Environmental Science, BS

Seattle University’s bachelor’s in environmental science gives you a strong foundation in biology, chemistry, ecology and environmental engineering. As a partially self-designed major, you can take additional upper-division courses in areas of interest, ranging from water resources to environmental economics. The degree is also structured so you can obtain a minor in your area of interest or an undergraduate certificate in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The last year of your degree includes a capstone that allows you to apply what you’ve learned to a real-life problem.

After you complete your degree, you will be qualified to pursue a career in conservation, environmental consulting, natural resource management, business sustainability, and other similar fields. You can also go on to law school or graduate school in a variety of disciplines.

• Four-Year Program of Study
• Sample Two-Year Program of Study

The minor in environmental science is intended to provide you with a core set of tools and scientific knowledge that can then be used to approach the environmental from the perspective of a single discipline. Seattle University’s minor gives you the opportunity to learn about the biological, physical and chemical components of the environment and then relate them to both human and ecological health. Subjects such as marine, forest or aquatic ecology can all be explored after foundational courses in biology and chemistry are completed. To earn a minor, you’ll complete at least 30 credits in this area.

• Science Fundamentals:  Apply principles from biology, ecology, chemistry, physics, geology, mathematics, and engineering to examine the natural history, ecosystems, and environmental problems of the Pacific Northwest and to place them in a global context.
• Experimentation: Plan, safely conduct, and document fieldwork and lab experiments that account for the spatial and temporal complexity inherent within natural systems.
• Critical Thinking: Develop and test scientific hypotheses using critical thinking skills and contemporary tools.
• Communication:  Communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical audiences in written and oral forms using reasoning that draws from the scientific literature and is supported by data presented as figures, tables, maps, photographs, and in other graphical forms.
• Policy:  Evaluate how science can inform the development of policy to address environmental problems such as biodiversity loss, pollution, resource depletion, and climate change.
• Teamwork: Collaborate on multidisciplinary teams that apply scientific expertise and input from diverse stakeholders to characterize and address environmental problems.