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Associate of Science

VCU’s undergraduate Environmental Studies program is interdisciplinary in nature and combines traditional lecture and hands-on experiential approaches to expose students to the key concepts in and critical links between environmental life sciences, earth sciences, technology. The program offers considerable flexibility and students are able to individually tailor their course of study by completing multiple electives focused on topics of interest. Areas of emphasis could include, for example, environmental technology, environmental policy, geospatial and quantitative analysis, outdoor leadership, and river studies. Students are strongly encouraged to gain internship experience, actively participate in undergraduate research, and participate in our domestic and/or international field courses as undergraduates in our program.

Upon completion of this program, you will have mastered and be able to demonstrate the following:

• Comprehension of the foundational scientific concepts that underpin understanding of the environment.
• Comprehension of basic environmental policies that govern society's interactions with the environment.
• Comprehension of quantitative and technological skills required in environmental research, policy development and education.
• The ability to communicate about environmental issues in a variety of contexts.

Environmental professionals perform their duties within a regulatory, economic, and societal context and must be able to communicate the importance of their environmental activities to the larger public. Upon completion of the undergraduate Environmental Studies program, you should should have developed the quantitative, technological, and practical skills needed to excel in a variety of entry-level field and research positions in government service, environmental management, and private industry. Because the environmental field is so broad, the career path that you pursue will depend heavily upon your individual skills, interests, and experiences.