Program Overview

Society depends on environmental scientists to encourage the efficient use of natural resources, advocate for diverse and sustainable energy resources, and help solve complex environmental problems. The program incorporates a strong background in all physical and natural sciences and includes extensive laboratory and field experiences.

The Environmental Science program exposes you to environmental system processes and will prepare you with an understanding of how changes (natural and anthropogenic) are influencing the Earth. The curriculum emphasizes field analysis of natural systems and technical training, providing you with job-ready skills. Our goal is to train scientists who use their knowledge to protect the environment and human health, conserve natural resources, advise policy makers, and work with industry to address environmental issues.

What Will You Learn as an Environmental Science Major?

• Build your knowledge on a foundation of natural and physical science courses (physics, chemistry, biology), which are necessary to understand complex environmental systems.
• Learn about the many issues facing the environment today, such as climate change, soil and land use, water and air quality, waste management, water resources and sustainability management.
• As part of your three-semester capstone project, you will conduct research with expert faculty advisors and mentors to further develop skills desired by employers, such as field data collection, data processing and management, interpretation and analysis, oral/written communication, and troubleshooting equipment and methods. Past topics have included measuring and reporting on the success of a new surface mine reclamation approach, tracking groundwater flow pathways using chemical tracers, characterizing the behavior and stability of mountain streams, and using lake sediment cores to understand past climate patterns.