Environmental Studies/Sciences

What can I do with a Major in Environmental Studies/Science?

Planning

Job Types

  • Air Quality
  • Aviation
  • Building/Zoning
  • Land-Use
  • Consulting
  • Recreation
  • Transportation
  • Water Resources

Employers

  • Federal, state, regional, and local government
  • Corporations
  • Consulting firms
  • Banks
  • Real estate development companies
  • Law firms
  • Architectural firms
  • Market research companies
  • Colleges and universities
  • Nonprofit groups

Strategies

  • Get on planning boards, commissions, and committees. Have a planning specialty (transportation, water resources, air quality, etc.).
  • Master communication, mediation and writing skills.
  • Network in the community and get to know “who’s who” in your specialty area.
  • Develop a strong scientific or technical background.
  • Diversify your knowledge base. For example, in areas of law, economics, politics, historical preservation, or architecture.

Environmental Education and Communication

Job Types

  • Teaching
  • Journalism
  • Tourism
  • Law Regulation
  • Compliance
  • Political Action/Lobbying

Employers

  • Federal, state, and local government
  • Public and private elementary, middle, and high schools
  • Two-year community colleges
  • Four-year institutions
  • Corporations
  • Consulting firms
  • Media
  • Nonprofit organizations
  • Political Action Committees

Strategies

  • Master public speaking skills.
  • Learn certification/licensure requirements for teaching public K-12 schools.
  • Develop creative hands-on strategies for teaching/ learning.
  • Publish articles in newsletters or newspapers.
  • Learn environmental laws and regulations.
  • Join professional associations and environmental groups as ways to network.
  • Become active in environmental political organizations.

Solid Waste Management

Job Types

  • Chemistry
  • Engineering
  • Hydrology
  • Logistics
  • Planning
  • Recycling
  • Transportation
  • Compliance

Employers

  • Federal, state, and local government
  • Private waste management firms
  • Consulting firms
  • Nonprofit organizations

Strategies

  • Take some scientific or engineering courses.
  • Choose an unusual material and think of creative ways to recycle or reuse it.

Hazardous Waste Management

Job Types

  • Hydrogeology
  • Quality Control
  • Risk Assessment
  • Environmental Engineering
  • Public and Environmental Health
  • Industrial Hygiene
  • Law
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Geology
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Planning
  • Compliance

Employers

  • Federal, state, and local government
  • Private companies that generate hazardous waste in production
  • Hazardous waste management firms
  • Consulting firms
  • Nonprofit organizations

Strategies

  • Consider double major in hard science or engineering.
  • Attend public meetings on this issue.
  • Get laboratory experience.
  • Gain computer expertise.
  • Work in government office or regulatory agency.
  • Get experience with technical writing.
  • Get involved with local chapters of citizen watch groups.
  • Become familiar with Superfund and its activities.

Air Quality Management

Job Types

  • Engineering
  • Planning
  • Analytical Chemistry
  • Environmental Quality Analysis
  • Meteorology
  • Risk Assessment
  • Safety and Health Management
  • Toxicology
  • Project Development
  • Compliance

Employers

  • Federal, state, and local government
  • Private industry
  • Consulting firms
  • Nonprofit organizations

Strategies

  • Develop a specific skill in the areas of engineering, chemistry or laboratory work.
  • Work at state and local agencies as a way to start an air quality career.

Waste Quality Management

Job Types

  • Aquatic Ecology
  • Aquatic Toxicology
  • Law
  • Biology
  • Civil/Environmental Engineering
  • Hydrogeology and Hydrology
  • Drinking Water Supply and Treatment
  • Waste Water Treatment
  • Groundwater Protection
  • Surface Water Management
  • Estuary Management
  • Wetlands Protection
  • Compliance
  • Industrial Engineering

Employers

  • Federal, state, and local government
  • Corporations
  • Consulting firms
  • Nonprofit organizations
  • Treatment plants

Strategies

  • Get a strong chemistry background.
  • Become familiar with high-tech tools.
  • Develop computer skills.
  • Focus on a specific technical field.
  • Obtain laboratory skills.

