The environmental science program is part of the School of Earth, Environment and Society in the BGSU College of Arts and Sciences.   

environmental science
  • Minor Available
  • Bachelors Available
  • Minor Available
  • Bachelors Available

Environmental Science

Environmental science is an interdisciplinary major integrating study in complementary fields to promote understanding of the relationship between the living and non-living components of the world. Important concepts from biology, chemistry, geology, physics, economics, geography, sociology and political science are integrated to explore these connections. BGSU’s environmental science major places special emphasis on interactions between humans and nature and the environmental conflicts which arise from competing uses of resources and how they affect the natural world.

Quality classroom experiences

Our environmental science program at BGSU places priority on the natural sciences and the natural world. Students develop the skills needed to investigate, document, and solve environmental problems. Course work in the social sciences and humanities provides additional tools that enable our students to understand the interrelationships that characterize sensitive environmental issues.

Students choose from several programmatic areas to develop specialized expertise. These areas include sustainable management, environmental restoration, watershed management, geospatial analysis and environmental education and interpretation.

Stand Out in courses like

  • Environmental Problems
  • Geospatial Science
  • General Botany
  • Hydrology

Curriculum

Environmental science is broadly interdisciplinary. The curriculum provides a comprehensive understanding of regional, national and global environmental problems and how to develop and implement solutions. Environmental science majors complete foundational courses in the natural sciences, mathematics and specialized environmental courses. Having a knowledge base that links scientific understanding with social science skills provides our graduates unusual abilities to be effective as environmental decision makers.

BGSU has one of the oldest environmental science programs in the U.S., which started shortly before the first Earth Day. The program turned 50 in 2019.

Internships and Careers

Students may select a study abroad semester to provide an environmental experience within a different culture. Internships in the host country are part of the international opportunity.

Modern society needs a steady supply of well-trained, knowledgeable environmental scientists with broad-based, interdisciplinary science training and strong problem-solving skills. Students completing the environmental science major have a wide range of excellent career opportunities. Graduates are prepared for positions in fields such as natural-resource management, wildlife protection and preservation, biological and chemical quality monitoring, watershed management, geospatial systems analysis, conservation biology, environmental remediation, energy systems design and sustainable management. Opportunities exist in business as consultants, in industry and government as managers and technicians, and in non-profit organizations as technical specialists working on current threats to environmental integrity.

Average Starting Salary & BGSU Placement Rate

$29,374* — environmental science baccalaureate graduates average starting salary

92.31% of environmental science graduates report they’re employed, in graduate school or starting a business within six months of graduation.

(BGSU data compiled from students who completed the related questions on the graduation survey.)

Go Far in your career

  • Natural-resource management
  • Wildlife protection and preservation
  • Biological and chemical quality monitoring
  • Watershed management
  • Geospatial systems analysis
  • Conservation biology
  • Environmental remediation
  • Energy systems design
  • Sustainable management

Since its creation, the environmental science program has been career, experiential and service-learning oriented.

BGSU Arts and Sciences white

The environmental science program is part of the School of Earth, Environment and Society in the BGSU College of Arts and Sciences.  

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the baccalaureate degree, students in environmental science are expected to be able to:

  • Understand basic characteristics of ecosystems and environmental problems and be able to identify, investigate, and propose solutions to environmental issues as informed by an interdisciplinary background in the natural sciences;
  • Understand the interrelationships between environmental problems and human societies and cultures;
  • Engage in rational, civil discourse about complex environmental issues in a manner that considers all viewpoints;
  • Participate in practical, experience-based learning through internships, field experiences, workshops, and independent research projects;
  • Communicate effectively in written and oral forms;
  • Gain facility with technologies and tools used in environmental analysis, such as geographic information systems, global positioning systems, statistical analysis, and remotely sensed images.

Bowling Green State University [BGSU] is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. BGSU has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 01/01/1916. The most recent reaffirmation of accreditation was received in 2012 - 2013. Questions should be directed to the Office of Institutional Effectiveness.

The environmental science program will undergo its next Program/Cluster Review during the Academic Year 2019-20.

Bowling Green State University programs leading to licensure, certification and/or endorsement, whether delivered online, face-to-face or in a blended format, satisfy the academic requirements for those credentials set forth by the State of Ohio.

Requirements for licensure, certification and/or endorsement eligibility vary greatly from one profession to another and from state to state. The environmental science program does not lead to professional licensure.

Under the Higher Education Act Title IV disclosure requirements, an institution must provide current and prospective students with information about each of its programs that prepares students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation.

The environmental science program is not a recognized occupation that requires a Gainful Employment disclosure.



* Job placement and salary information was compiled by the Office of Academic Assessment through the Graduation Survey from AY2015-2018. The data are gathered around the time of Commencement and a follow-up survey six months post Commencement. For the salary question, data for programs with fewer than fifteen responses are not included. Salaries for those programs are from the National Association of Colleges and Employers Summer 2019 Survey. For questions regarding the data, contact assessment@bgsu.edu.

Updated: 03/04/2021 03:49PM