Students majoring in Environmental Science prepare for a variety of careers in the private, public and non-profit sector. Career opportunities of graduates include environmental consulting, weather/climate forecasting, flood predictions and management, water/air/soil pollution control and remediation, traditional and renewable energy research, resource exploration and development, environmental impact assessments, and sustainability. This major is highly cross-disciplinary and provides strong foundations in physics, biology, mathematics, and chemistry. Upper-level electives allow students to tailor the program to acquire the tools to work in a wide range of consulting and forecasting careers, or to continue on to graduate school.
The major has three options: Atmospheric Science, Environmental Science, and Geoscience. The Atmospheric Science option is for students interested in meteorology, weather forecasting, climatology and air pollution, and fulfills the education requirements for federally employed meteorologists. The Environmental Science option is for students focused on addressing human impacts on the environment and major environmental challenges including climate change, pollution, and sustainability. The Geoscience option is for students interested in the geologic environment including mineral resources, geochemistry, and paleoclimatology. Both Environmental Science and Geoscience options also provide training in hydrogeology, soil science, biogeochemistry, and geographic information systems (GIS).