Field Methods for Plant Ecology, 2008
or law; not as great for students interested in research and other applied technical opportunities. “In the past many of our best Environmental Studies students have gone on to grad school and they were at a competitive disadvantage for many research-based masters or Ph.D. programs without a deeper background in physical sciences,” says Walt Anderson, faculty member in ES. “Students coming out of Prescott College with a true B.S. are more likely to get the fellowships and other offers that can allow them to really excel in grad school or in research-related fields.” And it’s not just any B.S. Faculty member Lisa Floyd-Hanna notes that while the inclusion of “hard sciences” will prepare students for graduate study in the field and for employment with both public agencies and private businesses working toward a more sustainable future, what really makes the Prescott College degree special is how the curriculum is “framed in a rich study of ecological context—natural history, ecological theory, research methods, and ethics.” With a strong foundation in the natural sciences and a broad understanding of the policy implications of environmental science, students in the Bachelor of Science program will be getting the best of the B.A. with the added professional advantages of applied research and a deeper understanding of physical sciences. “It’s nice to see students showing a greater interest in science education,” says Steve Munsell, faculty member in Adventure Education. “The world needs a generation of scientifically literate adults to evaluate our problems and create solutions for issues facing the future of humanity.”
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Employment Opportunities in ES Choosing between a B.A. and a B.S. in Environmental Studies has as much to do with as student’s plans for after graduation as it does with their personal interest in a given field. Below are some example career fields or graduate study one might pursue based on the ES degree chosen:
B.A. Degree • • • • • • • • • • • •
Urban/Regional Planning Green Business Environmental Law Non-government Organizing Energy Consultant Environmental Justice Environmental Media, Communication Specialist Sustainability Management Environmental Economist Parks/Recreation Management Waste Management Environmental Historian
Both • • • • • • • • • •
Environmental Education Environmental Policy Sustainable Agriculture Environmental Consulting Environmental Health and Safety Management Local/State/National Government Computing and Information Technologies Environmental Activism Landscape Designer/Architect Interpretive Naturalist
B.S. Degree • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Transitions Fall 2012
Pollution Monitoring, Control and Prevention Waste Management Specialist Environmental Toxicology/Health Field Scientist/Technician Conservation/Restoration Biology Renewable Energy Designer/Professional Natural Resource Management Environmental Engineering Soil Scientist Wildlife Biologist/Management Environmental Risk Assessment Conservation Biology Earth Sciences Marine Conservation Agroecology Pollution Monitoring, Control and Prevention Waste Management Specialist Environmental Toxicology/Health Field Scientist/Technician Renewable Energy Designer/Professional Natural Resource Management Soil Scientist Wildlife Biologist/Management Environmental Risk Assessment