Environmental Science Degree Online Bachelor of Science (BS)

Perhaps the best part of earning a degree in environmental science – other than saving the world – is that you can apply your learning in so many different ways.

"There is no straight career path, but rather a journey that Southern New Hampshire University's environmental science program helps shape and launch you into," said Tyra Davey, associate dean of science. "In addition to academic preparation, students in the program have the opportunity to engage with Career Services from first term through graduation to determine what their career path can look like."

Federal and state agencies, such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service, provide some of the largest opportunities for employment in this field. Local agencies and private environmental consultancy companies provide good options as well.

With this dynamic, interdisciplinary degree, you have a lot of options to take your career wherever you want it to go. You can help protect and manage our state parks and forests as a park ranger or manage and remediate environmental hazards as an environmental scientist. Not to mention the opportunities you can gain to help advance the use of renewable energy or tackle issues related to global climate change. The possibilities are truly endless.

The SNHU Career Center is a great place for career support and advice at any time in your career, even after you've graduated. You can get support with resume writing or find connections for local professional organizations. You may find projects or internships, or even prep for interviews. As an SNHU graduate, you'll be part of a lifelong alumni network — perfect for networking and making connections in your field and beyond.

Absolutely! With a degree in environmental science, you can gain the skills needed to preserve and protect our planet and its precious natural resources.

In addition to a strong foundation in the physical and biological sciences, you'll gain many other skills. You'll learn communication approaches, earn project management experience, and receive research and analysis training. These competencies aren't valuable to the environmental sciences alone. They're applicable to many other careers, like those in the private sector or nonprofits.

Just ask Daniel Sylvester '23. "I got to focus less on pre-med and lab bio and more on a naturalist perspective on life," he said. "This is what drew me to science originally. I now feel like I can always work outdoors to preserve nature for future generations, and I have most valuably learned how to live more efficiently."

A highlight from his program? "ArcGIS is an awesome skill and I’m obsessed with maps now and geospatial data has so many applications," said Sylvester. "I had the pleasure of working with it while controlling invasive species with the Audubon and hope to work with it again."

According to Tyra Davey, associate dean of science, "There continues to be a growing need for career-ready environmental scientists, since challenges with conservation, resource management and sustainability exist in almost every industry. This offers a wide variety of career pathways for students pursuing their degree."

And with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicting a 6% increase in job growth for the environmental scientists and specialists through 2032, the future of this career field is truly bright.¹

As a truly interdisciplinary field, the environmental science major includes instruction in 5 key areas:

1. Biology examines living organisms. Zoology, botany, microbiology and ecology all fall under the biology umbrella.
2. Physics is the study of matter and energy. Engineering of any kind, including environmental engineering, is based on the principles of physics.
3. Chemistry studies chemicals and their interactions with one another in a substance. Biochemistry and geochemistry are subsets of this, focusing on the chemistry of living things and the chemistry of rocks, soil and water, respectively.
4. Sustainability focuses on a mindset and decision-making practices that lead to humans and nature existing in ways that support our present and future generations. Sustainability is studied with considerations at the intersection of ecological health, social wellbeing and economic fairness.
5. Social science studies human beings and how they interact with each other and the environment. It also examines the behaviors that result from humans receiving and interpreting information related to the environment. Social science majors offered at Southern New Hampshire University include an online sociology degree and anthropology degree online.

Collectively, these fields ensure you are well-versed in the ways that the environment and all elements of it are connected. You'll study the earth's living and non-living elements, and how all things relating to matter and energy intersect. You can also study how human populations affect and are affected by changes in the environment.

Studying the environment, climate change and how humans play a major part in the health of our planet is exciting. Protecting the planet is a noble career. To succeed in this major, it helps to feel comfortable with science.

Because of the interdisciplinary nature of this degree, you'll learn writing and communication skills, along with math and statistics. This results in a well-rounded education that positions you to be highly capable of doing great work in the career you choose.

No matter which area of study you decide to earn your degree in, instructors with real-world experience will be there with you every step of the way.

Amy Hunt '21, a graduate of the BS in Environmental Science online degree program, said her instructors "provided additional resources to aid in my learning of the subject and provided detailed feedback on assignments, so that I could improve my understanding of the subject."

Yes! An online environmental science degree is a great way to learn about the natural world from right where you are. With online learning, you set the pace, so you can complete your work when and where it's best for you. Plus, your fieldwork can be performed close to home, allowing you to study the environment in your very own community.

"The online platform of this program provides our students with the flexibility they need to earn their degree and, best of all, allows them to make a difference in the world," said Dr. Kelly Thrippleton-Hunter, adjunct faculty for science at Southern New Hampshire University.