Best colleges for environmental studies programs

Geneva ranked No. Michigan State offers a wide range of environmental degrees. The College of Natural Science grants undergrad degrees in environmental biology and a Masters in Environmental Policy and in Environmental Toxicology. Students in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources can major in environmental economics and management or in environmental studies and sustainability. D degrees in Environmental Engineering. Many scholarships are available to students in the various environmental programs at Michigan State, such as the Rory M.

Michigan State provides many study abroad opportunities for environmental students, with programs in Asia, South America, Europe and Africa.

The interdisciplinary program includes a rigorous set of classes from departments including math, biology, physics, chemistry and geology. The BA in Environmental Studies is also an interdisciplinary program, but it focuses more on the social science and public policy side of environmental issues. The School of Earth and Environmental Sciences was created in so that Queens College could hire a truly interdisciplinary faculty focusing on the environment. The Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies program at UC Santa Cruz offers the following focus areas: agroecology and sustainable agriculture, conservation science and natural history, environmental education and sustainability, environmental policy, and political economy.

Students have the option of pursuing combined degrees in the field of biology, economics, and earth sciences. The university started offering a concentration in agroecology and sustainable food systems for all undergraduate programs in the fall of The Doctor of Philosophy program provides doctoral candidates with opportunities to study topics such as global change ecology, environmental policy, and conservation biology.

The university does not offer a terminal degree on the master's level. The University of Nebraska-Omaha Environmental Studies Department offers a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies with concentrations in analytical sciences, earth sciences, geography and planning, and life sciences. The interdisciplinary program combines study of physical science with courses in economics, political science, sociology, law and ethics. Students can deepen their understanding of the subject through internships, service learning, student organizations and international study.

The college also offers outreach programs, such as Prairie Preserves, numerous camps for youth and ongoing research and consulting programs. The department offers the Dr. The California State University at Fullerton offers a Master of Science degree in environmental studies with two tracks - environment and society and environmental sciences and technology.

Applicants who intend to pursue the environment and society track must have completed one undergraduate course in ecology and one course in quantitative methods. The curriculum includes core courses and electives that cover relevant areas such as environmental research and analysis, environmental problems, and environmental evaluation and protection. Students can opt to write a thesis, complete a project, or take a comprehensive exam in order to graduate from the program.

The programs include classes in engineering and science and allow students flexibility by offering a large number of electives. Faculty members are involved in government- and industry-sponsored research in areas including air pollution and water quality. The Environmental Studies program incorporates study of activism, ethics and sustainability while the Environmental Science programs focus on scientific study of the environment.

SUNY-Plattsburgh offers a chance to study at the Applied Environmental Science Program at Miner Institute for an off-campus, residential program that focuses on hands-on laboratory experience with courses in wildlife ecology, hydrogeology, water quality, soil science and agriculture, with additional research facilities at Altona Flat Rock and the Lake Champlain Research Institute. Scholarships include the Casella Waste Systems, Inc. Students in the environmental science program will take courses in chemistry, biology, ecology, anthropology, geography, geology, and philosophy.

The environmental science program at UNT is an interdisciplinary program, which focuses on the main environmental issues that face the world today. The goal of the research within the program is to create a comprehensive understanding of the critical issues related to our environment. The program utilizes an interdisciplinary approach with an emphasis on biology, chemistry, and geology. The curriculum includes courses that cover a wide range of topics such as natural disasters and earth resources, atmospheric science, geomorphology, environmental GIS and engineering geology.

The Patagonia Scholarship provides two scholarships each year to qualified incoming freshmen majoring in environmental sciences. The scholarship covers full tuition, room and board, and a book stipend.

The award is based on the student's academic and extra-curricular achievement during the junior year. Students admitted to this program have the option of concentrating in environmental science or in environmental policy.

This program offers the following tracks: ecology, environmental policy and management, geology, hydrogeology, hazards assessment and mitigation, urban environment, and water quality and policy.

