Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

St Olaf College

Program Overview

St. Olaf College’s Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies offers an interdisciplinary education that helps students understand environmental challenges through the natural sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities. It is well suited to students who want to explore sustainability, conservation, environmental policy, and the relationship between people and the natural world while developing the research, critical-thinking, and communication skills needed to address environmental issues.

Curriculum Structure: What Students Learn Each Year

The major consists of 12 courses, including three core Environmental Studies courses and nine courses across areas of emphasis. The year-by-year outline below is an illustrative pathway; students should plan their actual course sequence with an academic adviser because electives and study-abroad options can affect scheduling.

Year 1: Introduction to Environmental Studies

Students begin with ENVST 137: Introduction to Environmental Studies, which introduces environmental issues from scientific perspectives while considering their political, economic, and ethical dimensions. They can then explore courses in the natural sciences, social sciences, and arts and humanities to discover which perspectives best match their interests.

Year 2: Interdisciplinary Learning and Environmental Applications

Students continue building their chosen area of emphasis and take courses that examine environmental issues from different viewpoints. Options may include ECON 242: Environmental Economics, ENVST 232: Environmental Policy and Regulation, or ENVST 233: Environmental Justice, depending on the student’s interests and course availability.

Year 3: Applied Study and Specialization

Students deepen their knowledge in their selected emphasis—natural sciences, social sciences, or arts and humanities—while taking courses from the other areas to maintain an interdisciplinary perspective. ENVST 237: Integration and Application in Environmental Studies is a key part of this stage, connecting academic learning with practical environmental issues and community-related projects.

Year 4: Capstone and Future Preparation

Students complete ENVST 399: Seminar in Environmental Studies, the senior capstone course, which encourages them to reflect on their learning and develop a proposal for future work. Their other advanced courses can strengthen their preparation for employment, environmental research, public service, or postgraduate study.

Focus Areas

Students choose one of three areas of emphasis:

Natural Sciences: Explore environmental systems, ecological processes, conservation, and scientific approaches to environmental problems.
Social Sciences: Examine the economic, political, and policy dimensions of environmental challenges.
Arts and Humanities: Investigate environmental questions through history, literature, ethics, philosophy, and cultural perspectives.

The program also encourages students to explore connections across these areas, helping them understand environmental problems as complex issues that require more than one disciplinary approach.

Learning Outcomes

Students develop the ability to examine environmental issues from multiple disciplinary perspectives, connect environmental knowledge with practical problems, and communicate their ideas effectively. The curriculum also encourages independent inquiry, thoughtful reflection, and the application of academic learning to personal, civic, and professional contexts.

Professional Alignment and Accreditation

The degree offers interdisciplinary preparation relevant to environmental policy, conservation, sustainability, environmental communication, and related fields. The official program information reviewed does not identify a separate professional accreditation specific to the Environmental Studies BA, so students should not assume that the degree provides a professional license or specialized accredited status.

Reputation and Employability

St. Olaf emphasizes experiential learning, undergraduate research, and opportunities to study environmental issues in the field. The college reports that 91% of its graduates participate in an internship, research project, field experience, community service project, or similar experiential learning opportunity; this is a college-wide statistic, not an Environmental Studies-specific figure.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

At St. Olaf College, experiential learning is a central part of the Environmental Studies major, helping students connect classroom knowledge with real environmental issues. Students gain practical experience through community-based projects, faculty-led research, internships, and off-campus study opportunities, with the chance to explore environmental challenges in different cultural, ecological, and geographic settings.

