Dickinson's environmental studies & environmental science department is one of the oldest and best established in the country. Our faculty are well-known in their fields and provide rigorous, hands-on coursework in environmental policy, aquatic ecology, agroecology, forest ecology, environmental health, food studies, sustainable communities, international environmental politics, environmental philosophy, ethics and literature, wildlife conservation, natural resource management and environmental justice.

Newsweek included Dickinson on its list of Seven of the Greenest College Campuses in the U.S. (2023)

Students may choose to pursue either a B.S. in environmental science or a B.A. in environmental studies. The department works closely with students to support their scholarly interests and endeavors, whether that’s collaborating with local communities to protect their air and water, working to make the places we live be more sustainable or conducting climate change research on the ice sheets of Greenland or mountains of Nepal.

The Princeton Review ranked Dickinson No. 2 on its list of Top Green Colleges and has named it a "great school for environmental studies majors" (2023).

We believe that getting out of the classroom and engaging with people and places around the world is the best way to learn. We take seriously the importance of interdisciplinary approaches and critical thinking and understand that solving today’s environmental and social challenges requires not only know-how but innovation and creativity.

GreenMatters included Dickinson on its list for best colleges for environmental science and studies (2023).

Contact Info

Chair

Heather BediAssociate Professor of Environmental Studies

Department coordinator

Kerri Thauby

Phone

717-245-1355

Fax

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Location

Kaufman 103 Mailing Address

Department Features


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Study Abroad
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Current Courses
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Student-Faculty Research

Student Outcomes

Where Our Students Go From Here

Jobs

  • United States National Park Service
  • Pacific Whale Foundation
  • United States Environmental Protection Agency
  • Chesapeake Bay Program
  • Student Conservation Association
  • Smithsonian Institution
  • Stroud Water Research Center
  • San Juan Citizens Alliance
  • San Francisco Beautiful
  • Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
  • Environmental Data Resources, Inc.
  • Repair the World
  • Resource Management Concepts, Inc.
  • Strategic Energy Innovations

Graduate Schools

  • Yale University, School of Forestry and Environmental Studies
  • Duke University, Nicholas School of the Environment
  • University of Maine, School of Policy and International Affairs
  • Emory University, Department of Chemistry
  • University of Pennsylvania, Department of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning
  • University of Oregon, School of Journalism
  • Boston University, School of Public Health
  • University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Gillings School of Global Public Health
  • University of British Columbia, School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture
  • Rutgers University, Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
  • Lewis and Clark Law School
  • University of Vermont, Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources
  • University of Georgia, Skidway Institute of Oceanography
Where Our Students Have Interned
  • Earth Day Network
  • United States Environmental Protection Agency
  • Environmental Resources Management
  • Maine Audubon Society
  • Sierra Club
  • U.S. Green Building Council
  • Friday Harbor Labs, University of Washington
  • Hawaiian Hawksbill Turtle Recovery Project
  • Massachusetts Audubon Society
  • National Aquarium
  • United States National Park Service 
  • New York State Energy Research and Development Authority

Student Perspective

"One of my favorite things about Dickinson is the small classes where professors can dedicate personal attention to each student. Even in classes outside of my major and minor, I’ve met so many amazing professors who are really passionate about what they teach and go above and beyond to help their students."

— Lauren Orefice ’24


Word on the Street: Students Conduct Sustainability Research in Germany

Word on the Street: Students Conduct Sustainability Research in Germany

'It’s a lot of work, but it’s really fun.' Students conduct fieldwork in Germany as part of an innovative program on global sustainability and the transition to green energy.

German and Environmental Studies Students Visit Germany on Mosaic Trip

German and Environmental Studies Students Visit Germany on Mosaic Trip

Over spring break, students in the German and Environmental Studies departments visited Dresden, Bremen, and Berlin in Germany to learn about the nation’s energy infrastructure, German culture and history.


Department News

All News Department News
Stafford Fellowship in Bioinformatics Gives Science Students a Leg Up

Stafford Fellowship in Bioinformatics Gives Science Students a Leg Up

The new fellowship supports research and internships both on campus and off, across the academic year and through the summer.

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Arctic & Alpine Climate Change Program Heats Up

Arctic & Alpine Climate Change Program Heats Up

Through Dickinson's Arctic & Alpine Climate Change program, students conduct hands-on research in ecologically crucial regions and contribute to our knowledge about the Earth's future.

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Student Snapshot: Michelle Cao ’25  

Student Snapshot: Michelle Cao ’25  

”I get to see and experience the connections between sustainability, social justice and big data and envision how I can make my mark," says Michelle Cao '25 of her Dickinson experience.

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'Every Decision, Every Step, Has Dominoes Behind It'

Rose Walters Prize winner Tara Houska discusses how communities like Dickinson can make a profound difference in the fight to protect the Earth, its people and our natural resources.

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Dickinson College Takes Top Spot in Comprehensive Sustainability Report

Dickinson College Takes Top Spot in Comprehensive Sustainability Report

For the second consecutive year, Dickinson has earned the top position among baccalaureate institutions in the prestigious Sustainable Campus Index.

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Word on the Street: Students Conduct Sustainability Research in Germany

Word on the Street: Students Conduct Sustainability Research in Germany

“It’s a lot of work, but it’s really fun.” Students conduct fieldwork in Germany as part of an innovative program on global sustainability and the transition to green energy.

read more