Major Requirements & Information
The department of Environmental Studies (ENVS) hosts the following undergraduate majors and concentrations:
- Environmental Studies B.A. with no concentration
- Environmental Studies B.A. with concentration in Conservation Science and Policy
- Environmental Studies B.A. with concentration in Global Environmental Justice
- Environmental Studies B.A. with concentration in Geographic Information Systems
- Environmental Studies B.A. with concentration in Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems (this concentration has been discontinued)
- Agroecology B.A.
- Environmental Studies/ Biology combined B.A.
- Environmental Studies/ Economics combined B.A.
- Environmental Studies/ Earth Science combined B.A.
Is it important whether you have a BA or a BS degree?
Most undergraduate degrees are either a Bachelor’s of Arts (BA) or a Bachelor’s of Science (BS). Typically, B.A. degrees focus more on humanities, arts, social sciences, and critical thinking, whereas B.S. degrees focus more on math, science, and technical skills. But that’s not always the case - some faculty in Environmental Studies have BA degrees in Physics and Biology because their undergraduate institutions only award BAs. Most employers and graduate schools pay little attention to the actual title on the degree. What they do care about is:
- What courses you took and how you did in them? Take courses that provide you with training in the environmental field that most interest you and excel in them.
- Your hands on experience – Do internships and seek out research experiences throughout your major. Consider a senior thesis if you are interested in going to graduate school
- Strong references who can speak to your work ethic, interpersonal, and problem solving skills – Get to know faculty and build your professional network beyond the university
For more on this topic see:
https://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/about-us/news-and-features/ba-vs-bs-degree-whats-the-difference
Which GEs will get satisfied by our majors?
It depends on which classes you take! Please refer to this chart to see which of your GE requirements may be satisfied by taking major courses for any of our majors. If you need help understanding the chart, please speak to ENVS advising.
