Environmental Studies

Overview

Programs in environmental studies teach people environment-related issues using principles of natural and social sciences.

Environmental studies programs include topics such as:

Ecology and ecosystems
Sociology
Economics
Planning and public policy
Pollution control
Natural resources
Interactions of human beings and nature
Chemistry
Environmental regulations

Internships

Internships allow students to develop skills at companies or organizations. Some environmental studies programs require students to complete an internship.

Schools

Community colleges and other two-year schools offer associate degree programs in environmental studies. An associate degree usually takes two years to complete. After earning an associate degree students can transfer to a college or university for further study.

Many colleges and universities offer bachelor's degrees in environmental studies. A bachelor's degree usually takes about four years of full-time study. Many colleges and universities offer interdisciplinary bachelor's degrees in environmental studies. Interdisciplinary programs combine courses from several college departments. In environmental studies it may be natural resources, economics, or public policy.

Many universities offer graduate degrees in environmental studies. A master's degree typically requires two years of study beyond a bachelor's degree. Doctoral (PhD) degree programs usually require two or more years of study beyond the master's degree.

See schools that offer this program.

Related Educational Programs

Related Careers

Careers Directly Related to this Program of Study

Other Careers Related to this Program of Study

Program Admission

You can prepare for this program by taking courses in high school that prepare you for college. This typically includes four years of English, three years of math, three years of social studies, and two years of science. Some colleges also require two years of a second language.

Below is a list of high school courses that will help prepare you for this program of study:

Algebra
Anthropology
Biology
Chemistry
Earth Science
Environmental Science
Geometry
Natural Resources Management
Physical Science
Social Science
Sociology
Wildlife Management

Graduate Admissions

Admission to graduate programs is competitive. You need a bachelor's degree and good grades. You also need to submit letters of recommendation and a personal statement detailing your specific interests in the field.

Your bachelor's degree does not necessarily have to be in environmental studies. However, you should major or take several courses in related fields such as political science, geology, anthropology, biology, sociology, or public policy.

If you are applying for a doctoral degree, you need a master's degree. Like your bachelor's degree, this should be in a related field, if not environmental studies.

Additional requirements at many schools include:

Graduate Record Exam (GRE) General
Related work, volunteer, or research experience

Typical Course Work

Program Courses

This program of study is interdisciplinary and offers a wide variety of courses from which you can choose, depending on your interests. You do typically take several core courses, but even these vary from program to program. However, a sample list of undergraduate courses you might take in this program follows:

Animals in Human Society
Atmospheric Physics
Biology
Calculus
Chemistry
Economics
Ecopsychology
Endangered Species
Environmental Data Analysis
Environmental Ecology
Environmental Impact Analysis
Environmental Law
Geology
Human Ecology
Landscape Perception
Natural Resource Policy
Nature and the Literary Imagination
Resource Management and Conservation
Social Demographics
Sustainable Development
Third World Environments
Urban Geography
Water Resources
Watershed Hydrology

Graduate Program Courses

Course work in graduate programs tends to vary. This is especially the case for environmental studies programs because of their interdisciplinary nature. However, the outline of a typical graduate curriculum looks like the following:

Core courses
Elective courses
Comprehensive exams
Thesis and thesis defense (master's degree only)
Dissertation and dissertation defense (doctoral degree only)

If you want to pursue a graduate degree but aren't interested in research or teaching at the college level, some master's degree programs offer a non-thesis plan. You usually have to complete a large-scale project or take more courses instead. This option is typically for applicants who have been working in a related field and want advanced training.

Things to Know

If you're interested in pursuing environmental studies on an international level, you should take courses in a second language.

Schools often offer courses related to the geographic environmental issues pertinent to their locations. Research the location and faculty at different schools in order to match your interests. For example, if you want to study shoreline preservation and policy, you should look for schools that are either located near a beach or have faculty that research shoreline preservation.