The Department of Environmental Sciences conducts research and offers instruction in the areas of Ecology, Geosciences, Hydrology, and Atmospheric Sciences. This unique integration of several sciences fosters cooperation and the exchange of information and ideas on the scientific problems and issues of the environment. The research efforts of both faculty and students, whether disciplinary or interdisciplinary, deal with problems of fundamental scientific interest.

Goals: Study within the department can be structured to meet any of the following objectives:

• preparation for further graduate study within the sciences
• development of a rigorous science background from which to pursue graduate-level training in a professional program such as law, planning, medicine, business, or environmental engineering
• a thorough grounding in a basic discipline as the principal component of a liberal arts education.
• solid preparation for employment in entry-level positions in private industry (as with environmental consulting firms) or regulatory agencies.

Related Sciences: Each of the four areas studied within the Department requires the acquisition of knowledge from other fields. Ecology depends upon a basic understanding of chemistry and biology. Hydrology, geosciences, and atmospheric science depend more on physics and chemistry. All of these areas depend on calculus and the techniques of statistics and computer programming.