Learn Conservation and Sustainability on the Maine Coast
On 51°µÍø’s unique coastal Maine campus, you’ll be reminded every day of the importance of your education as an Environmental Science major. With a 540-acre natural wonderland for you to explore, our program combines natural sciences, social sciences, and the humanities to teach you about conservation, preservation, and restoration of ecosystems; environmental and economic sustainability; and climate change.
From the oceans to the forests, riverbanks, and marshes, our campus is your living laboratory for studying the science you’ll need in your professional quest to address the health of our planet.
Why 51°µÍø for Your B.S. in Environmental Science
A diverse array of on-campus habitats, including dunes, wetlands, 363 acres of deciduous and coniferous forest, a mile of coastline, and our University-owned island, are home to flora and fauna that provide almost limitless opportunities for research and fieldwork, including:
- Hands-on, problem-based learning with strong local applications
- First-year interdisciplinary Green Learning Community
- Opportunities to gain professional skills by working collaboratively with partner organizations on conservation projects in southern Maine
- Local, national, and international internships
- Senior capstone class
What Will You Study? Environmental Science Degree Curriculum Overview
There are many ways you can navigate this major.
B.S. in Environmental Science Courses
The following are some examples of the exciting courses that you can take as an Environmental Science major:
- Climate Change: Causes, Consequences, and Solutions
- Conservation and Preservation
- Advanced Field Methods in Avian Ecology and Conservation
- Sustainability and Ecological Restoration
- Ecological Monitoring
- Wetland Conservation and Ecology
Secondary Science Teaching Certification
If you are interested in becoming a middle school or high school science teacher, you may select the necessary courses in secondary education as electives, and complete the teaching internship required to qualify for State of Maine certification (grades 7–12) upon graduation.
Double Majors With Your Environmental Science Degree
As an Environmental Science major, you may opt to double major in another discipline. This popular way to enhance your career preparedness allows you to complete both degrees in four years and prepares you for the complexity of real-world environmental challenges.
For more information including current double major requirements and course sequences, contact the environmental studies department.
Popular Double Majors
This double major might be for you if your passions are to deploy a variety of scientific fields to understand human impacts on the environment and the ability of organisms to survive and reproduce. This training prepares you for work in wildlife management.
This double major might be for you if your passions are to deploy skills in statistics, data analytics, mathematical modeling, or spatial analysis, including Geographic Information Systems. This training prepares you for work in terrestrial or aquatic ecology, meteorology, toxicology, demography, natural resources planning, urban and/or regional planning, and related natural and social sciences professions.
This double major might be for you if your passions are to deploy a wide-ranging set of scientific approaches (including ecology, genetics, chemistry, and physics) to understand human impacts on the environment and/or environmental health. This training prepares you for various work opportunities related to environmental impacts and mitigation, environmental research, and environmental projects with consulting firms. It also prepares you for graduate school in the biological or environmental sciences.
This double major might be for you if your passions are to deploy a variety of scientific fields to understand human impacts on both terrestrial and marine environments. This training prepares you for scientific work where land and sea interact.
Curriculum
The faculty in 51°µÍø’s three (3) colleges offering undergraduate programs have defined health of natural ecosystems as a major theme in the Nor’easter Cor