MS students can choose either the thesis or non-thesis option. Qualified MS and PhD candidates are considered for teaching and research assistantships, which cover tuition and provide a stipend. Environmental scientists study the thorny problems created by human interaction with the environment — problems like global warming, water pollution, deforestation and the loss of precious ecosystems. In response to these challenges, many environmental scientists also search for creative solutions.

They may be involved in sustainable agriculture, waste management, environmental health initiatives, the reduction of industrial pollution, wildlife protection and conservation efforts. Environmental science is an interdisciplinary field that employs many branches of science e. It is founded on principles of scientific inquiry. Environmental health engineering examines the influence of the environment biological, physical and social on public health.

Topics of importance include waste disposal, air pollution, clean water, sustainability and environmental law. Environmental engineering is an applied science that uses engineering principles to solve environmental issues. For example:. Environmental studies is a broad, interdisciplinary field that investigates the intersection of humans, technology and the environment.

In addition to environmental science, it tackles related subjects like urban planning , environmental legislation, economic policy and natural resource management. Founded on principles of biological science, environmental toxicology evaluates the effect of chemicals and toxins on living organisms and the environment.

Toxicologists answer questions like:. Investigating education options? Some employers may specifically want an environmental science qualification. Courses often cover science e. For more on the difference between degrees, see our breakdown of Environmental Science Disciplines. Or you could look into becoming a research technician, laboratory assistant or animal care specialist.

Your first two years will be spent on general education and science courses. The degree usually includes field-specific courses e.

Want to super-specialize? Whatever topic you choose, an MS will open the door to higher pay, management positions and a host of career options. A PhD is a rigorous year program recognized as the highest level of academic achievement. Instead of traditional courses, you may be required to attend seminars or teach undergraduate classes.

You will also be expected to produce a piece of original research. Many holders of PhDs in Environmental Science teach in universities or work in research labs. Others go the route of becoming independent consultants or entrepreneurs. A certificate in environmental science is a short program 6 months — 1 year intended to hone certain skills.

Certificates cover a dizzying range of subjects — from environmental policy to hydrology to renewable energy. Over the past few years, online environmental science certificates have become very popular. Above all, we recommend your school have regional accreditation. This is an independent accreditation granted to non-profit colleges and universities by one of six regional organizations e. The degree is designed to be completed in five years and requires a total of semester hours.

CSU's mission to offer an affordable education extends beyond tuition rates. They offer free textbooks and a credit transfer policy that includes previously earned credits, licenses and certificates, training programs, and credit by examination. Scholarship opportunities, military and veteran benefits, and payment options are also available. Visit Columbia Southern University's website. University of Maryland Global Campus is an online institution that offers a broad range of certificate and degree programs.

The academic catalog includes an online bachelor's in environmental management that was created with input from industry experts, scholars, and employers. The credit degree program is designed to prepare graduates to manage environmental issues and prevent catastrophic events.

Students will learn how to identify concerns, gather and evaluate data, use techniques to assess risk, apply the appropriate principles to solve problems, create an environmental management plan that complies with regulations and policies, and communicate effectively on environmental issues.

Nine of the major credits are devoted to a focus of the student's choice; options include toxicology and hazard control, sustainability, or one created by the student to align with their interests and career aspirations. Program faculty have academic credentials and industry experience at organizations such as the U.

Environmental Protection Agency, D. Department of Environmental Protection, and the U. Armed Forces. Students are able to join the Environmental Management Club for opportunities to connect with peers and industry professionals. Visit University of Maryland Global Campus's website. Massachusetts Maritime Academy offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs that are widely recognized in the international maritime industry.

Located on Cape Cod, the co-educational university features a bachelor of science in marine science, safety, and environmental protection MSSEP. The interdisciplinary curriculum for this program combines environmental protection and industrial health and safety courses to prepare graduates for a range of careers in the non-profit, private, and government sectors.

Students are required to complete two practical experiences to apply classroom training and develop their professional skills. Freshmen students will complete one of these experiences during winter break, where they will travel to Bermuda to participate in a sub-tropical marine ecology field experience. Upon program completion, students should understand the principal characteristics of coastal and marine environments, current environmental issues, and marine and industrial safety.

