Where Our Grads & Interns Go
- Carnegie Melon
- Harvard
- Langan Engineering (New York City)
- Missouri Department of Natural Resources
- NASA SPoRT Program
- National Park Service
- Purdue
- University of Illinois
- University of Missouri
This major prepares you with cognitive and practical skills to address environmental science issues professionally, or in graduate school. It is a challenging interdisciplinary curriculum that combines academic rigor with real world experience.
Westminster College also offers you a broad range of engaging courses with travel opportunities. This program requires an internship program that ensures students in environmental science have first-hand experience with issues of the day, while developing professional contacts.
This program strongly encourages students in environmental science to participate in an internship program to gain first-hand experience with current environmental issues and build professional networks.
Students majoring in environmental science build a strong foundation in the sciences and then select an upper level track within which to concentrate. Students can concentrate in Environmental Chemistry with upper level coursework in organic and analytical chemistry. Or students can pursue an upper level track in Environmental Geology with courses such as GIS, paleontology, and Anthropocene geology. Or students can add additional coursework in Conservation Biology and Environmental Toxicology in the Environmental Biology track.
Plus, students interested in Environmental Law can add a pre-law minor and be prepared and with a competitive advantage as a law school applicant. Additionally, students who are interested in the intersection of environmental science and public policy may find it beneficial to explore Environmental Politics and Policy course.
“My experience with Shady helped guide my decision to attend Westminster because I realized that there is no other school that would provide me with these opportunities and the hands-on mentorship that I’m receiving. If I were to attend a bigger school as originally planned, there would be heavy competition for the experiences and resources that are so easy to access at Westminster.”
Vi Lowe, Class of 2027
Our Environmental Science Major will provide you with an understanding of relationships between and within the natural world and constructed environments. This program equips you with the ability to analyze and integrate knowledge from a wide range of disciplines, communicate across these disciplines, and collaborate with colleagues to solve problems and address real-world issues. This major lays the foundation for careers in environmental fields as well as for further graduate studies.
Yes! Nearly all of our students get first-hand research experience. There are two ways for you to be involved in research. One, there will be opportunities in some of the courses to do independent projects in the lab. Or, if you have a hypothesis of your own or want to work with a faculty on their research, you can enroll in independent study credit.
Yes! Many of our lab classes include time out in the field learning research techniques. For example, in Ornithology, you will spend time outside identifying birds by sight and sound or in Geology you will travel and experience exciting geological phenomenon at a variety of locations. The summer Geology field experience travels to important geological sites in parts of the western United States each summer and in 2020 returned to campus with a massive Triceratops skull (very cool!)
Yes! In the Environmental Science degree, the core foundational classes are the same. However, in transitioning to upper level coursework you may choose Environmental Chemistry, Environmental Biology, or Environmental Geology depending on your interests and career path. You academic advisor will work with you at every step along the process.
Our environmental science students have varied interests and are active across campus. Many are involved Tri-Beta the National Biology Honor Society, Geology Club, the living-learning community called EcoHouse, or the gardening club (which got a new greenhouse in 2019!). Many students are also active in athletics, choir, and Greek Life.
There are a lot of job opportunities with an Environmental Science degree that include working for a wide variety of local, state, and federal government agencies, as well as private industries. Furthermore, as environmental science continues to become an important component of our society, future job opportunities are very promising. The Environmental Science major will prepare you by providing practical experiences where you learn to apply your knowledge and skill sets. You will learn critical thinking and problem solving skills that will allow you to transition easily into post-graduation opportunities whether it is graduate school or a career.