Land and Water Conservation

Job Types

  • Biology
  • Ecology
  • Planning
  • Geographic Information Systems
  • Preserve Management
  • Law
  • Natural Resource Management
  • Soil Conservation
  • Land Acquisition

Employers

  • Federal, state, and local government
  • Indian nations
  • Utilities and timber companies
  • Consulting firms
  • Nonprofit organizations
  • Land trust organizations such as The Nature Conservancy or Trust for Public Land

Strategies

  • Get a solid background in the basic sciences while obtaining a broad-based education.
  • Obtain legal, real estate, and financial skills through coursework, internships or part-time jobs.
  • Volunteer through the Student Conservation Association (SCA) and hold an office.
  • Keep up with new funding sources.
  • Consider law school for careers as counsel to environmental organizations.

Fishery and Wildlife Management

Job Types

  • Aquaculture
  • Botany
  • Data Management
  • Biology
  • Hatchery Management
  • Marine Biology
  • Ecology
  • Education
  • Research
  • Planning

Employers

  • Federal, state, and local government
  • Marine sport fisheries
  • Utility companies
  • Developers
  • Timber companies
  • Wildlife ranges
  • Scientific foundations
  • Zoological parks
  • Hunting and fishing clubs
  • Consulting firms
  • Nonprofit organizations

Strategies

  • Get a broad scientific education.
  • Obtain skills in areas such as planning, administration, communications, and negotiation through coursework, internships, or part-time jobs.
  • Get experience and skills in computers, statistics and computer modeling.
  • Join the Peace Corps as a segue into federal government positions.
  • Get on government agencies’ job registers.

Parks and Outdoor Recreation

Job Types

  • Administration and Management
  • Law Enforcement
  • Recreation Planning
  • Natural Resource Management
  • Research
  • Site Operations and Maintenance
  • Ecotourism
  • Direct Mail Merchandising

Employers

  • National Park Service
  • Federal agencies
  • State, county or city parks
  • Resorts
  • Marinas
  • Privately owned facilities
  • Nonprofit organizations

Strategies

  • Get a broad-based education that will develop both technical and interpersonal skills.
  • Gain expertise in additional areas such as communications, writing, fund-raising, negotiation, and computer applications.
  • Obtain working knowledge of a foreign language such as Spanish.

Forestry

Job Types

  • Consulting
  • Entomology
  • Hydrology
  • Natural Resource Management
  • Planning
  • Research
  • International Forestry
  • Urban Forestry

Employers

  • Federal, state, and local government
  • Consulting firms
  • Timber companies
  • Nonprofit organizations

Strategies

  • Obtain skills with computers, statistics, and accounting through coursework, internships or part-time jobs.
  • Develop good communication and public relations skills.
  • Get a minor or double major in a technical area (soil science, wildlife or surveying) or in an arts and science area (business, economics, political science or computer science).

Environmental Law

Employers

  • Private firms
  • Corporations
  • Federal and State government agencies such as Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Justice and Attorney General Office
  • Nonprofit organizations such as Green Action and Natural Resources Defense Council

Strategies

Law degree required.

Strategies for Placement in Environmental Science

  • Environmental studies and environmental science differ from each other in the amount of science course work needed.
  • Environmental studies provides a broad base of hard sciences as well as liberal arts or social science coursework.
  • Environmental science incorporates hard sciences and environmental sciences.
  • Choice depends upon career focus, for example, administration or policy-making versus technical areas or research.
  • Combine liberal arts skills with analytical skills to increase employability. Formally, obtain a double major in these areas or minor in one of these areas. Informally, obtain these skills through internships, co-ops, volunteer work, summer jobs or independent research projects.
  • Be familiar with current environmental laws and regulations. Stay up-to-date with changing environmental legislation.
  • Join related professional associations; read related literature and journals to keep up with new developments.
  • Attend seminars, conferences and workshops sponsored by professional associations or public interest groups.
  • Network and get to know people who are working in area of interest.
  • Research agencies/organizations of interest before applying for a position.
  • Learn local, state and federal government job application procedures.
  • Obtain graduate degree for job security/advancement.

Prepared by the Career Planning staff of Career Services at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. (2005) UTK is an EEO/AA/Title VI/Title IX/Section 504/ADA /ADEA Employer

Environmental Studies Resources