They should also be able to use geographic information systems GIS for environmental data analysis, the scientific method in aquatic environments, and have the ability to communicate effectively in the environmental industry. The program features an optional Massachusetts teacher concentration for students who are pursuing secondary education careers.

The concentration requires the completion of two history, mathematics, humanities, or science courses as well as a classroom observation internship at a secondary institution. Visit Massachusetts Maritime Academy's website. The Department of Environmental Studies at San Jose State University offers several bachelor's degree programs in environmental science to prepare graduates for careers in the field.

With a stronger focus on science courses, the Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies is geared toward preparing graduates for employment opportunities in fields such as water resource management, renewable energy, environmental health and safety, and wilderness, park, and open space resource management.

Perhaps there are fields where graduates will sit at desks, using computers and consulting manuals, but environmental sciences isn't one of them! The more diverse the opportunities are for learning, the more prepared you'll be for employment after graduation!

Make sure that your curriculum outlines lab and field work, in-class components, large projects, research, internships, volunteer work, advocacy, and study abroad in order to ensure that you get a diversity of learning experiences. Diversity breeds stability in nature, and in education as well. Having a variety of courses to choose from in order to round out your degree and inform your perspective on environmental science is key for getting the kind of education - and job - that you want.

Some students prefer the lab while others would prefer the shortest classroom time possible. Make sure that you closely examine your preferences before you commit to either more or less classroom time that you're comfortable with. Environmental science designations come at all levels: Associate's degree, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate level work.

Just like a stagnant pond, a stagnant educational climate doesn't produce anything worthwhile. Sometimes the best way to measure this in a rapidly evolving field is to look for where and how research dollars are spent, and what kind and quality of research environmental science faculty and graduate students undertake.

Now that we've given you some criteria to consider, here comes the hard part - choosing a school! The rankings are based on published surveys, student data, and other school and career data collected through several sources including the following agencies:.

Having obtained our base data set, we filtered out the following information in order to render data that is useful to environmental science applicants. Pomona College is a liberal arts college located outside Los Angeles, California. Committed to preparing their students for a career in one of the most formidable challenges facing the world in the 21st century, that is, daily living in a world under strain from climate change and population growth.

Pomona Colleges Environmental Analysis programs are highly interdisciplinary and encourage the broadest range of applicants possible in order to strengthen the program. In addition to directly related fields, Environmental Analysis program prepares students for careers in community action, environmental education, and urban agriculture.

The college's mandate is to help students envision a society that meets human needs for the natural world, while safeguarding living resources for future generations to observe and protect. Pitzer College, a private liberal arts college located at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains in Claremont, CA emphasizes the arts, humanities, environmental and interdisciplinary studies as well as social, behavioral and natural sciences. Each college is located conveniently within walking distance.

This network offers students the opportunity to individually design majors from an academic program within these five schools. Pitzer does not require applicants to submit ACT or SAT scores but they must be in the top 10 percent of their senior class or have earned a 3.

Allegheny College proudly wears the label of an 'up and coming' liberal arts college and is located in Pennsylvania. Allegheny's Environmental Sciences program teaches students to analyze the relationships between humans and the environment that we live with and use.

Students enrolled at Allegheny can either major in Environmental Science, which focuses on the chemistry and biology of our changing world, or major in Environmental Studies, which has a broader interdisciplinary scope and focuses on such fields as law and policy, art, literature and philosophy.

Maharishi University of Management is located in Fairfield, Iowa. In the Sustainable Living undergraduate or Master's program , learn about humans' impact on the world through transdisciplinary, project-based approach to higher education. Additionally, Sustainable Living conducts classes in a net zero energy environment that is student managed.

The Colorado College Environmental Program focuses on students' understanding and synthesizing their connection to the world and its environment, attaining the scientific skillsets to explore human interrelationships in the global ecosystem, and pursuing interdisciplinary approaches to solving problems that these interrelationships create.

Colorado College offers majors in Environmental Science and Environmental Policy, disciplinary tracks in Environmental Chemistry and Environmental Physics, and a thematic Environmental Issues minor that can be appended to other majors within the college's framework.

