Environmental Science
Program Details
Whether it's examining global climate change or researching tropical deforestation, environmental scientists take steps to help make the world a more sustainable place. As a student in the environmental science major, you’ll explore conservation topics while studying how humans interact with the natural environment.
The environmental science curriculum is interdisciplinary, so you’ll be taking courses in a variety of fields including biology, chemistry, geography, economics, physics, political science, philosophy and ethics. You'll also gain real-world experience through interning at places like the National Park Service, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Science Foundation or private companies and nonprofits focused on environmental issues.
Program Options
Students can obtain a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science in two ways from Xavier University. The first is a traditional undergraduate four-year degree at Xavier. The second is through Xavier’s Environmental Science with a concentration in Environmental Management Program, where students attend Xavier and Duke University to obtain both their Bachelor of Science and graduate degree in a 5-year period.
Degree Awarded
Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science
Curriculum
The sample course sequence below illustrates class offerings for the Environmental Science major. Consult the official Xavier University course catalog for detailed registration and advising information.
Fall
- Biology 160: General Biology I............ 3cr.
- Biology 161: General Biology I Lab............ 1cr.
- Chemistry 160: General Chemistry I............ 3cr.
- Chemistry 161: General Chemistry I Lab............ 1cr.
- Core 100: First-Year Seminar or Theology 111............ 3cr.
- English101 or 115: Composition or Rhetoric............ 3cr.
- Core 101: GOA............ 0cr.
Spring
- Biology 162: General Biology II............ 3cr.
- Biology 163: General Biology II Lab............ 1cr.
- Chemistry 162: General Chemistry II............ 3cr.
- Chemistry 163: General Chemistry II Lab............ 1cr.
- Core 100: First-Year Seminar or Theology 111............ 3cr.
- Philosophy 100: Ethics as Intro............ 3cr.
- Core 102: GOA............ 0cr.
Fall
- Biology 250: Ecology............ 3cr.
- Biology 251: Ecology Lab............ 1cr.
- Mathematics 140/150 or Mathematics 156............ 3cr.
- Historical Perspectives Elective............ 3cr.
- English 205: Lit & the Moral Imagination............ 3cr.
- Second Language I............ 3cr.
Spring
- Biology 260: Intro Environmental Science (DCR)............ 3cr.
- Biology 261: Intro Environmental Science Lab............ 1cr.
- ENVS - Non Science Elective............ 3cr.
- Economics 200: Microeconomics............ 3cr.
- Theological Perspectives Elective............ 3cr.
- Second Language II............ 3cr.
Fall
- Physics 160: College Physics............ 3cr.
- Physics 161: Introductory Physics Lab I............ 1cr.
- Math or Science Elective............ 3cr.
- Philosophy 200: Philosophical Perspectives Elective............ 3cr.
- ENVS - None Science Elective*............ 3cr.
- Math 140/150 or Math 156............ 3cr.
Spring
- Physics 162: College Physics............ 3cr.
- Physics 163: Introductory Physics Lab I............ 1cr.
- Humanities Elective............ 3cr.
- Social Science or General Elective............ 3cr.
- General Elective............ 3cr.
Fall
- Biology 495, 497 or 498: Internship/Methods BR I............ 2cr.
- Science or Math Elective............ 5cr.
- Economics 320: Natural Resource Economics E/RS............ 3cr.
- General Elective (DCR)............ 3cr.
- General Elective............ 3cr.
Spring
- Biology 495, 496 or 499: Internship/Methods BR II............ 2cr.
- Biology 398: Environmental Studies Seminar............ 3cr.
- Science or Math Elective............ 3cr.
- E/RS Course............ 3cr.
- General Elective............ 3cr.
Sample Courses
Sample courses within the environmental science major curriculum:
- Intro to Environmental Science (BIOL 260) - In this introductory course, students will examine how natural and human activities alter natural ecosystems resulting in environmental problems at both local and global scales. Students will be introduced to concepts of sustainability and solutions for current and future environmental problems that humanity will encounter.
- Cultural Studies and Sustainability (SUST 301) - Drawing on sociology, literary criticism, history and postcolonialism studies, students will examine the relation between sustainability and theories of culture as a site of resistance and negotiation where different groups compete for recognition, representation, and power. Students will consider sustainability as a cultural construction and compare different cultural processes and practices surrounding the notion of sustainability.
- Natural Resource Economics (ECON 320) - Economic analysis of managing the environment and allocating natural resources. Historical roots and ethical consequences of existing problems and policies are explored.
