Biodiversity University

Biodiversity University satisfies a strong demand for in-depth, immersive nature study for adults. Instead of admissions offices and acapella groups, BioU has Vermont’s rich and varied assemblage of natural communities—wild places well-suited to intensive field study and creative learning—and a community of passionate and renowned instructors.

We recruit skilled and enthusiastic instructors to lead field-based seminars across a range of disciplines rarely found at academic institutions anymore. BioU offers insights into the forces of nature: the harmony and diversity in groups of organisms, the simple and complex interactions between the biological and the physical, and the skills for deeply observing life in the natural world.

BioU students are retirees discovering birdwatching, accountants learning watercolors, professional ecologists curious about edible plants, or graduate students practicing sedge identification. Anyone is welcome (though participants must be at least 18 years old). Students are not expected to have prerequisite expertise in the topic. The only course prerequisite is a desire for in-depth learning. BioU draws participants from around New England and across the east coast.

BioU invites instructors who are renowned for both their topical expertise and their prowess as educators. We’ve all taken classes by geniuses who can’t explain themselves, or terrific teachers with limited content knowledge – not at BioU. We prioritize in-depth learning from the best instructors in the business. We give our instructors the reins to design their ideal course, and work with them to sculpt a program that fits our participants’ interests. Courses are one to five days long, and include full days of learning.

BioU is headquartered at North Branch Nature Center, where students can learn together in the center’s comfortable classrooms, lab, and kitchen. The atmosphere is innovative and entertaining, fostering education, discovery, and personal and professional growth. NBNC’s beautiful facilities and 28-acre property complement BioU’s wider “campus”—the fields, forests, mountains, and wetlands of Vermont. The bulk of each course is spent outside, returning to NBNC for lab work and lecture. Courses that require field sites farther afield may convene and/or conclude elsewhere. For our shorter courses, camping is available at NBNC, and there are plenty of hotel and AirBnB options within 15 minutes of NBNC.

Longer-format courses are headquartered at other locations, including the Creative Campus at Goddard in Plainfield, VT, where dorm-style lodging, a full dining hall, and modern classroom space allow for an immersive week onsite. Other courses take place farther afield, such as White Creek in Southern VT, or across Lake Champlain in Essex County, NY, and involve camping and camp-cooked meals.

We typically offer coffee, tea, and light breakfast fare (pastries, etc.) each morning when courses convene at NBNC. Please bring your own lunch, snacks, and drinks for our shorter courses. Our five-day courses typically include meals.

Graduate-level credit is available for most BioU courses with an additional fee. All BioU courses are accredited by Vermont State University’s Center for Schools. Participants interested in receiving credit must contact us immediately after registration so we have time to arrange accreditation. Weekend-length courses qualify for one graduate-level credit. Longer courses qualify for two to three. Students are responsible for ensuring that their home institutions will accept the credits. Participants seeking credit will be required to complete additional reading and writing assignments.

All BioU courses qualify for Continuing Education Units. A certificate of completion, indicating CEUs and professional development hours are provided upon request following each course.

Financial Support

We have financial support available for most courses! Please head to our Financial Support page to learn more and request financial support. Support is limited, but we do our best to make sure that participants are not turned away for financial reasons. Since many courses fill quickly, we suggest submitting your financial support request after registering for the course if you are able. Otherwise, you may email us after submitting your request to ask us to temporarily hold a space for you.