Environmental Science
What is environmental science?
Environmental scientists aim to better understand properties and processes in natural and managed landscapes and to apply that knowledge for the development of sound environmental stewardship practices and policies that improve the current and future welfare of humans and their ecosystems. You will study the processes and interactions of the natural environment and the ways in which humans impact and interact within the environment.
Why environmental science at OSU?
Career paths
Employment for graduates occurs in a wide range of fields and sectors including private, non-profit and government agencies. Graduates can look forward to working in one or more of the following fields:
- Conservation planning
- Environmental compliance
- Environmental consulting
- Environmental law
- Environmental remediation
- Extension education
- Hydrology
- Land-use planning
- Research
- Soil and water quality
- Waste disposal
- Wetlands and watershed management
20%projected job growth
Jobs within the environmental science field are projected to grow about 20% through 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics
Highlights
Hands-on learning
Many courses in the environmental science program are hands-on and designed to immerse you in the field, providing you with the opportunity to address environmental problems from the standpoint of ethics, risk, and scientific and social feasibility.
Fast fact
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs within the environmental science field are projected to grow about 20% through 2026, which is higher than the average for all job fields.
An interdisciplinary approach
The environmental science undergraduate major is directly supported by faculty from several departments within the Ferguson College of Agriculture: agricultural economics, animal and food sciences, biosystems and agricultural engineering, entomology and plant pathology, horticulture and landscape architecture, natural resource ecology and management, and plant and soil sciences. The combined approach, and experience of the faculty members, will give you a unique and multi-disciplinary academic experience.
Undergraduate research
As an environmental science student, you will benefit from working with faculty who are conducting cutting-edge research involving environmental problems. The Ferguson College of Agriculture has long been committed to fostering research opportunities and partnerships that lead to scholastic achievement, societal improvements, technological innovation and economic revitalization.