Environmental Studies Department

The Department of Environmental Studies at Gettysburg College explores the complex interactions between the human-nature experience from an interdisciplinary, social sciences perspective. With the option of a Bachelor of Science (BS) or a Bachelor of Arts (BA), the Environmental Science degree features a curriculum that engages students with a heavy focus on how our natural and social systems interact with one another

Through student and faculty-led research, majors and minors of the Environmental Studies program experience a distinctive education that leads them from the field to the laboratory

Why Environmental Studies? 

The field of environmental studies allows us to ask questions and solve issues across ecosystems that are threatened by debilitating environmental science issues. With a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies at Gettysburg, you have the option to embark on a journey that’s enmeshed in the math and sciences or in the sociocultural, interdisciplinary roots by choosing a BA or BS in Environmental Studies.  

In contrast to an environmental sciences degree, the BA in Environmental Studies and the BS in Environmental Studies allow you to solve a variety of issues caused by a convergence of manmade problems from a liberal arts perspective.

Students majoring in the environmental studies field have a broad range of professional opportunities available to them after graduation, including life, physical, and social sciences occupations which have a median annual wage of $72, 740.

For assistance with planning your courses, contact your program advisor or visit the Environmental Studies Opportunities and Resources webpage.

Major in Environmental Studies

Students who major in environmental studies learn to understand the wide-scale environmental problems that plague our world and how to sustainably solve them. Both the BA and BS in Environmental Studies degree programs explore interdisciplinary courses that span ecology, environmental humanities, and geographic information systems. The BS in Environmental Studies places a heavy focus on math and biology while the BA in Environmental Studies integrates coursework that considers society’s role in the environment. 

Through a framework of interdisciplinary courses that challenges students to actively engage with the world around them, our courses leave students prepared to provide creative solutions to difficult issues.

For a full list of course requirements, visit the BA in Environmental Studies and BS in Environmental Studies webpages.

Minor in environmental studies

Our six-course minor in environmental studies allows students to enhance their understanding of complex environmental issues. Students may enroll in an environmental studies minor to simply explore the field of natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities or to strengthen their career in an environmental field.

Review the environmental studies minor coursework.

Curriculum

To meet your needs, we offer a wide range of courses in environmental studies that spans numerous environmental issues affecting our planet. Our comprehensive curriculum provides in-depth analyses on our changing world through the added lens of race, gender, and culture. 

View the full list of courses in the environmental studies curriculum.

What Makes Gettysburg’s Environmental Studies Department different 

At Gettysburg, we place a focus on sustainability both inside and outside the classroom. That’s why we’re committed to becoming Carbon Neutral by 2032. Through offsetting 100% of our electric consumption with wind power to earning a “Green College” placement on the Princeton Review, Gettysburg works with faculty and students to solve new ways to achieve sustainability everyday. Students looking to further address their environmental footprint may look into joining our Environmental Concerns Org of over 280 students or visit the Cross-Disciplinary Science Institute (X-SIG) to engage in groundbreaking research.

Within our environmental studies department, students experience an interdisciplinary education through hands-on research, study abroad opportunities, student-led organizations, and a meaningful curriculum that prepares them for graduate study or a career in the non-profit sector, the corporate world, or government.

View the latest environmental studies department updates or opportunities and resources for tools to plan your degree. 

Career Preparation

Our environmental studies majors and minors are equipped to easily find careers in government, environmental planning, science education, consulting, or policy. Often translating into fields that encompass finance, public health, education, or business, these pertinent roles play a crucial component in maintaining the livelihood of our ecosystems—both in modern human society and in diverse outdoor habitats like wetlands, grasslands, and forests.

connectGettysburg

All Gettysburg students have access to our connectGettysburg platform, our home for over 30,000 alumni who are ready to grow their professional network. 

Student Life Opportunities

As a charter signatory of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, Gettysburg’s environmental studies department provides an array of shared residences, campus kitchens, and a community garden at Painted Turtle Farm that collectively empower you to be sustainable. 

Undergraduate research

Environmental Studies students work collaboratively with peers and faculty on a wide range of research projects that may lead to publication. Additionally, students who are interested in studying abroad may do so in the fall or spring, where they may apply their courses abroad towards their environmental studies major. 

Review a full list of Environmental Studies Opportunities.

Environmental Studies Funding

Students seeking funding for Study Abroad should visit the Center for Global Education. 

Additionally, students conducting research through the Cross-Disciplinary Science Institute (X-SIG) may also receive funding.