Study environmental issues and develop the skills to create a more sustainable world

Our interdisciplinary Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences integrates biology, chemistry and related courses, prepares students to study current environmental issues using critical thinking skills along with the scientific method to devise solutions to regional and global challenges. With tracks in Environmental Biology and Ecosystems, and Environmental Chemistry and Analysis, students can explore current world topics, such as, sustainable development, global climate change, renewable energy sources, resource management, waste to energy, and others. In their senior year, students will help solve a real-world problem during their internship, and they will conduct an in-depth research project with a faculty mentor. It focuses on:

• Giving our students an understanding of these issues
• Developing the skills they will need to become environmental science professionals
• Providing the necessary undergraduate education to pursue a graduate program in environmental sciences

Enthusiastic, well-trained environmental scientists, biologists, chemists and physicists guide our students through this program to help them identify and understand the vital environmental issues and develop solutions that can be implemented in this ever-expanding environmental field. Our program seeks to:

• Provide students with an integrated knowledge of contemporary principles and applications of environmental science that will prepare them for advanced degrees and careers in research, industry, education and business
• Provide a high-quality, laboratory-rich learning environment where students will learn proper laboratory protocols, plan and conduct experiments, practice the scientific method, analyze data, and reach logical and reasonable conclusions
• Provide opportunities for interested and qualified students to participate in meaningful research projects of their own, under the guidance of the environmental sciences faculty
• Provide students with adequate background in the basic natural sciences, which will form the basis for their environmental studies
• Foster motivation and opportunities for lifelong learning
• Maintain a dynamic curriculum that reflects the needs of a changing world
• Present students with opportunities for awareness of environmental issues within a global context

We believe that upon graduation from our program, our students will be able to:

• Participate effectively in practical, experience-based learning, through conferences, field experiences, workshops and independent research projects
• Gain ability to work as a research team member and become proficient in the use of advanced equipment used in environmental analysis, including gas chromatography (GC), high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC), ion chromatography (IC) and inductively coupled plasma spectrometry (ICP)
• Evaluate and discuss sources of local and regional environmental threats and perform impact assessment studies
• Define simple research tasks and carry them out, and assist in more complex research tasks as required for professional work
• Demonstrate knowledge of the fundamentals of environmental modeling, environmental monitoring techniques and risk assessment
• Evaluate the ethical, social, civic, cultural and political dimensions as they relate to environmental issues
• Produce written and oral reports in the style most commonly used in scientific literature

Our graduates can go on to work in and have found successful employment in four general areas:

• Environmental protection
• Conservation and protection of natural resources
• Environmental education and communications
• Environmental research