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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What kinds of jobs do Environmental Science graduates get?

A: About 40% public sector, 40% private sector. The remaining 10-20% go on to graduate school after earning thier bachelor's. County, state, and federal agency jobs tend to be managerial to technical. Private sector jobs are often consulting companies, but can also include public interest groups. Meet some alumni.

Q: What is the salary range for people with Environmental Science bachelor's degrees?

A: According to the National Association of Colleges & Employers, starting salary offers for students graduating with a B.S. in Environmental Science averaged $38,366 in 2007. The national median of salaries for all environmental scientists is generally reported as $56,000. Demand and salary amounts are generally highest for those with certain marketable skills such as GIS or strong quantitative skills.

Q: Will the classes have a lot of people in them?

A: EnSci courses generally have between 10-25 students in a class. Some of the foundation courses have large lectures, but break down into small (15-20) groups for labs and homework.

Q: Will I have a faculty adviser?

A: Yes. We help students register for their first semester of classes through our orientation. During their first semester students are given a faculty adviser, who in most cases will remain their adviser through graduation.

Q: Does EnSci have a learning community?

A: Yes! We register freshman students together in the same sections of classes. We then have a series of community building and academic support activities to help all new students get a successful start. The Environmental Science club also fosters interaction between students across years in school. More about the learning community.

Q: What's up with the two colleges, are there two different Environmental Science degrees ?

A: Since Environmental Science is an interdepartmental major, there are contributing departments from both the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences and the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. This provides our students with their choice of colleges. The requirements for the EnSci degree are the same, but there are some 'general education' requirement differences. You can switch at anytime and your adviser can help pick the one that is right for you.

Topics for Prospective Students

• Why Study EnSci?
• Adventures in EnSci
• Learning Community
• Curriculum
• Careers
• Alumni Paths
• Advisors as Mentors
• Information for Transfer Students

Choose your adventure...

There are so many things you can do with an Environmental Science degree. For example:

• Geographic Information Systems
• Water Quality (Tess's Story)
• Water Quality (Colby's Story)

And that's just the start. Wait until you see what our alumni a doing. more...

Meet a professor

Dr. Simpkins's research focuses on the geology and groundwater hydology impacting water resources.
more...

Hear Dr. Simpkins's audio interview.