Environmental Studies Department

Environmental Studies at Gettysburg College offers an interdisciplinary perspective, hands-on experiences, and faculty-led research opportunities in environmental science, policy, communications, and more. With the option of pursuing a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) or a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree, the environmental studies program features a curriculum that engages students through coursework in the natural sciences, social sciences, and the humanities.

Through fieldwork, study trips, and in-depth research projects, students who major and minor in environmental studies at Gettysburg College will engage in high-impact learning that leads them from the field to the laboratory on their path to real-world discoveries.

Building on the foundation of our Gettysburg Approach, with its focus on developing within every student a breadth of knowledge and set of enduring skills, you can pursue a variety of careers, including academia, business, government, and nongovernmental organizations.

Environmental studies at Gettysburg College

Students pursuing environmental studies at Gettysburg College can build on their critical thinking and analytical skills gained through their coursework on campus and in professional environments. From participating in X-Sig, Kolbe Fellowships, and Digital Humanities Fellowships to engaging in publishable environmental justice, sustainable development, natural sciences, and public lands policy research, students can explore various curricular research passions. These enriching experiences prepare students to confront society’s most pressing questions across multiple disciplines.

Students can participate in co-curricular activities such as Gettysburg Environmental Concerns Org (G.E.C.O.), an organization of close to 300 students working to improve the environmental impact of the campus.

Students can pursue unique research opportunities, like studying seabirds on islands in Maine, exploring glacier landforms in Iceland, and using drones to collect audio data from songbirds to study bird populations.

Within environmental studies, students experience an interdisciplinary education through research, study-abroad opportunities, student-led organizations, and a meaningful curriculum that prepares them for graduate study or a career with nonprofits, businesses, government, and nongovernmental organizations.

View the opportunities and resources page for tools to help you plan your environmental studies pursuits at Gettysburg College and beyond.

Undergraduate research

Environmental studies students work collaboratively with peers and faculty on research projects that may lead to publication or professional conference presentations. Additionally, students interested in studying abroad may do so in the fall or spring, where they may apply their courses abroad toward their environmental studies major.

The Cross-Disciplinary Science Institute at Gettysburg college (X-SIG) is a cornerstone summer experience that provides participating students the opportunity to work alongside faculty to do research and fieldwork. The 8-week summer Kolbe Research Fellowship at Gettysburg College is designed to support mentored undergraduate research. Musselman Library also invites undergraduate students from all majors to apply for a paid, residential summer Digital Humanities Fellowship.

Career preparation

Upon graduating from Gettysburg College, environmental studies majors and minors may obtain careers in government, environmental planning, environmental and science education, consulting, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), public policy, ecology, conservation, natural resource management, and environmental education.

Review a complete list of environmental studies opportunities.

connectGettysburg and more resources

All Gettysburg students have access to the Gettysburg Network via the connectGettysburg platform, the College’s online engagement, networking, and mentoring platform with endless opportunities at students’ fingertips. More than 32,000 alumni, students, parents, friends of the College, and employees can connect, share career advice and opportunities with students and alumni, and grow their professional networks.

Additionally, Gettysburg College’s environmental studies department maintains a LinkedIn group to further support connections and dialogue surrounding environmental studies.

Student life opportunities

As a charter signatory of the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), Gettysburg’s environmental studies department partners with an array of co-curricular opportunities to focus on the environment and our place in it:

• The Gettysburg Environmental Concerns Organization (G.E.C.O.)
• The Farmhouse, a residence shared by students committed to social justice and sustainability
• Campus Kitchens, a student-initiated program to reduce food waste
• The Painted Turtle Farm, administered by the Center for Public Service as a community outreach program
• Diversity, Inclusion, Equity, and Belonging (DIEB) Student Advisory Board
• Student Senate, Sustainability Committee
• Eisenhower Institute Environmental Leadership program

Major in environmental studies

Students with an environmental studies major will learn to understand wide-scale environmental problems that impact our world and how to solve them with sustainability in mind. The Bachelor of Science in environmental studies emphasizes a strong grounding in math and the natural sciences, while the Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies equips students with a foundation in environmental communication and sociopolitical engagement. Whether students choose the B.S. or B.A. track, as majors all students will take classes that span the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities.

All environmental studies majors select an area of concentration, allowing them to focus on a particular area of interest such as wildlife ecology, environmental policy, geographic information systems (GIS), sustainable development, and environmental writing.

For a complete list of course requirements, visit the Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies and Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies webpages.

Minor in environmental studies

Gettysburg’s minor in environmental studies consists of six courses that allow students to enhance their understanding of complex environmental issues. Students may enroll in courses toward an environmental studies minor to explore topics in the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities, or to strengthen their career pursuits in environmental studies.

Review the environmental studies minor coursework.

Environmental studies curriculum

Why choose environmental studies?

When you pursue environmental studies at Gettysburg College, you embark on an interdisciplinary journey that integrates social and scientific understandings of the environment, whether you choose a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree in environmental studies.

Students with an environmental studies major have many professional opportunities available after graduation, including in the natural sciences, policy, economics, education, and arts sectors. Environmental studies graduates from Gettysburg College have worked at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, along the shores of Assateague Island, and in the forests of the Appalachian and Rocky Mountains.

Gettysburg College prepares students for a lifelong expedition of self-discovery in environmental studies by providing them with A Consequential Education, one that supports solving the environmental challenges of today and tomorrow.

Ready to make a difference for a thriving Earth? Request more information about environmental studies at Gettysburg College.