| Department Description: |
Welcome to the Environmental Science ProgramA new interdisciplinary science major at USTAmongst the most pressing issues facing humanity are those that center on the environment and our interactions with it: ground- and surface-water contamination, air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, global warming and alteration of the world's oceans. The solutions to these fundamentally complex problems require the skills of multiple disciplines including geoscience, bioscience, chemistry, mathematics, and physics. Building on the excellent faculty and strong tradition of environmental research in the sciences at UST, we have created a new environmental science program (ESCI) that seeks to provide students with the rigorous scientific skills that they will need to help solve some of these problems.
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| Description of Major |
Environmental Science (ESCI)College of Arts and Sciences Environmental Science is an interdisciplinary science program focused on solving environmental problems that lie at the interface between biology, chemistry, and geology. Students participate in one of three concentrations (biology, chemistry, or geology) leading to the Bachelor of Science degree, each of which contains substantial coursework from each of these disciplines. This program provides excellent preparation for students wishing to pursue graduate degrees in conservation biology, environmental science, earth system science, or other environmentally-focused programs of study in the sciences. It also provides solid preparation for students planning other types of environmental careers, such as environmental consulting, law, policy, or research.. Students entering this program should contact the program director or a committee member. Each student will be assigned an advisor appropriate to the concentration that they choose for their course of study. |
| Study Abroad Opportunities: |
Study Abroad OpportunitiesEnvironmental Science majors have a number of opportunities to study abroad. As an interdisciplinary science major with course requirements from a wide range of disciplines, students should be able substitute courses taken abroad for courses in the major. The number of courses with an environmental focus that are offered by study abroad programs is quite high, so it should not be difficult for ESCI majors to find appropriate courses that satisfy some major requirements. Students should check with the program director or their advisor to make sure that the course they take abroad will substitute for an ESCI requirement.The field-based course requirement can also be satisfied by taking a field course abroad or one that is offered in the U.S. through our International Education program. For more information check out UST's Study Abroad site! |
| Research Opportunities: |
| Students will have exposure to research in their environmental science classes as well as given the opportunity to pursue projects outside the classroom. |
| Typical Careers: |
General Career InformationAccording to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, Environmental Scientists accounted for nearly 73,000 jobs in 2004. They also noted that in 2005, salary offers for graduates with a B.S. in environmental science averaged more than $31,000 a year. Career fields in environmental science include:Consulting: Help business and government comply with regulations, conduct environmental investigations, provide remediation, and produce engineering solutions. Government Agencies: Conduct site assessments for transportation and community development, protect water resources, and study land use. Examples within the Twin Cities includes the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Environmental Policy and Law: Coordinate with governing bodies to create, update, and maintain current and future legislation regarding environmental issues facing communities from the city scale up to the state, national, or international level. Issues may include water quality, water quantity, energy solutions, pollution control, and nuclear waste disposal. |
| Contact Information: |
Contact UsIf you have specific questions or would like to discuss this program, its requirements and benefits, contact: Thomas A. HicksonGeology Department, OSS 117 |
Bachelor of Science, Environmental Science
| Bachelor of Science, Environmental Science |  View Catalog Entry |
