Environmental Studies
Available as a major or minor
Environmental studies is an interdisciplinary, community-engaged program crossing the bounds of the humanities, natural sciences and social sciences.
As an environmental studies major, you’ll investigate pressing domestic and global environmental problems, gain insight into your relationship with nature, and develop the skills needed to create a more sustainable and just future. In addition to exploring and studying Virginia’s forests, mountains and rivers, you’ll be engaged in the community and will learn how to make a difference and become an effective problem-solver.

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All are invited to RC Sustain, a group of staff, faculty, and students seeking to make the campus more environmentally sustainable.
- Date:
- October 12, 2023
- Time:
- 12 - 1 p.m.
- Location:
Pickle Lounge (Colket Center)
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All are invited to RC Sustain, a group of staff, faculty, and students seeking to make the campus more environmentally sustainable.
- Date:
- November 9, 2023
- Time:
- 12 - 1 p.m.
- Location:
Lucas 125
Environmental studies is an interdisciplinary, community-engaged program crossing the bounds of the humanities, natural sciences and social sciences.
As an environmental studies major, you’ll investigate pressing domestic and global environmental problems, gain insight into your relationship with nature, and develop the skills needed to create a more sustainable and just future. In addition to exploring and studying Virginia’s forests, mountains and rivers, you’ll be engaged in the community and will learn how to make a difference and become an effective problem-solver.
Your experience will be tailored to your interests and professional goals, whether that’s working in the field to conserve natural resources, helping to shape policy, or working with a community to enact change. We have multiple interdisciplinary tracks to pursue, including our newest one, environmental justice. We provide opportunities for students to participate in on and off-campus sustainability, community-engaged science, and environmental justice projects. Our connections with nonprofits, government agencies and businesses will set you up with internships and real-world learning opportunities. We also help you develop career-ready skills through a project-based senior capstone where students apply their knowledge towards addressing a real-world environmental issue with a community partner.
You can partner with faculty members to help conduct research and service learning projects both close to campus and across the globe.. You'll have the chance to study environmental issues in places such as the Pacific Northwest, Yucatan, or Kenya with our faculty.
Through environmental studies, you'll gain skills in problem-solving, laboratory and scientific techniques, advocacy, data analysis, geographic information systems, writing and communication, project management and more.