Mission Statement

The Academic Program

Environmental studies (EVS) is an individually designed, interdisciplinary program established in 1965 and coordinated by the Environmental Center. Students wishing to earn a BA degree with a major equivalent in environmental studies may do so under the Interdisciplinary Studies Program. The program encourages a great deal of self direction to accommodate the student’s individual goals and interests.

Environmental studies students may focus their curriculum on either the social or natural/physical sciences and find employment in both the public and private sectors as environmental resource managers, environmental specialists, hazardous waste managers, or any number of related fields. Others pursue graduate studies in environmental sciences, law, chemistry, biology, public health, planning, geography, resource management, etc. A unique feature of the program is the ability to undertake an internship with a local agency or organization chosen by the student. In this internship (IS 489), students design and carry out an environmental research project complete with proposal, progress and final reports, and formal oral presentation to the internship sponsors. The EVS program has enjoyed the consistent cooperation and enthusiasm of more than 40 federal, state, and county agencies and departments and many private organizations as sponsors of EVS students.