Sustainability, ecotourism and other green topics are the focus of courses at hotel schools around the world. Below is a list of some of the schools where students can take these types of courses. If your school offers an environment-related course but is not listed below, write to: editor@greenlodgingnews.com.

Cornell School of Hotel Administration
Ithaca, N.Y.

The Cornell School of Hotel Administration offers a course called “Sustainable Development and the Global Hospitality Industry.”

Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne
Lausanne, Switzerland

As part of a “Facilities Management” course, students at Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne learn about renewable energy from on-campus solar and wind power installations.

Eshotel Paris
Paris, France

Eshotel offers a "Tourism and the Environment" course (in English) to all students.

Florida International University
North Miami, Fla.

Florida International University offers an undergraduate course in “Sustainable Tourism Practices.” The course explores management strategies suitable for controlling a growing industry. At the graduate level, the school offers many environment-related courses: “Environmental Management Systems for Tourism,” “Ecological Anthropology,” “Theory of Landscape Architecture,” “Ethics and the Environment,” “Ecology of the Costa Rican Rainforest,” and several others.

George Washington University
Washington, D.C.

In George Washington University’s Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management, graduate students can focus on Sustainable Destination Management as an area of study. Ecotourism is included in the study area. In partnership with The International Ecotourism Society, George Washington University also offers many distance learning courses in sustainable tourism and ecotourism.

Green Mountain College
Poultney, Vt.

Green Mountain College, a liberal arts college, incorporates the environment and sustainability issues throughout its curriculum. The college offers a resort management major and just started a hospitality management program.

Manfred Steinfeld School of Hospitality and Tourism Management
Chicago and Schaumburg, Ill.

At the Manfred Steinfeld School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, part of Roosevelt University, sustainability and green practices are discussed throughout the curriculum. Students are encouraged to research topics of interest. The school is located in the heart of Chicago, a major tourism destination and a city that encourages green initiatives.

MiraCosta College
Oceanside, Calif.

Several courses at MiraCosta College are taught emphasizing sustainable practices. A few of these include: “Hospitality Facilities Management,” “International Tourism,” “Corporate/Business Travel Management,” “Restaurant Management,” “Culinary Basics.”

Missouri State University
Springfield, Mo.

The Missouri State University Department of Hospitality and Restaurant Administration emphasizes “green” and sustainability issues throughout its curriculum. The MSU HRA Department will be hosting an undergraduate research symposium on sustainable hospitality industry practices on April 16 & 17 , 2009. Contact Dan Crafts at dancrafts@missouristate.edu for more information.

Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, Ariz.

This school offers courses in “Ecotourism,” “Planning for Sustainable Development,” and “Destination Development.”

Penn State University, School of Hospitality Management
University Park, Pa.

Students at Penn State University, School of Hospitality Management learn about corporate social responsibility and sustainablity in the Human Resources class. Across many disciplines, courses are offered that pertain to sustainable development.

St. Petersburg College
St. Petersburg, Fla.

St. Petersburg College has launched an Office of Sustainability. Among the initiatives: adding instruction in green lodging to the college's hospitality program.

SUNY Cobleskill
Cobleskill, N.Y.

Although the school does not have a specific course in the Culinary Arts, Hospitality and Tourism department, topics such as sustainability, green hotels, green restaurants and ecotourism are covered in several courses.

University of Colorado
Boulder, Colo.

Two courses are available: “Strategies in Sustainable Tourism: Issues Facing Resort and Gateway Communities in the U.S. and Canadian West,” and “Sustainability: Business and the Environment."

The Center of Sustainable Tourism is located at the University of Colorado. Its mission is to help students in the Leeds School of Business understand the challenges facing tourism businesses in the context of broader sustainability issues.

University of Hawaii
Honolulu, Hawaii

The University of Hawaii has an Environmental Sustainability in Tourism Program as part of the School of Travel Industry Management.

University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Las Vegas

In the William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration, courses are offered in “Facilities Management” and “Green Hotels.”

University of North Texas
Denton, Texas

The School of Merchandising and Hospitality Management offers a course on ecotourism in developing countries.

Yachana Lodge, Yachana Technical High School
Amazon Region, Ecuador

Yachana: Geotourism Lodge and School, living laboratory of sustainable tourism in practice. World class, award winning geotourism destination in the Amazon region of Ecuador. Smart Voyager certified in good practices. We practice sustainable tourism.

If your school offers a green, hospitality-specific course and is not listed above, contact Glenn Hasek at greenlodgingnews@aol.com.