Environmental Science Degree Online

Help solve real environmental challenges through data with the BS in Environmental Science with a concentration in Data Analytics in Science program.

As an environmental scientist, your work is critical in preserving the health of the planet. By supplementing your skills with expertise in statistics, data collection and database environments, you can take your work a step further - using numbers to tell stories for conservation organizations, policymakers and more.

Career outlook:

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, big data is transforming organizations across industries. These large volumes of data can be analyzed to identify and solve problems, provide insights on processes, and inform better solutions.

Data analytics can be an especially powerful tool for an environmental scientist. Corporate entities, for example, rely on data to help improve their sustainability efforts. Government agencies tap into data to pass public policies for environmental conservation. Furthermore, data can help shine a light on public health issues – such as the release of pollutants and industrial chemicals into the environment.

Courses in the data analytics in science concentration are designed to grow skills that can help set you apart from other professionals in your field. You’ll learn how to apply quantitative and qualitative models for making predictions, diagnose and solve organizational challenges, and create structured database environments that can be used to host complex information.

Courses may include:

• Applied Statistics II for Science, Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)
• Gathering Requirements and Collecting Data
• Introduction to Structured Database Environments

Learn to look at the environment from all angles with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science with a concentration in Natural Resources and Conservation. This concentration gives your passion for the environment more focus as you develop a broad skill set employers in the industry are looking for.

With this concentration, you'll explore the relationship between humans and the natural world. From understanding ecological principles to tackling top-of-mind issues like climate change, this program will help you create an ethical framework for your approach in protecting the planet and our natural resources.

Career outlook:

A BS in Environmental Science with a concentration in Natural Resources and Conservation can open a lot of doors when it comes to your career. You could become an environmental health and safety specialist investigating the effect environmental factors have on human health. As an industrial ecologist, you can help organizations limit their impact on the environment and inform best practices. Then there are environmental restoration planners who assess polluted sites and work to get them back to their original state. Whatever path you choose, you'll be a critical part of protecting the environment.

According to the BLS, the median annual wage of environmental scientists and specialists was $73,230 in May 2020.¹ That's a 74.5% increase in pay compared to all other occupations. Employment of environmental scientists and specialists is projected to increase by 8% from 2019 to 2029, which is much faster than the average for all occupations.¹

Courses may include:

• Conservation Biology
• Global Climate Change
• Energy and Society

Flexible

With no set class meeting times, you can learn on your schedule and access online course materials 24/7.

Affordable

Take advantage of some of the lowest online tuition rates in the nation, plus financial aid for those who qualify. We also make it easy to transfer to SNHU by accepting up to 90 credits from your previous institution.

Respected

Founded in 1932, Southern New Hampshire University is a private, nonprofit institution with over 100,000 graduates across the country. SNHU is institutionally accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), which advocates for institutional improvement and public assurance of quality.

Recently, SNHU has been nationally recognized for leading the way toward more innovative, affordable and achievable education:

• “Most Innovative” regional university honors from U.S. News & World Report each year since 2015
• A $1 million grant from Google.org to explore soft skills assessments for high-need youth
• Recognition as a 2017 Digital Learning Innovator by the Online Learning Consortium

Network

At Southern New Hampshire University, you'll have access to a powerful network of more than 200,000 students, alumni and staff that can help support you long after graduation. Our instructors offer relevant, real-world expertise to help you understand and navigate the field. Plus, with our growing, nationwide alumni network, you'll have the potential to tap into a number of internship and career opportunities.

96.5% of students would recommend SNHU.² Discover why SNHU may be right for you.

Part of our mission to expand access to quality higher education means removing the barriers that may stand between you and your degree. That’s why you can apply at any time and get a decision within days of submitting all required materials.

Acceptance decisions are made on a rolling basis throughout the year for our 6 (8-week) undergraduate terms.

Simply contact an admission counselor, who can help you explore financial options, answer all your questions and walk you through the application process. Start by:

• Completing a free undergraduate application
• Providing previous institutions attended – so we can retrieve transcripts for you at no cost

Test scores are not required as part of your application.

Notes: 

• Laptop or desktop?  Whichever you choose depends on your personal preference and work style, though laptops tend to offer more flexibility. 

• Note:  Chromebooks (Chrome OS) and iPads (iOS) do not meet the minimum requirements for coursework at SNHU. These offer limited functionality and do not work with some course technologies. They are not acceptable as the only device you use for coursework. While these devices are convenient and may be used for some course functions, they cannot be your primary device. SNHU does, however, have an affordable laptop option that it recommends: Dell Latitude 3301 with Windows 10. 

