Environmental Studies
Understanding environmental issues through science, policy, and society.
Environmental studies examines environmental issues through a broader, more interdisciplinary lens than environmental science, combining natural science with policy, economics, ethics, and social science. It's a good fit for students who want to understand environmental problems holistically rather than through one discipline.
Coursework mixes foundational science with policy analysis and often ethics or humanities courses, and many programs include a capstone project connecting environmental issues to a specific community, policy question, or advocacy effort.
Typical courses you might take
- ✓Introduction to Environmental Studies
- ✓Ecology Fundamentals
- ✓Environmental Policy & Law
- ✓Environmental Economics
- ✓Environmental Ethics
- ✓Climate Change & Society
- ✓Research Methods
- ✓Community-Based Capstone Project
Sample four-year plan
Illustrative, not a registration planOne possible way these courses could be sequenced alongside general education and elective credit. Real programs vary in order, pacing, and prerequisites by school, use this to get a rough sense of the arc, not to plan actual registration.
- ✓Introduction to Environmental Studies
- +General education requirement
- ✓Ecology Fundamentals
- +General education requirement
- ✓Environmental Policy & Law
- +General education requirement
- ✓Environmental Economics
- +Free elective
- ✓Environmental Ethics
- +Free elective
- ✓Climate Change & Society
- +Elective in the major (or minor coursework)
- ✓Research Methods
- +Elective in the major (or minor coursework)
- ✓Community-Based Capstone Project
- +Capstone, thesis, or culminating project (common in many programs)
Skills you'll build
This major might be a good fit if you...
- ★Cares about environmental issues from multiple angles, not just the science
- ★Enjoys connecting science with policy, ethics, and society
- ★Interested in advocacy, policy, or community-based work
- ★Comfortable with an interdisciplinary, less narrowly technical major
Common minors & double-major pairings
Public Policy · Economics · Sociology
Roles this major could lead to
Factual, day-to-day descriptions from our Career Role Encyclopedia, not a guarantee this major leads to any specific job.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Environmental Studies major?
Understanding environmental issues through science, policy, and society.
What courses do Environmental Studies majors take?
Typical coursework includes classes like Introduction to Environmental Studies, Ecology Fundamentals, Environmental Policy & Law, among others, see the full course list above for this major's typical lineup.
What skills do you build in a Environmental Studies program?
Environmental Studies coursework typically builds skills like Interdisciplinary environmental analysis, Understanding environmental policy and law, Basic ecological and scientific literacy, Ethical reasoning about environmental issues.
Is Environmental Studies a good major for me?
It tends to be a good fit if signals like "Cares about environmental issues from multiple angles, not just the science" or "Enjoys connecting science with policy, ethics, and society" describe you. See the full "good fit if you..." list above for more.
What can you do with a Environmental Studies degree?
Majors in this field often go on to roles like Environmental Scientist. See our Career Role Encyclopedia for more, a major shapes what you study, not a guarantee of any specific job.
What other majors pair well with Environmental Studies?
Common minor or double-major pairings include Public Policy, Economics, Sociology.
How is Environmental Studies different from Environmental Science?
They're related but distinct. Environmental Studies: Understanding environmental issues through science, policy, and society. Environmental Science: How natural systems work and how human activity affects them. Use the compare tool to see courses and skills side by side.
How long does it take to earn a Environmental Studies degree?
Most bachelor's degrees, including this one, are designed to be completed in about four years of full-time study. Exact timing depends on your school, course load, transfer credit, and any changes of major along the way.
From our guides
Printed from majoratlas.com/majors/environmental-studies