University of California, Irvine. Program in Social Ecology

The Program in Social Ecology, which was incorporated as an academic unit at the University of California, Irvine on January 1, 1970, was conceived and designed as a new approach to education aimed toward the development of solutions to the ongoing problems of society. The program was developed to be interdisciplinary in nature and involved with the community, allowing students to do field studies with various community organizations. Social Ecology began as an undergraduate program began offering Masters degrees in 1973 and Ph.D. degrees beginning in 1976. In October 1982 ground was broken for a new Social Ecology building. The completed building opened in November 1984 and featured special laboratories for environmental simulation, behavioral assessment, and air and water quality studies. The Program held yearly symposiums on environmental psychology beginning in 1980. In the 1984-1985 academic year the following three specializations were instituted: Psychology and Social Behavior; Environmental Health and Planning; and Criminology, Criminal Justice, and Legal Studies. In May 1992 the University of California Regents approved a proposal for the Program to become the School of Social Ecology with the following departments: Psychology and Social Behavior; Criminology, Law and Society; Environmental Analysis and Design; and the Graduate Program in Urban and Regional Planning. In 1996, when Social Ecology became the second largest UCI undergraduate major with an enrollment of 2000 students, ground was broken for a new Social Ecology building. A rapidly growing number of community-university and industry-university partnerships were forged with research groups focusing on gang violence prevention, community health, risk perception and management, and international environmental cooperation. More than 250 organizations and corporations participated in the School's field learning requirement. .A number of endowed chairs have been created within the School: the Thomas and Elizabeth Tierney Chair in Peace Research (1987); the Heinz Family Chair in Economics and Public Policy of Peace (1988); the Warmington Chair in the Social Ecology of Peace and International Cooperation (1989); and the Roger W. Johnson and Janice M. Johnson Chair in Civic Governance and Public Management (1998).

Historical Background

The Program in Social Ecology, which was incorporated as an academic unit at the University of California, Irvine on January 1, 1970, was conceived and designed as a new approach to education aimed toward the development of solutions to the ongoing problems of society. The program was developed to be interdisciplinary in nature and involved with the community, allowing students to do field studies with various community organizations.

Social Ecology began as an undergraduate program and occupied a portion of the Engineering building. The Program began offering Masters degrees in 1973 and Ph.D. degrees beginning in 1976. The Program grew until it was housed in three floors of the Engineering building, two floors of Computer Sciences, and in temporary trailers. In October 1982 ground was broken for a new Social Ecology building. The completed building opened in November 1984 and featured special laboratories for environmental simulation, behavioral assessment, and air and water quality studies.

The Program held yearly symposiums on environmental psychology beginning in 1980. In the 1984-1985 academic year the following three specializations were instituted: Psychology and Social Behavior; Environmental Health and Planning; and Criminology, Criminal Justice, and Legal Studies.

In May 1992 the University of California Regents approved a proposal for the Program to become the School of Social Ecology with the following departments: Psychology and Social Behavior; Criminology, Law and Society; Environmental Analysis and Design; and the Graduate Program in Urban and Regional Planning.

In 1996, when Social Ecology became the second largest UCI undergraduate major with an enrollment of 2000 students, ground was broken for a new Social Ecology building. A rapidly growing number of community-university and industry-university partnerships were forged with research groups focusing on gang violence prevention, community health, risk perception and management, and international environmental cooperation. More than 250 organizations and corporations participated in the School's field learning requirement.

A number of endowed chairs have been created within the School: the Thomas and Elizabeth Tierney Chair in Peace Research (1987); the Heinz Family Chair in Economics and Public Policy of Peace (1988); the Warmington Chair in the Social Ecology of Peace and International Cooperation (1989); and the Roger W. Johnson and Janice M. Johnson Chair in Civic Governance and Public Management (1998).