In the hustle and bustle of summer, Bieler School of Environment students took to the outdoors and studied the Island of Montreal and its various aspects of urban sustainability.
The Montreal Urban Sustainability Experience (MUSE), a summer field semester offered by 91Ö±˛Ąâ€™s School of Environment, redefines experiential learning in urban sustainability.
At its core, MUSE is designed to immerse students in the sustainability challenges and triumphs of Montreal. Through field trips to sites like ancient Champlain Sea sand dunes and Parc Frédéric-Back—a reclaimed quarry turned landfill turned green space—students engage directly with the city’s evolving environmental landscape.
“Whether MUSE students were raised in Montreal or have been here just for the period of their studies, they get to see this amazing place in a new way,” said BSE faculty lecturer Dr. Julia Freeman.
The program’s structure fosters both academic and social growth. Students work intensively in small teams, culminating in final projects that often take creative forms. This year, for instance, students produced short films exploring sustainability issues in various boroughs. These innovative assessments challenge traditional academic norms, encouraging learners to navigate complexity and ambiguity—skills essential for environmental work.
Freeman emphasizes that MUSE is not always comfortable or familiar. “There can be uncertainty and even unease,” she admits, “but these experiences are so important for working in Environment.” The program’s emphasis on experiential learning, reflective journaling, and collaborative problem-solving helps students develop resilience and adaptability—qualities that extend beyond the classroom into future academic and professional endeavors.
Students who participated in MUSE 2025 often expressed deep gratitude for the opportunity to engage with Montreal’s sustainability landscape in such a meaningful way.
Ultimately, MUSE 2025 exemplifies how urban sustainability education can be both rigorous and inspiring. It challenges students to think critically, act creatively, and engage deeply with the city they inhabit—preparing them not just to understand sustainability, but to live it.