This thesis analyzes the impacts of an ecological-arts field course pedagogy in higher education. Undergraduate field courses in ecology promote experiential learning by immersing students in hands-on activities and observations within natural settings. Two field courses are examined in this work; the first is an ecological arts course, and the second is a long-standing comparison course that takes a more traditional approach to field studies. The ecological arts course, titled Earth Projects, is an intensive seven-week field course that draws on scientific and cultural knowledge to create place-based artworks. The first chapter details the design and results of a Likert-type pre-post survey that assessed a range of student outcomes—including identity, belonging, and place attachment—over two years. Findings suggest that field courses integrating art and ecology may support the development of multifaceted identities, belonging to the environmental sciences, and stronger place attachment on various regional scales. It concludes with recommendations for educators wanting to introduce similar courses at their institutions. The second chapter focuses on the construct of sense of place, or the attachments and meanings associated with a particular environment, specifically with respect to how the ecological arts might foster meaningful connections to the upstate New York region. Broadly, place-based field courses offer a relevant pedagogical approach by emphasizing local and regional characteristics which structure course content. Because the arts often reflect place-based culture, it was hypothesized that integrating art into environmental field courses would foster a more holistic sense of place in the upstate New York region, built on a diversity of place meanings. To explore this question, the initial survey was expanded to include sense of place dimensions of place attachment and meaning, both of which were compared across eco-arts and traditional field course groups. Survey results were coupled with semi-structured interview themes for added nuance and context. Results suggest that integrating the arts into field courses significantly increases place attachment within a half semester, compared to no measurable change in the traditional course. This study provides empirical support for the role of the ecological arts in sense of place development and lays the groundwork for future research on how such field courses may foster lasting environmental stewardship and well-being. Together, these studies show that incorporating eco-arts field courses or modules into environment and sustainability studies has potential to increase emotional engagement and foster meaningful connections to place. At universities where students are studying far from home and overwhelmed by mounting environmental issues, the ecological arts should be embraced as a powerful grounding tool.