MICA’s BFA in Ecosystems, Sustainability, and Justice is an interdisciplinary program that blends research, inquiry, and discussion with creative practice. You'll develop your art or design practice while learning to use your creativity to tackle pressing environmental and social challenges.
MICA student Teagan Crawford-Greene and faculty member Hugh Pocock talk about the experiences of the Ecosystems, Sustainability, & Justice BFA program.
The ESJ major cultivates a community of artists and designers who are passionate about creating positive social and environmental change. In addition, the program’s focus on collaboration and engagement with diverse perspectives fosters a supportive and inclusive learning environment where you are encouraged to challenge norms, question power structures, and explore innovative solutions.
ESJ majors have the flexibility to explore a wide range of mediums and approaches, from traditional artistic practices to emerging technologies and socially engaged projects. This allows you to emerge from the program as a resourceful and versatile artist and adept collaborator prepared to make a meaningful impact in your community and beyond.
Through exhibitions, public events, partnerships with local organizations, and collaborations with faculty and visiting artists, the ESJ program extends its impact beyond the classroom—so that you can connect to the broader community throughout your time at MICA, and engage in meaningful work with individuals or organizations dedicated to environmental and social change.
As an ESJ major, you will undergo a transformative educational experience that will equip you with the tools, knowledge, and critical perspective needed to address pressing contemporary environmental and social challenges. You will emerge from the program prepared to pursue a variety of professional pathways as a creative leader committed to shaping a more sustainable, just, and inclusive future.
Each student completes a shared core, then selects one of three career-aligned tracks:
For students in design disciplines who want to build sustainable futures through products, architecture, fashion, and graphics.
For students focused on storytelling, installation, game design, and spatial/experiential work that addresses climate, justice, and community.
For students pursuing community organizing, policy, advocacy, and civic or nonprofit work.
A focused yet flexible liberal arts education, rigorous training in design or fine arts, and expert program faculty prepares students for a wide range of creative professional careers that support purposeful and successful lives.
Working in sculpture, installation, photography and video, Pocock creates works that explore issues surrounding the earth’s natural resources and society’s relationship to the production and consumption of energy.
“Along with some impactful for credit internship opportunities, [MICA] led me to have a deep passion for working on building a sustainable food system. [...] my well rounded education at MICA in design thinking, critical thinking, and creativity have certainly informed my career growth and success.”
“The [program] really felt like a grass-roots experience, it was exciting to be a part of a growing community and also take leadership in events like the gallery shows. Post-graduation, I've enjoyed staying in touch with concentrators and implementing various eco-conscious decisions in my workplace.”
The focus will be on how materials impact the environment and how their strategic use can help de-carbonize the built environment. A hands-on group project will build experimental structures that the class can observe over time and learn what net zero means! A workshop in digital fabrication techniques will be integrated into the semester’s program to enhance and complement the students’ hands-on skill set.
MICA’s innovative curriculum, state-of-the-art facilities and world-class faculty come together to support a single purpose: provide a no-holds-barred education and experience that will prepare you to be a creative leader in the 21st century. If you would like to receive more information, please click on the link below to fill out a form.