Students can develop practical skills through opportunities such as:

Community-based projects: In ENVST 237: Integration and Application in Environmental Studies, students undertake individual and team projects connected to community needs, learning to approach environmental problems from multiple disciplinary perspectives.
Undergraduate research: The Collaborative Undergraduate Research and Inquiry (CURI) program gives students opportunities to work closely with St. Olaf faculty on research projects and develop their investigation, analysis, and communication skills.
Internships and professional experience: The Piper Center for Vocation and Career helps students explore internships and research opportunities related to Environmental Studies and sustainability. Students can use the college’s internship database to investigate organizations and opportunities pursued by previous students.
Off-campus study: Students can explore environmental topics through approved study-abroad and study-away programs. Opportunities may include environmental study in Japan, tropical ecology and sustainable land use in Costa Rica, and environmental science in Australia and New Zealand, subject to current program availability.
Field-based learning: Options such as BIO 371: Field Ecology and other approved field programs allow students to explore ecological systems beyond the traditional classroom.
Independent research and study: Students can propose an independent study, research project, or environmental internship to meet the major’s experiential requirements, subject to departmental approval and reflection requirements.
Campus natural areas: St. Olaf’s Natural Lands offer opportunities for environmental observation, independent research, and learning about local ecosystems.
Career preparation and networking: The Piper Center supports internship searches, career exploration, and professional networking, helping students connect their academic interests with future opportunities.

Progression & Future Opportunities

St. Olaf College’s Environmental Studies major prepares students to approach environmental challenges through scientific, economic, political, cultural, and ethical perspectives. Graduates can pursue employment in environmental organizations and related fields or continue into graduate study in areas such as environmental science, environmental policy, sustainability, and other environmentally related disciplines.

Potential Career Paths

Graduates may consider career paths such as:

Environmental Policy Analyst: Research environmental policies and regulations and help assess how decisions affect communities and ecosystems.
Environmental Consultant: Support environmental assessments, sustainability initiatives, and environmental compliance projects.
Conservation Program Coordinator: Assist with conservation initiatives, habitat protection, environmental education, or community-based sustainability projects.
Environmental Communications Specialist: Translate environmental research and policy issues into accessible information for the public, organizations, or decision-makers.

These are potential career directions rather than guaranteed job placements. Some technical or specialized roles may require additional scientific coursework, professional experience, or postgraduate qualifications.

Career Development and Professional Opportunities

Students can draw on St. Olaf’s career resources and practical learning opportunities to prepare for life after graduation:

Career services: The Piper Center for Vocation and Career helps students explore careers, locate internships, develop professional skills, and connect academic interests with employment opportunities.
Internship and research database: The college provides an internship database containing information on more than 1,300 internships completed by St. Olaf students since 2008, helping students investigate possible employers and career paths.
Employment outcomes: St. Olaf reports that 84% of its graduates find satisfying jobs, while 78% report using skills developed at the college. These are college-wide figures, not outcomes exclusively for Environmental Studies graduates.
Graduate-school preparation: Faculty-led research, independent projects, interdisciplinary coursework, and the senior seminar can help students prepare for postgraduate applications and research-focused opportunities.
Alumni networking: St. Olaf’s alumni network and career programming offer opportunities to seek career insights, mentorship, and professional connections.
Environmental career guidance: The Environmental Studies department and Piper Center provide career guidance and resources focused on environmental work, sustainability, internships, and related graduate programs.
Industry partnerships and accreditation: Internships and research experiences can help students build professional connections. However, the official program information reviewed does not establish a guaranteed industry placement or a program-specific professional accreditation.
Salary information: The official program sources reviewed do not provide a specific median salary or employment rate for Environmental Studies BA graduates. Prospective students should compare current salary information for their intended role and location.

Further Academic Progression:

After completing the BA, graduates may consider postgraduate programs in:

Environmental Studies or Environmental Science
Environmental Policy and Management
Sustainability and Sustainable Development
Ecology or Conservation Biology
Environmental Economics
Natural Resource Management
Environmental Communication
Public Policy, with an environmental policy focus

Students interested in scientific environmental careers should review the prerequisites for each postgraduate program carefully. St. Olaf specifically encourages students considering environmental science careers to consider an additional major in biology or chemistry, as this can provide a stronger scientific foundation for further study.