932
Environmental Sciences
Environmental Sciences The College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources offers an undergraduate major in environmental sciences. This interdisciplinary program is designed to improve the current and future welfare of the human race through understanding environmental policies based on scientific principles in accordance with the true benefits and costs as evaluated by an informed society. As an interdisciplinary and science-oriented major, the student takes courses in biology, chemistry, math, physics, statistics and social sciences. The student may choose one of three areas of emphasis (options): Environmental Policy, Natural Resources or Water Resources. Depending on the option, upper-division coursework will involve problem- solving work in water and soil quality, economic and social policy, political science, resource management and engineering. The student will also be exposed in general education subjects, including communications, philosophy, ethics and sociology. A primary goal is to enable graduates to solve environmental problems based on scientific principles and in accordance with society's needs. Successful completion of this major earns the student the Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources degree. The environmental sciences undergraduate major is directly supported by faculty from the departments of Agricultural Economics, Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, Entomology and Plant Pathology, Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Natural Resource Ecology and Management, and Plant and Soil Sciences. The major and its students also benefit from working in and out of the classroom or laboratory with faculty who are conducting cutting-edge research related to environmental problems through the Freshman Research Scholars Program. Graduates work in such areas as land-use planning, environmental management, natural resources management, waste disposal, water and soil quality, environmental remediation and policy analysis. Industries associated with the extraction, utilization and manipulation of natural resources have increased the number of employees with environmental training to address regulation compliance, litigation, monitoring, public relations and management practices. Graduates may also work with federal, state and local government agencies involved in regulation, resource management and policy development. Graduates, particularly those who have gone on to earn advanced degrees, find employment with consulting firms that are involved with solving environmental problems. Many graduates go on to graduate school or pursue a degree from a professional school, such as law or medicine. Undergraduate Programs • Environmental Science: Environmental Policy, BSAG (p. 934) • Environmental Science: Natural Resources, BSAG (p. 936) • Environmental Science: Water Resources, BSAG (p. 938)
• Environmental Science (ENVR), Minor (p. 933) Faculty Brian J. Carter, PhD—Professor and Director
Professors: Karen Hickman, PhD (plant ecology); Tyson E. Ochsner, PhD (soil and water resources); Gail W.T. Wilson, PhD (restoration ecology) Associate Professor: Sergio M. Abit, Jr, PhD (environmental soil science)
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