The Environmental Science and Policy Program at Union provides students with a rigorous, hands-on interdisciplinary experience leading toward a holistic understanding of the major environmental issues of our time, and the capacity to address the many related political, social, and scientific challenges, and the engineering and technological solutions required to meet them. The program strives to educate leaders who will sustain, restore, and protect our natural resources and the environment.. The Program gives students an excellent foundation from which to enter such diverse fields as environmental science or environmental management in the public and private sectors, education, business, politics, and law.

One of the unique aspects of our program is that the curriculum is designed around the intersection of Engineering with the Sciences and Social Sciences. This means that some of the courses taken by Environmental Science students are taught by engineers, so these students learn about Engineering Solutions. This is unique in a Liberal Arts setting.

The faculty in the program are dedicated to teaching, learning, and exploring issues related to the environment. Faculty are in different academic departments, but they share the common goal of providing students with an excellent classroom, field, or lab experience. There are currently two majors in the program: Environmental Policy (BA degree) and Environmental Science (BS degree). Both majors begin with a series of foundation courses in science, social science, mathematics, and technology. Once this series of core courses is completed, students select a specialty concentration that will enable them to understand in depth one particular aspect of environmental science or policy.

The Environmental Science major provides a research-rich experience for motivated undergraduates that promotes exploration of the science behind the major environmental issues of our time and some of the engineering and technological solutions to these issues.  Students will master fundamental concepts in Biology, Chemistry, and Geology and integrate upper level courses in these areas into a coherent, in-depth examination in one of five major topical areas of environmental science: Ecology, Water, Climate Change, Energy, and Engineering technology.  Students will explore the societal impact of and response to environmental crises, and/or the role of the environment in the arts, literature, and the human condition.  Graduates will be prepared for employment in the fields of environmental consulting, and state and federal environmental agencies, and for graduate study in environmental science, law, and education.

The Environmental Policy major provides a multifaceted experience for motivated undergraduates that prepares them to understand the historical context and societal impact of many of the major environmental problems facing our world today.  Students will master fundamental concepts and methods in the social sciences and will integrate these skills with a significant exposure to the basic science behind many environmental issues.  The Environmental Policy major offers four different areas of concentration tied to some of our most pressing environmental issues: Environmental Law and Management, Environmental Problems and Response, Marine Studies, and Energy and Sustainability. Graduates will be prepared for employment in the fields of environmental consulting, and state and federal environmental agencies, and for graduate study in environmental science, law, and education.

One of the other distinctive aspects of the program is a wonderful mix of FIELD PROGRAMS, many of which have themes in Science, Policy, or Engineering.. These programs include some amazing things like examining the science and engineering behind the Alaskan Pipeline, analyzing hurricane frequency through sediment layers in lakes of the Bahamas, investigating the economics behind power generation and energy consumption in New Zealand, understanding geothermal power in Iceland, evaluating Atlantic fisheries, or studying biodiversity on the Great Barrier Reef or the rainforests of Panama.

The Senior Capstone is one the exciting aspects of the program. The goal of this Senior project is to explore the integration of policy, science, and engineering in a real-world environmental issue. These topics are discussed, debated, researched, and documented in a lively, sometimes heated, atmosphere.

Finally, the culmination of both the BS degree in Environmental Science and the BA degree in Environmental Policy is the Senior thesis where students work on original research with a faculty member or a research team. Some recent thesis titles give you an idea of the breadth of issues that we tackle. But a better representation of all ES work done at Union is highlighted in the ANNUAL STEINMETZ presentations, which include ESP studies and those from allied disciplines.