Juniata College is located in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania and is nationally ranked for their undergrad summer research programs in science. Juniata's students learn from dynamic field experiences that are built into the curriculum, and that take advantage of unique geological and ecological zones in the area.

The college prides itself on its high rate of fully-funded students who are admitted to graduate school. Juniata offers four majors - each with their own scope of studies. Students can major in environmental science, environmental studies which has a broader interdisciplinary base, wildlife conservation, or environmental economics.

Sonoma State University is located one hour north of San Francisco right in California's wine country. SSU is a public institution that not only offers a beautiful campus, it is safe, friendly and offers students a range of educational programs. Their degrees range with more than 46 majors and 47 minors at the Bachelor's level including 15 career paths including business and nursing. Sonoma State is the only university in the country to offer a program that concentrates on the business end of the wine industry.

Sonoma State boasts a very active Alumni Association with a total of 53, alumni and annual alumni programs and events to strengthen the alumni relationship with the university. Bard College, founded in is firmly committed to the liberal arts and sciences plus a willingness to innovate their programs to offer students a world class education. Bard's original main campus is located along New York's Hudson Bay, but they have campuses worldwide in Boston, California, Russia and Germany giving students unlimited global opportunities.

Bard students are encouraged to take risks and and held to the highest intellectual standards. Undergraduates can earn a bachelor or arts degree in 35 programs including the arts, languages and literature, computing, social studies, mathematics and more. Students receive a broad academic foundation, but are encouraged to pursue individualized programs by taking ownership of their education.

Located approximately miles north of San Francisco in Arcata, California, Humboldt State College is ideally located to be a leader amongst Environmental Science programs. The campus is situated near ancient redwood forests, mountains and beaches ideal for field work. At the core of Humboldt College's ES program is the drive to foster a practical problem-solving approach toward human-environmental interrelationships.

University of Washington Tacoma offers both undergraduate and graduate academic programs in majors like business, nursing, education, information technology, social work, urban studies and arts and sciences. UW Tacoma is comprised to two branch campuses on the University of Washington. The Tacoma campus opened in transforming a run down area into a thriving, history rich, growing educational institution supported by the community, The University of Washington and the students who call the campus their home.

Founded in , Colby College is a private, independent, four-year, liberal arts college offering bachelor of arts degrees. The campus is located on acres in Waterville, Maine, and boasts net zero carbon emissions.

Colby prides itself on diversity of student population. The Environmental Studies program is one of the oldest in the country; the program is nationally recognized for its excellence. The student population is encouraged to lend their skills and talents locally, nationally, and internationally to help solve environmental challenges. Colby prides itself on learning models that are project-based with plenty of field-research opportunities.

Cal State Monterey Bay offers an educational opportunity in 25 undergraduate programs and seven graduate programs. The university also offers 30 minors and teaching certifications.

Their legacy is to explore innovative ways to educate and empower their student body, mainly those seeking higher education that are low income and need financial aid. More than 7, students study and live on a beautiful campus approximately one mile from Monterey Bay.

There are also a variety of activities, events and organizations for students to get involved to enjoy a well rounded college experience. The University of South Florida - St. The university is committed to researching trends and needs of the community and then engages in projects, partnerships and collaborations to strengthen the community's economic, social and intellectual life.

For example, writers are writing about events and accountants are helping low income families with their taxes. And the community comes to the campus providing real life experience in the classroom through lectures, workshops and gatherings.

Located in Salem, Oregon, Willamette College is a private liberal arts university. Founded in , Willamette holds the title of the longest standing Environmental Sciences program in the Pacific Northwest. Willamette's unique programming allows students access to extensive field experience as well as policy-making at the local, state, and national levels.

Educational concentrations direct student learning toward the natural and social sciences that are key to understanding the natural world and humankind's impact on it.

Through classroom, lab, research, field, study abroad, and internship students will be well-prepared to enter the professional arena as teachers, consultants, researchers, policy makers, and professionals. Taylor University was founded in as a Christian based liberal arts college located in Indiana.

Taylor has been ranked 1 regional college-Midwest for the last 10 years by the U. They believe in their long standing traditions and engage in both campus and community activities to broaden the student's college experience.