/GMAT test-optional policy, but TOEFL paper scores over 550 might be requested.

Green Mountain College has rolling master's admission until three weeks before online classes start in mid-February for Spring and mid-September for Fall. The Application for Admission can be completed wholly online year-round. Extra documents might be mailed to 1 Brennan Circle in Poultney, VT 05764 if needed. Please pose further inquiries to (802) 287-8338 or [email protected]. Sustainability enthusiasts shouldn't forget the following:

  • Non-refundable $30 fees (waived before 12/31)
  • Official bachelor's degree transcripts
  • Three recommendations from non-relatives
  • Résumés highlighting prior professional experience
  • Typed essays on academic priorities and goals
  • F-1 student visas and TOEFL scores if applicable

Tuition and Financial Aid

Average master's tuition at Green Mountain College is currently $14,700 annually full-time. The Office of Graduate Programs warns that pricing can vary though. For example, the MS in Resilient and Sustainable Communities costs $725 per credit for an online total of $28,275. The MS in Environmental Studies still charges $725 per credit, but the shorter 36-credit online curriculum requires $26,100 total. The Sustainable MBA presently bills slightly more at $825 per credit to equal $30,525. Unless waived, medical insurance will add $1,430 annually. Online master's programs with residencies also incur travel and lodging expenses around $1,550.

According to the NCES College Navigator, 89 percent of full-time GMC Eagles soar with $10.56 million in annual financial aid for $23,124 on average. annually. Interest-free payment plans are arranged over 10 months via Afford.com. Green Mountain College guarantees free textbooks for a value of roughly $1,200 per year. The AmeriCorps partner will gift $1,500 for returning volunteers. Online students who are Community College of Vermont alumni get a reduction to $300 per credit. The Vermont Youth Conservation Corps grants a 15 percent tuition discount. Completing the FAFSA form with code 003687 opens Direct Unsubsidized and Graduate PLUS loans. Veterans benefits are applied through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Institutional funds also include the First in Sustainability Scholarship, Paul and Marsha Fonteyn Make a Difference Scholarship, Methodist Scholarship, Welsh Heritage Scholarship, Food Project Scholarship, Native American Scholarship, and GMC Legacy Scholarship.

Online Degrees Available

Green Mountain College boasts 97 percent gainful employment after its four online "green" master's programs. The Certificate in Ethics and Social Sustainability is also available. Working adults conveniently take six-week online courses on Moodle and attend just one four-day Poultney residency each year. Close interaction is fostered with scholars-in-residence because GMC caps cohorts at 20 students. Other benefits are the bioregional approach, free tutoring via the Jose Calhoun Learning Center, access to Griswold Library, career development services, and optional Summer Farm-to-Table Intensive. Two sample online Green Mountain programs are:

MS in Environmental Studies

Directed by Dr. Christopher Brooks, Green Mountain's MS in Environmental Studies trains online post-grads to think critically about issues affecting the Earth through various scientific lens. The 36-credit program ends with a thesis or capstone portfolio after core courses like Natural Systems Ecology and one of three specializations: Conservation Biology, Writing & Communication, or Self-Design.

MS in Resilient and Sustainable Communities

Launched in 2015, the MS in Resilient and Sustainable Communities at Green Mountain is the country's first online option focused on rethinking resource development strategies to maximize eco-friendliness in today's towns. The 39-credit, two-year major headed by Dr. Laird Christensen offers wide-ranging courses like Transportation Systems, Community Health, and Geographic Information Systems before the thesis.

Learn about more online offerings, including the Sustainable MBA, MS in Sustainable Food Systems, BS in Sustainable Business Administration, and BA in Interdisciplinary Studies, at the Green Mountain College website.