College students are flocking to sustainability degrees, careers

By Jillian Berman, USA Today

Students interested in pursuing a job in sustainability now can choose from a variety of "green" degree programs.

With an increased interest in the environment and growth in the "green collar" job sector, colleges and universities are beginning to incorporate sustainability into their programs. From MBAs in sustainable-business practices to programs that give students the technical training necessary to operate wind turbines, students have an increasing array of options to choose from.

"Clearly, demand is there for these types of workers," says Marisa Michaud of Eduventures, a higher-education research and consulting firm. "Colleges are seeing that, and they want to provide appropriate educational programs to meet that demand."

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Survey in Japan shows rich kids do best in academic tests

The more parents earn, the better children do academically, according to an analysis released Tuesday of last year's national achievement tests carried out by an Education, Science and Technology Ministry-commissioned panel.

The analysis conducted by Ochanomizu University Prof. Hiroaki Mimizuka and others also shows, however, that lower-income parents can still make effective efforts to help their children improve their academic performance. The research is the first to investigate whether there is a link between the results of national achievement tests and the incomes of examinees' parents.

"The findings offer a key to alleviating the disparities in academic performance resulting from economic inequality," Mimizuka said.

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