CKQ Examines College Majors: Environmental Studies

Each newsletter will provide readers with insight into a specific major that might pique your interest. This segment is all about introducing students to majors (and possibly careers) they may have never considered before. This time around, we will provide information on the environmental studies major. Special thanks to collegeboard.org for parts of this article.

So let’s just say that after watching three major hurricanes form in the Atlantic in short succession and wreak havoc over three different parts of our region, I thought this might be a timely opportunity to mention the environmental studies major.

We use cars to get to work, run errands, and visit friends. Most of these cars run on gasoline, but the oil we use to make gas is running out. What’s more, drilling for oil destroys natural areas, and burning gas creates pollution. Other ways to power cars, such as electricity, ethanol, and biodiesel, already exist. So why isn't everyone using these energy sources?

To answer this and other important environmental questions, you’ll need to draw on the ideas of many fields, such as science, economics, and politics. If you major in environmental studies, you’ll learn how.

The environmental studies major is an overarching degree that covers science, social science, and humanities to better understand current and future environmental issues. Environmental studies majors look at the interaction between man and nature and try to understand how to prevent natural disasters, as well as economic ones caused by decisions to preserve the natural order. Consider this major if you are good at: advocating; attention to detail; creativity; critical reading/thinking; organizing; quantitative analysis; teamwork… or have… curiosity; initiative; writing skills.

Believe it or not, most undergraduate students who choose the environmental studies major are women.

Typical courses in this major include: Introduction to environmental studies, Ecology, Conservation biology, Environmental chemistry, Geology, Environmental politics, Environmental philosophy and ethics, Environmental and ecological economics, Tools of environmental analysis, Wildlife management, Lane use planning, Environmental education, Environmental history, Environmental health, and Energy technologies, supply, and policy.

What the study of this major is like: This major continues to grow in popularity as an increasing awareness of the human impact on the environment grows. Now it is worth noting the significant difference between Environmental Studies versus Environmental Science/Environmental Engineering majors. The big difference is the emphasis of the environmental studies major on the social science/humanities values, rather than many of the technical values, seen in this field. That said, most environmental studies programs start with at least half of the lower division coursework in biology, chemistry and geology. Many programs are aware of the similar nature of these fields and will allow for a concentration in a science field to couple with the environmental studies major.

Programs in environmental studies tend to argue that human society is undermining the ecological foundations of life and that we must fundamentally change behavior if we are to prosper as a species - we must go beyond recycling or planting trees to tackle looming environmental threats.

Most programs value a student’s ability to think critically about problems and to develop innovative solutions, but a problem-solving emphasis is likely to make certain demands on you. Instead of learning facts about specific environmental problems, you are encouraged to analyze them, because the environmental challenges we will face one generation from now will probably differ significantly from the ones we confront today.

In environmental studies, your coursework is often rewarding and eye-opening. You can get hands-on experience in responding to environmental threats through fieldwork, service-learning programs, and internships. However, careers in the field increasingly require technical training at advanced levels, usually graduate work. The liberal arts education in environmental studies does not replace specialized training, but it provides excellent preparation for such training.

Career options and trends include: Environmental consultant; environmental lobbyist; environmental engineer; park naturalist; specialist in environmental communications; specialist in regulations compliance; environmental educator. As environmental problems are becoming more of a concern throughout the world, the job market is expanding. Career opportunities exist in toxic waste disposal, management of environmental organizations, journalism, community recycling and energy conservation, and environmental and economic development in nonindustrial countries. With appropriate graduate work, you can pursue a career in air or water quality planning, solid waster panning, land use planning, fisheries and wildlife management, policy analysis, environmental law, laboratory research, or resource economics.

For more information from this field, please visit:

www.nwf.org www.asle.org