- Theologies of Food and Farm (THEO 389) - At a time when journalist Michael Pollan describes the United States as a culture with a “national eating disorder,” what wisdom can we gain from theological sources to shape a renewed ethics and spirituality of food and farming? This course probes this question with special attention to Christian, Jewish and native American traditions.
- Urban Ecologies and Economies (HIST 436) - This course is an historical investigation of the intersections, collisions and synergies between urban ecologies and urban economies. With an eye on the future of the city as a form of settlement and a means of production, the course focuses mainly but not exclusively on American cities, including Cincinnati.
Career Outcomes
99% of Xavier students, including those in the environmental science major, are working, volunteering or in graduate school within six months of graduating (Class of 2022). Explore Xavier's Career Outcomes Dashboard to view career outcomes by major.
Top jobs (among all sustainability majors): Sustainability Analyst, Agricultural Researcher, Urban Forestry Survey Technician, Education Specialist, Laboratory Technician
Student job placements (among all sustainability majors): Connected Cities Integrators, Inc., Great Parks of Hamilton County, Davey Resource Group, Cornell AgriTech, U.S. Army, Monroe County Environmental Health Department, Urban Servant Corps, Crossroad Health Center, Indianapolis Zoo, Visionworks of America, Boy Scouts of America
More: Xavier's Career Development Office assists students in their search for employment by offering individual career counseling sessions, conducting workshops and maintaining an employer database. More than 100 nationally known companies visit the campus annually to interview graduating seniors for open positions.
Student Clubs
- Xavier Student Sustainability Club- Xavier Student Sustainability (XSS) provides students with opportunities to actively promote environmental initiatives on Xavier's campus and in the surrounding communities. Ongoing projects include move-in day recycling, office composting and educational events.
- Biology Club- The Biology Club is not exclusive to just biology majors or other related majors, but welcomes anyone and everyone who are interested biology. Past events have included hiking trips, Break Out Games, scavenger hunts and trips to the zoo and aquarium.
- Bird Watching Club- Students in this club observe birds surrounding the greater Cincinnati area. Members learn to identify birds by sight and sound, all while experiencing various terrestrial biomes around Xavier.
- Minorities in STEM Succeeding Together- Become part of a supportive community dedicated to empowering minority STEM majors. Discover a space where you can thrive, connect with peers and build confidence in your identity while pursuing excellence in STEM.
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Xavier University, located in Cincinnati, Ohio, is nationally recognized as a top university by U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review. 99 percent of our students are working, volunteering or in graduate school within six months of graduation (Class of 2022).
Gain Expertise in a Program Focused on Real-World Learning
As a student in the environmental science major, you'll have opportunities to research, design and implement sustainability projects for businesses and organizations. Past student projects have included developing composting plans, calculating carbon sink capacity of a park, organizing clinical or pharmaceutical data and building science learning tools.
Kickstart Your Sustainability Career in Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio has a strong community of environmental activists, organizations and initiatives dedicated to sustainability and conservation. You'll have opportunities to engage with these groups through volunteer work, internships or research projects, gaining valuable real-world experience.
Experience a Transformative Education
Jesuit education is deeply rooted in the promotion of social justice and solidarity with marginalized communities. At Xavier, you'll explore environmental issues through the lens of social justice, with a focus on addressing environmental injustices and advocating for equitable and sustainable solutions.
Graduate With Honors
Are you looking for an academic challenge? The University Scholars Honors Program offers incoming students a more challenging curriculum and close support from professors while completing their undergraduate degree. Acceptance into the program is highly selective and includes a $2000 travel grant.
Environmental Science Major at Xavier University
Whether the issue is global climate change, tropical deforestation, or invasive plant species, public concern over environmental issues is on the rise. With this understanding comes the need for informed and educated individuals to play key leadership roles to find solutions to these and many other environmental problems. Xavier University recognizes its responsibility in training the next generation of environmental professionals and is proud to offer an interdisciplinary environmental science major.
Xavier University’s College of Arts and Sciences challenges students to develop an integrated understanding of humanity, the world, and God by pursuing the questions raised in Xavier's core and departmental curricula. The College of Arts and Sciences is the oldest and largest college at Xavier University. The college provides an excellent liberal arts education in the Jesuit tradition that prepares students for careers, professional or graduate school, and life in a global society.
Xavier University is a private university located in Cincinnati, Ohio, providing a liberal arts education in the Jesuit Catholic tradition. Founded in 1831, the University is the sixth-oldest Catholic university in the nation. It has been ranked among the top 10 master's-level universities in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report for the past two decades. The Princeton Review names it one of the "Best 385 Colleges in America."