Do you look at the world around you and wonder about the relationship between humans and our environment? Are you a problem solver in search of a well-rounded environmental science toolkit?

As an environmental science major, you’ll study how human activity affects the environment, and how environmental problems affect humans. The scientific process will become second nature as you use it to explore questions about the natural world. You'll learn from experts across a range of natural science disciplines, especially geosciences, biology, and chemistry. By the time you graduate, you'll have firsthand experience devising scientific solutions to the environmental challenges our world faces today and tomorrow.

Gaston Kaisin poses for a photo in front of Youngchild Hall.

Student Perspective

“[My Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ÊÓƵ summer research project*] ... uncovers an effective path toward climate change adaptation and resiliency for the world’s most vulnerable groups.â€Â 

Gaston Kaisin ’22, 
Environmental Studies, Music (Trumpet)
Guilford, Connecticut 
* Findings from this research were included in a climate change assessment report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

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Academics

Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ÊÓƵ Research Fellows

As a Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ÊÓƵ Research Fellow, you will have the opportunity to participate in student-faculty collaborative research, whether it’s with our professors here on campus or with one of our collaborating off-campus programs around the world.

Person on Lake Michigan bluff.
Research

Lake Michigan Bluff Erosion

Spend your summer studying under professors like Jeff Clark, learning new technical skills and deepening your knowledge of the natural world, through research on Lake Michigan.

Explore courses

From climate science to chemistry, learn about our environment from a variety of perspectives.

Explore Environmental Science Courses

See major requirements

View course descriptions and schedules.

Requirements

Meet the faculty

Geoscientists, biologists, and more contribute their perspectives to environmental studies.

Our faculty
Students in Costa Rica

Get into the field

Study abroad opportunities in places like Costa Rica let you tackle global environmental issues with global experiences.

Explore Off-Campus Programs
Student in a greenhouse

Connect theory and practice through research

The Junior Seminar and Senior Capstone sequence of the environmental science program is designed to guide you through the process of developing a unique research question, structuring your data collection and analysis, and presenting your findings to a variety of audiences.

The Chandler Senior Experience

The capstone sequence, Junior Seminar and Senior Capstone, develops the environmental scientist by authentic engagement with an environmental challenge of your interest. We learn together how to go from question formation to devising a research strategy, data collection and analysis, and presentation of results to both professional and community audiences.

Recent Senior Experiences include:

  • PurpleAir Sensors: New Instrumentation to Enhance Community Participation in Particulate Matter Monitoring Near Industrial Activity and Improve Relationships between Scientists and the Public
  • Quantification of The Cayman Island's Coral Reef Ecosystem Services
  • Analyzing the Viability of High Elevation Dunes as Seed Refuges for *Cirsium pitcheri*
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geoscience student looking into microscope

Explore Environmental Science Outcomes

Critical environmental challenges are facing our world today, and your drive to be part of the solution is needed more than ever in career fields like environmental engineering, climate science, forestry, and more.

Explore Outcomes

Learn about the Environmental Studies major

Interested in exploring environmental questions through the lens of policy, advocacy, or the arts and humanities?

Apply for Admission

Can you picture yourself at Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ÊÓƵ? Apply for admission.

Apply Now

Visit Our Campus

The best way to find out if Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ÊÓƵ is the university for you is by visiting.

Schedule Your Visit

Your virtual tour starts at the Arch but be sure to check out Steitz Hall, to explore physical science learning spaces.

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