Alaska is among the very best places in the world today to study environmental science and begin a career as an environmental scientist.
Alaska offers a superb natural laboratory for field-based environmental investigations. Moreover, the northern regions of the globe contain some of the largest protected wilderness areas on the earth. They are rich in natural resources and wildlife populations, sparsely inhabited by people, and ecologically fragile. They are also characterized by conflicting claims and rights of international organizations, governmental entities, private enterprise, and indigenous peoples.
The Environmental Science major allows students to focus on the natural sciences as they apply to the environment.
Students are provided with a solid foundation in laboratory and field techniques. Recent Environmental Science graduates have found positions with environmental consulting firms, entry level positions in recreation programs and not-for-profit agencies, private industry positions, and environmental science positions with municipal, state, and federal agencies. Students have gone on to graduate school in many areas, including environmental law and advocacy.
Majoring in Environmental Science, students can earn a bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degree.
The B.A. in Environmental Science is tailored for students who wish to enter the professional environmental field. The B.S. degree in Environmental Science requires additional coursework in the natural sciences and quantitative methods. This degree is especially useful for students intending to pursue a graduate degree in environmental science or related fields.