Frequently Asked Questions

What can I do with an Environmental Studies degree?

Building on their interdisciplinary coursework and Capstone Experience fieldwork and research, recent Environmental Studies graduates are pursuing careers within environmental consulting firms, non-profit community organizations, governmental agencies, and businesses. Other Environmental Studies alumni are completing graduate studies in fields such as forest resources, public affairs, and landscape architecture. Environmental Studies alumni work for organizations, businesses, and agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Nature Conservancy, Parametrix, and Seattle Public Utilities. Environmental Studies graduates carry into their careers and graduate studies broad-based, interdisciplinary training and a strong foundation in critical thinking skills - great preparation for future environmental practitioners, problem solvers, and leaders. To learn more about how our alumni are putting their degrees to work, see the alumni profiles page.

How do I declare Environmental Studies as my major?

Any student in good academic standing (2.0 GPA or higher) can declare this major at any time. You need to schedule an appointment with a PoE Adviser to complete a Change of Major Form. If you are already a major in another department, obtain your file and the form at your current advising office. If you are a premajor, your file is at Undergraduate Advising, 171 Mary Gates Hall. Bring the file and the form to a PoE Adviser who keeps your file and sends the form on to the Registrar's Office, where your major code is changed.

When should I declare the Major in Environmental Studies?

You should declare the major as soon as you decide you would like to pursuit it. All UW students are expected to declare a major by the time they have accumulated 105 credits, which is about one quarter into your junior year.

If I am unsure if this is the right major for me, what courses could I take to get a feel for what the program is like?

The best introduction to the major in Environmental Studies is ENVIR 100 Environmental Studies: Interdisciplinary Foundations.

Can the Environmental Studies required courses I take also count towards meeting general university requirements such as Natural World and Visual, Literary, & Performing Arts credits?

Some required courses also count towards the Arts & Sciences general education and basic skills requirements. Look for notations such as "NW" for Natural World and "W" for Writing in the course catalogue for Matrix courses to determine whether or not they will also count towards general education requirements. Note: You may count 15 credits from your major department toward the Areas of Knowledge requirement for the College of Arts & Sciences. Once you have taken a course, your Degree Audit Report will indicate which requirements the course satisfies. To view your Degree Audit Report, use the MyUW Personal Service "Degree Progress ­ DARS."

Is the senior capstone the same as a senior thesis?

The Environmental Studies Capstone Experience is similar to a senior thesis in that it requires a sustained commitment to an independent project and represents the culmination a student's work within the B.A. in Environmental Studies. It differs from a senior thesis in that it involves some sort of hands-on or experiential work such as an internship with a community-based agency, fieldwork, or undergraduate research. The Capstone Experience also includes two required "bookend" seminars, ENVIR 490 and ENVIR 492, that prepare students for the experience and that help the students reflect on the experience. In between the pre- and post-capstone seminars, Environmental Studies majors are required to take at least 5 credits of ENVIR 491. For more information about the Capstone Experience visit the Capstone web page.

Page last updated May 7, 2007