• Office 365 Pro Plus is available free of charge to all SNHU students and faculty. The Office suite will remain free while you are a student at SNHU. Upon graduation you may convert to a paid subscription if you wish. Terms subject to change at Microsoft's discretion. Review system requirements for Microsoft 365 plans for business, education and government. 

• Antivirus software: Check with your ISP as they may offer antivirus software free of charge to subscribers. 

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 are so many career options for graduates in this field," said Thrippleton-Hunter.

"Careers in environmental science can include working directly with natural resources. It can involve creating policies that promote conservation actions to regulate and manage those resources. Or it can involve helping companies in complying with those policies," Thrippleton-Hunter said.

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, educate the next generation of environmentalists as a teacher or implement best practices to limit an organization's harmful impact on the environment as an industrial ecologist. Not to mention the opportunities to tackle climate change and other top-of-mind environmental issues of today. 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 have 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 will be part of a lifelong alumni network, perfect for networking and making connections.

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

But don't just take our word for it. Amy Hunt '21 will never forget her experience in SNHU's online BS in Environmental Science degree program. "I fulfilled a goal I set for myself by earning my degree. SNHU made this both exciting and successful by having all the tools I needed as an adult learner," said Hunt.

In addition to a strong foundation in the physical and biological sciences, you'll gain many other skills. You'll learn communication skills, gain project management experience, and receive research and analysis training. These skills aren't just valuable to the environmental sciences. They are applicable to so many other careers such as the private sector, nonprofits, in the field, in a lab or in the office.

According to Dr. Kelly Thrippleton-Hunter, technical program facilitator for science at SNHU, "There will always be a workforce need for the protection of the environment and our natural resources." Environmental, conservation and sustainability jobs are so diverse that an environmental science degree opens up many career possibilities for graduates in this field.

And with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicting an 8% increase in job growth for the field of environmental science from 2019 to 2029¹, the future of this career field is truly bright.

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

1. Biology is the study of living organisms. Zoology, botany, microbiology and ecology all fall under the biology umbrella.
2. Earth science is the study of the earth’s nonliving systems. It includes geology and paleontology, as well as climatology and hydrology. Everything to do with the physical earth, atmosphere and climate are included in the study of earth science.
3. Physics is the study of matter and energy. Engineering of any kind is based on the principles of physics.
4. Chemistry studies chemicals and their interactions with one another. Biochemistry and geochemistry are subsets of this, focusing on the chemistry of living things and the chemistry of rocks, soil and water, respectively.
5. Social sciences study human beings and how they interact with each other and the environment. Social science majors offered at Southern New Hampshire University include our online sociology degree and anthropology degree online.

Collectively, these fields ensure that you are well-versed in the ways that the earth and all elements of it intersect. 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.

But you won't stop there. "Students with an environmental science major have the chance to combine this core education with engagement in experiential learning opportunities that go beyond the classroom," said Thrippleton-Hunter. "This provides them with additional skill sets, opportunities, and knowledge to help each student meet their own unique career goals."

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 as a whole. Your study will include the study of geology, chemistry, biology and physics.

Because of the interdisciplinary nature of this degree, you will also learn writing and communication skills. You will also learn math and statistics. This makes a well-rounded education that positions you to do great work in whichever career you ultimately choose.

"Students can tailor their experience by incorporating experiential learning courses, internships and volunteer opportunities into their learning paths," said Thrippleton-Hunter. "This makes the learning even more fun while also allowing you to gain desirable skills that fit with your unique career goals," she said.

No matter what 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 student in 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 right where you are. Through online learning, you set the pace. Complete your work when and where it works best for you. Your fieldwork will be right in your community. Through online learning, you can literally be in the field while you learn about environmental issues around the world.

Many students at Southern New Hampshire University are working adults who are already employed in the field but need a degree to advance. Or, they are stay-at-home parents who are looking to enter the workforce. Or maybe they are students who were sidetracked by a variety of circumstances and are coming back to complete an unfinished degree.

"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 Thrippleton-Hunter.

¹ Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, on the internet, at:

• https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/environmental-scientists-and-specialists.htm (viewed June 17, 2021)

Cited projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.

²According to more than 9,200 SNHU online students in survey responses from the fall of 2019.