Environmental Science

“I fell in love with how passionate my teachers are and how they emphasize getting out, serving the trees, serving streams, serving the land and being as hands-on as possible.”
- Annie Nelson '15

Annie Nelson

Here, you will find a wide range of integrated courses that address the scientific aspect of key environmental problems at the intersection of biology, chemistry, physics and the geosciences. With related courses in engineering and environmental policy, you will learn to appreciate the challenge of finding environmental solutions that will work in the modern world. Areas of concentration include ecology; environmental geosciences; energy and environmental physics; and environmental engineering and technology.

All students take a common introductory course, a core of between eight and 11 required courses, and four-to-six courses that define an area of concentration. During the senior year, students typically complete two terms of independent research and participate in a senior seminar. Our students also regularly take part in Union’s annual campus-wide research day, the Steinmetz Symposium, through oral and poster presentations.

Other learning opportunities

One of the most distinctive aspects of studying environmental sciences at Union is our extraordinary mix of field programs, which run the gamut from understanding geothermal power in Iceland and evaluating Atlantic fisheries to studying biodiversity in the Great Barrier Reef.

Back home, the Union community comes together around many sustainability efforts. Among them are Octopus’s Garden, an organic community garden that provides produce for the campus organic café and the local community; the annual trash audit; and an energy conservation competition.

Careers after Union

As an Environmental Science major, you will be well prepared to pursue a career in many different fields – not only science, but medicine, law, journalism, government and much more.

Here's a look at what some of our alumni have been doing since graduating:

• Anesthesiologist, Maimonides Medical Center
• Veterinarian, Valley Animal Hospital
• Assistant district attorney, Bronx County
• Medical writer, Yale New Haven Hospital
• Bioacoustician, Alaska Fisheries Science Center
• Marine habitat research specialist, National Marine Fisheries Service