Students at museum

Environmental Science

Combined Major

About Our Program

Safeguard the Earth and its inhabitants by pursuing your interests in natural science with that of human impacts and solutions through our environmental science program. During your time at St. Lawrence, you’ll collaborate with students and professors who are just as eager as you are to tackle the planet’s most pressing problems, as well as environmental issues affecting our campus and the local communities.

Our interdisciplinary major combines environmental studies with geology, chemistry, physics, biology or math and will prepare you for successful careers in fields like environmental policy, environmental health, environmental justice, public health, conservation, and sustainability.

Learning Experiences to Prepare for Your Career

Environmental science is a cutting-edge field where you will use science and other data-driven techniques to diagnose and solve local and global problems in environmental and public health. Our hands-on learning opportunities and field experiences will prepare you to be a future leader in any environmental field.

Center for the Environment 

We've combined our environmentally focused programs and bold new initiatives to create a brand new Center for the Environment–your hub for all things climate change, energy, conservation, sustainability, environmental justice, outdoor leadership, and more.

Explore Center for the Environment 

Research

Dig deeper into environmental topics or pressing issues through research, either during the semester or as part of a paid summer fellowship, and present your findings during Festival Day in the spring. 

Living Lab

So many of St. Lawrence’s environmental classes make good use of our 110-acre Living Lab, whether it’s observing amphibians in our wetlands to shearing sheep for an eco-fiber course.     

Explore Research Opportunities

Nature Up North

This community-based organization housed at St. Lawrence connects people to the North Country environment through citizen scientist projects and outdoor adventures -- and it offers internship and volunteer opportunities for environmentally-focused students like you.

Learn More About Nature Up North 

Related Natural Science Courses

Your coursework will take your curiosity to the next level. Recent classes offered include: 

  • Energy
  • Environmental Geology
  • Global Climate
  • Quantitative Analysis
  • Geomorphology
  • General Ecology
  • Ethnobotany
  • Environmental Chemistry & Toxicology
  • Environmental Psychology
  • Hydrology/Hydrogeology
  • Tropical Ecology

Why St. Lawrence for Environmental Science

97%

of St. Lawrence students who study environmental studies are employed or continuing their education within a year

Class outside

Student-to-tree Ratio

Our 1,000-acre campus is an outdoor experience in itself

#2

oldest collegiate outdoor club in the nation

Recent Job Placements:

  • Icicle Creek Engineers
  • Six Rivers National Forest
  • Biomarine Research Corporation
  • U.S. Geological Survey
  • Invenergy
  • Path Forward Partners

Jessica Normandeau, wearing bright red rubber waders, holds two large silver salmon while standing on a boat deck.

Alumni at Work: The Great Outdoors

Laurentians' passion for the outdoors is no accident. These examples show how the business of the outdoors comes with great responsibility that creates impactful careers.

Read About Adventurous Alums

A professor and student stand in a tall green grass field and examine a specimen they have just captured using a large butterfly net.

Center for the Environment

Our brand-new Center for the Environment is a hub of environmental leadership, scholarship, and action. 

Learn More About CFE

20

miles from the Adirondack Park and St. Lawrence River

1,000+

bricks students laid for the foundation of a new energy-efficient greenhouse

Recent Graduate School Placements

  • Duke University
  • University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
  • Carnegie Mellon University
  • University of Washington
  • Boston University
  • Alaska Pacific University

Students working in the field

Living Lab

Our 110-acre living lab includes fields, forests, wetlands, and a garden.

A student, sitting on a yellow and blue striped hammock set between two large trees, works on a laptop during a sunny day on campus. Several students sit in the grass on the quad in the background.

Official Tree Campus

A student-faculty research project found that St. Lawrence's campus tree population is growing—with special emphasis on planting trees that are native to the North Country. The Arbor Foundation recognized our commitment to maintaining and growing green spaces by naming us a Tree Campus. 

More Program Information

Program Requirements & Courses

Explore environmental science combined major requirements, as well as electives and combined study options.

Complementary and Related Programs

We offer five combined programs which encourage you to pair your passion for the environment with an area in the sciences.

Popular Double Majors with This Program
Other Programs You May Be Interested In

Adirondack Semester

This 20+-year program empowers students to better understand critical environmental issues, live in a materially simple, close-knit community and in close connection to wild nature, and reflect critically and creatively on the experience and the many questions it raises.

Get Off the Grid
Student working near a stream

Into the Environment

Local family farms. The North Country’s wilderness. Urban centers. Majoring in environmental science at St. Lawrence means constantly venturing out of the classroom.

Sustainability Program

Explore and discuss global sustainability problems, tackle issues facing St. Lawrence and the North Country, and spend a year preparing to make a difference.

Explore Our Program
A student and professor stand in a lush green field. The student is holding a large net while the professor examines the specimen they discovered.

Center for the Environment 

We've combined our environmentally focused programs and bold new initiatives to create a brand new Center for the Environment–your hub for all things climate change, energy, conservation, sustainability, environmental justice, outdoor leadership, and more.

Explore Center for the Environment 

Get More Information

We’re excited to learn more about you, tell you more about our interdisciplinary academic programs, show you around our beautiful campus, and help you navigate your college search.

Apply to St. Lawrence

We’re looking for curious students who are eager to make a difference. We take a holistic approach to reviewing applications and consider all aspects of your application and what we learn about you.