Majors & Minors

Our program emphasizes critical thinking, hands-on research and field work, interdisciplinary analysis, and technical skills.

Our goal is to provide you with a broadly applicable background in the field, train you to be adaptive and thoughtful in your work, and help you to become an excellent communicator.

Many of the technologies that our students will be using in ten years—or the problems they'll be working on—have not even been created or identified yet, and we want our alumni to be ready for those opportunities as well as the challenges that face them today. 

Majors

Majors in Environmental Science and Sustainability provide a firm background for careers or further study in a wide range of disciplines related to the interaction between humans and their environment.

Students looking for careers in field or lab research, academic study, natural resource management, or other careers requiring advanced scientific graduate study, should pursue the Bachelors of Science degree in Environmental Science.

Those interested in environmental education, communication, field sampling, regulatory enforcement, environmental consulting, resource conservation, or science-related careers not requiring graduate study may consider either the Bachelors of Science or Bachelors of Arts degrees in Environmental Science, and should consult with their advisor.

Students interested in careers in public affairs, sustainable international development, urban planning, law, journalism, politics, environmental advocacy, or related fields should pursue the Bachelors of Arts in Sustainability and Resilience.

Students specifically interested in a career in animal-focused conservation might want to consider the interdisciplinary major in Zoo & Conservation Science. Graduates of the program are well prepared for careers in zoos and aquariums, animal rescue and rehabilitation centers, conservation agencies, and nonprofit organizations. The program also provides strong preparation for veterinary school or graduate programs in zoology, wildlife management, biological conservation and related fields.

Environmental Science and Sustainability majors often find that double majors provide depth in complementary fields and may be attractive to employers or graduate schools. Many recent graduates have focused their resume by majoring in ENSS as well as biology, chemistry, math, computer science, economics, politics, law politics and society, journalism, business, sociology, psychology and english, to name a few. We strongly encourage students to consult with their faculty mentors before embarking on a double major, to ensure that it will help them to meet their goals.

Minors

Minors in Environmental Science or Sustainability and Resilience or Spatial & Information Technology and complement another major, and give students an opportunity to enhance their skills and understanding in this critical field. While a minor does not indicate that a student has the background to be an expert in the area, it does suggest a deeper understanding of environmental issues than would be gained from simply taking a course or two.

Concentrations

Additionally, the Environmental Science and Sustainability, Biology, and Psychology programs collaborate to offer interdisciplinary curriculum concentration in Comparative Animal Behavior.