The IslandWood Graduate Residency in Education, Environment and Community, in partnership with the University of Washington, is a unique immersion experience in learning and teaching at one of the nation's most innovative and sustainable campuses.  IslandWood's graduate students earn a Certificate in Education, Environment and Community from the University of Washington.

Our program is based on the principle that a more sustainable future demands knowledgeable, committed, and reflective educators. Each year, our graduate students live, learn, and teach with us in our natural and built environments. Using experiential education, integrated curricula, and inquiry-based learning, graduate students inspire children to be stewards of their natural and cultural communities.

Graduate students at IslandWood share an intensive educational experience in theory, practice, and reflection. Initial orientation and instruction is followed by nine months of teaching and learning, closely mentored by IslandWood faculty. Students combine academic coursework with teaching experiences on the IslandWood campus and in surrounding Puget Sound-area elementary and middle schools.

The ten-month residency draws on the best practices of experiential, environmental
and multicultural education, using natural and cultural environments as a context for
learning.  All courses are held at IslandWood and are taught by UW faculty, who are full-time IslandWood staff members on our 255-acre campus, a 35–minute ferry ride from downtown Seattle. Low faculty to student ratios and a close-knit working community allow faculty to mentor students frequently throughout the program and support them in their academic studies and professional growth.