Dickinson's environmental studies & environmental science department is one of the oldest and best established in the country. The department is remarkable for its wealth of expertise, infectious energy and collaborative approaches. Our faculty, and associated faculty, are respected and well-known in their fields and provide rigorous and 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. Our program provides students with unique opportunities for students to apply their education through research, community engagement and other activities.
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. We believe that getting out of the classroom and engaging with people and places around the world is the best way to learn. Indeed, 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.
Students may choose to pursue either a B.S. in environmental science or a B.A. in environmental studies. In addition to fulfilling a set of core requirements, all students select advanced courses that best fit their scholarly interests and professional goals. Our students have access to state-of-the-art equipment and facilities, including a geographic information systems (GIS) laboratory, the Alliance for Aquatic Resource Monitoring (ALLARM), the Center for Sustainable Living (Treehouse), the Dickinson College Farm and the Center for Sustainability Education. Students also have unique opportunities to study environmental studies and science through one of Dickinson’s global study programs, mosaics or internships.
