As an environmental science major, you'll build a strong foundation in environmental and sustainability science and gain the policy know-how necessary to translate science into action. 

At a Glance

  • Flexibility
    Full Time
  • Delivery Options
    On Campus
  • Degree
    BA

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What courses will you take?

Student holding climate change sign

The B.A. in Environmental Science focuses on sustainability and is designed for students interested in social-environmental aspects of environmental problems and climate change.

Our program offers a comprehensive understanding about the earth, the environment and human impacts on those. 

You will take courses across diverse disciplines including natural and political sciences, economics, public health, and legal studies. You can also focus on areas of interest by choosing among 11 sustainability and free electives such as City and Environment, Public Finance, Writing About the Environment, Food in American History, Human Ecology, Global Marketing, The Politics of Food, Climate Crisis and Society and others. Courses for B.A. Sustainability Option

View the Academic Catalog for:

Visit the Academic Catalog for all degree pathways, including those from prior enrollment years.

  • A graduate in Environmental Science (B.A.) will be able to:
    • Apply scientific knowledge to address environmental and sustainability challenges.
    • Design plans that translate science into actionable policy.
    • Integrate natural science knowledge with related disciplines and contexts: political sciences, economic, public health, and legal studies.
    • Critically evaluate scientific data and show oral and written communication skills with a variety of audiences.

Why study environmental science at UMass Lowell?

Woman hiking in Antarctica

Research Opportunities

Work with UMass Lowell faculty on current research, including:

  • Chemical analyses of trace metals and stable isotopes
  • Field research across the globe from the Arctic to Antarctica
  • Global-scale and regional weather and climate modeling
Professor Frank Colby of the EEAS department pointing to large, interactive weather monitor

Digital Weather Wall

Our Digital Weather Wall allows for real-time forecasting and analyses of weather and climate patterns on a large high-resolution display.
Environmental, Earth and Atmospheric Science Department’s Environmental Science Seminar conducted a recycling audit of the recycling bins in the Olney Science Center.

Fun Outside the Classroom

Put your learning into practice. Check out some of the fun ways UML students come together.

UMass Lowell environmental science student looks through a microscope as two other students stand nearby looking at a rock sample

Bachelor’s-to-Master's Program

Get on the fast track to an advanced degree with our combined bachelor's-to-master's program.

  • Available to juniors and seniors with a grade point average of 3.000 or better
  • Offers a continuous, coordinated sequence of courses
  • Reduced credit-hour requirements can save you time and money

What can you do with a degree in environmental science?

UMass Lowell's Environmental Science program prepares students for graduate school and careers in environmental, geoscience, climate and sustainability fields in the private, public and nonprofit sectors.

Man working with rocks in Antarctica

Our alumni are employed in:

  • Climate change mitigation
  • Environmental policy
  • Research and environmental consulting and industries
  • Flood prediction and management
  • Water/air/soil pollution control and remediation
  • Traditional and renewable energy research
  • Resource exploration and development
  • Environmental impact assessments
  • Sustainability
  • K-12 education

Student Profile

William Lefebvre poses for photo at the COP28UAE - United Nations Climate Change in Dubai-2023.
William Lefebvre ’25
Environmental Science with Sustainability Option

From attending COP28 in Dubai to joining the Rist Institute for Sustainability and Energy, William Lefebvre is learning that environmental science is also an art.

UMass Lowell has enabled me to expand sustainability more than I ever thought it would.
Read More About William Lefebvre