Environmental science concentration
Solid and challenging coursework in natural sciences prepares students to work on such issues as biodiversity and loss of species, pollution and toxicology, land use and degradation, waste management, resource depletion and energy consumption, climate change, and alternative agriculture.
Students focus on “traditional” environmental science courses from the disciplines of ecology, chemistry and physiology, but also learn the interdisciplinary nature of environmental research and issues while working with sociology, economics, and development professors.
Students may compete for Kauffman-Miller Research Awards, up to for $2500 for summer research supervised by EMU faculty.
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Distinctives
- Study sustainability and environmental science at a university that practices sustainability as a core value
- An interdisciplinary approach to understanding contemporary issues such as local hydrofracking and wilderness preservation. We study modern concerns like global warming from both scientific and social perspectives.
- Job-related experience in a wide variety of organizations through a required practicum, or internship. Practical experiences in private businesses, farms, and government agencies are an important step in developing a career in environmental sustainability.
- Research opportunities on student-faculty collaborative projects, such as a grant-funded steam restoration project in a local mountain community.
- EMU cross-cultural study abroad trips that focus on sustainability issues, like recent trips to New Zealand, Bolivia and the Galapagos, and Kenya.
- Oregon Extension- The oregon extension offers a unique opportunity to spend a semester in the mountains of southern Oregon exploring sustainability.
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Student Internships and Research
Classes address local and global sustainability issues and include hands-on research projects. During a required internship, students work with a local environmental organization such as Shenandoah National Park, The Nature Conservancy or the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.
Internships in environmental science and social sustainability
Washington D.C. internships through WCSC:
Local internships in Harrisonburg, Virginia:
Student clubs and opportunities focused on sustainability
- Earthkeepers club
- Creation Care Council
- Sustainability Food Initiative
- Campus Gardens and Composting
Research and Capstone projects
The capstone course centers around activities that help students reflect on their knowledge about sustainability and bring together threads from diverse disciplines to create an integrated understanding of contemporary sustainability issues.
In addition to their capstone experience, students often collaborate with faculty on long-standing research projects, sometimes presenting research at the Virginia Academy of Sciences.
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Outcomes/Careers
Careers
- Campus Sustainability Coordinator
- Communication and Policy Coordinator
- Farm Manager
- Data Entry
- Feeding Manager
- Garden Manager
- Horticulture Research Technician
- Native Plant Corp Project Leader
- Park Ranger
- Teacher Assistant
- Transportation/GIS Planner
Organizations
- Brown County Planning Commission
- Kish View Farm
- Mountain Breeze Farm
- North Carolina State University
- Project GROWS
- Rockingham and Harrisonburg SPCA
- Secure Futures, LLC
- Student Conservation Agency
- Watershed Management Group
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Affordability
- Prospective students may be eligible for the EMU STEM Scholars Engaging in Local Problems (SSELP) grant, up to $10,000. Learn more about departmental scholarships.
- Nearly 100% of undergrads receive financial aid
- The average assistance package is over $30,000
- Over $14 million in aid was awarded by EMU in 2017-18
Financial aid packages often include:
Learn more by contacting EMU's Financial Assistance Office or checking out our cost of attendance calculator.
