Environmental science is an interdisciplinary approach to the study of environmental systems. It is a wide discipline encompassing the study of the natural environment, built environments, social and organizational environments and the sets of relationships between them.
The field is steadily growing, as the effects of human
society on the environment around us are becoming more important to our sustainable development. It is not to be confused with and ecology, although these are areas closely related to the field and very much intertwined with it.
Environmental Science Careers
After completing a
Bachelor of Arts or Science within Environmental Science, options are wide open. Career possibilities are as wide as the discipline and range from
environmental planning, education, green investment planning, and wildlife biology to private sector consulting. Jobs are widely available within both the private and public sectors, although it is the private sector, which is expected to boom. This is largely due to public policy demand for new rules and regulations in regards to the environment. Another option is to continue with further education with a Master's Degree or a doctorate as research within the field is also constantly growing.
Studying Environmental Science
Many schools' arts and science institutions around the world offer the option to focus on the field of
environmental science. Here it is advisable to contact the school in question to see what courses are offered in which areas. With the right electives it is often possible to major or minor within the discipline.
Courses included in an
environmental science degree can vary. However, it is usual to include courses from such varied areas as social science, the natural sciences, law, ethics, humanities and sustainable development.