In our environmental science and policy (ES&P) major, undergraduate students experience a unique blend of science and policy that provides a strong foundation for pursuing a multitude of careers related to environmental issues.

Environmental problems must be solved using a combination of science and policy. Laws, history, policy and ethics are equally as important as understanding the chemistry and biology involved in these problems. A sustainable future is still taking shape, but with emerging technologies and the improvement of cleaner fuel sources, people have forged sustainable practices.

In the environmental science and policy undergraduate bachelor's degree program, you will gain insight into most aspects of the human world, from science to technology, and the environment with hands-on learning that includes assisting the faculty with research projects and your independent projects. Coursework is challenging but flexible and allows you freedom in emphasizing an environmental area of interest. The curriculum, offered through our Institute for a Sustainable Environment, is also well-suited as a preparatory degree if you are interested in pursuing a degree in the health sciences, including medicine, dentistry or veterinary science.

You'll ask questions like "How do we make trade-offs between the demands of society and the needs of nature?" then work toward finding solutions. The environmental science and policy major is interdepartmental, with coursework ranging from biology and chemistry to physics, mathematics, statistics and engineering, and provides an expansive education.

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Environmental Science and Policy Careers

As an Environmental Science & Policy major, you have the opportunity to pursue many careers upon graduation. Some of these careers include:

  • Environmental science consulting
  • Careers with county, state or federal organizations

Clarkson Environmental Science & Policy majors have been recruited by companies such as: Arcadis, General Electric, Onondaga County Water Authority, Siemens, and EA Engineering, Science and Technology. Many Environmental Science & Policy students have pursued graduate degrees at Clarkson's own Environmental Science and Engineering M.S. and Ph.D. programs, Clarkson's MBA program (one-year or online), or other institutions such as SUNY ESF, SUNY Brockport and Harvard University.

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Environmental Science and Policy Curriculum & Academic Options

Major

Environmental Science & Policy majors take 60 credits specifically within ES&P. These credits, in conjunction with the Clarkson Common Experience, provide a well-rounded education focusing on the areas of study you find most interesting. ES&P majors take courses such as:

  • Environmental Science & Policy of American Rivers
  • Sustainability & the Environment
  • Adirondack Ecology and Environmental science
  • Social and Political Issues in the Adirondacks
  • Great Lakes Water Protection
  • Where the Wild Things Are: Environmental Philosophy and the Emergence Ecosphere
Environmental Science and Policy Major Curriculum

ES&P majors take 60 credits specifically within ES&P. These credits, in conjunction with the Clarkson Common Experience, provide a well-rounded education focusing on the areas of study you find most interesting.

Click here for a sample curriculum schedule

Among the nation’s most environmentally responsible colleges, Princeton Review’s Guide to 353 Green Colleges
Environmental Minors

The Institute for a Sustainable Environment also offers minors in environmental health science that are available to all students, including:  

All Clarkson Minors, Concentrations and Tracks

Environmental Health Science Minor

A minor in environmental health science (EHS) is available to all students, except those majoring in EHS. To successfully obtain a minor, a student must complete the curriculum below.

Like other minors, the student must achieve a GPA of 2.0 or greater in this curriculum.

All courses are 3 credits unless noted.

 

Environmental Health Science Minor Core I

Students are required to complete courses in the following groups

Core Courses

Students must complete the following courses:

  • EHS309 Introduction to Industrial Hygiene 
  • EHS310 Introduction to Industrial Hygiene Laboratory (1 credit)
  • EV313 Biogeochemical Systems Science 

Environmental Health Science

Students must complete at least two courses from the following:

  • EHS405 Methods & Analysis (4 credits)
  • EHS406 Industrial Hygiene Control Methods 
  • EHS416 Principles of Toxicology & Epidemiology 
  • EHS330 Safety Analysis 
  • EHS481 Advanced Topics in Environmental Health 
  • EHS432 Risk Analysis: TECH Serving Humanity & Comm. Pt. (1 credit)

 

Environmental Health Science Minor Core II

Students must complete at least one of the following courses:

  • CE340 Introduction to Environmental Engineering
  • CE480 Chemical Fate and Transport in the Environment 
  • CE481 Hazardous Waste Management Engineering 
  • CE479 Water and Wastewater Treatment Processes 
  • CE477 Atmospheric Chemistry 
  • CE580 Environmental Chemistry 
  • CM371 Physical Chemistry I 
  • BY320 Microbiology 
  • BY350 Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy 
  • BY360 Comparative Physiology 
  • BY425 Biological Systems and Environmental Change 
  • BY471 Human Anatomy and Physiology I/II (4 credits)
Sustainable Solutions for the Developing World Minor

Clarkson’s minor in Sustainable Solutions for the Developing World is available to students in any degree program. The minor seeks to employ humanitarian principles toward sustainable solutions that address the conflict that often occurs between economic development and environmental justice predominant in the developing world. A goal of the curriculum is to provide students with the tools to understand issues concerning social justice and sustainability to be used when designing and implementing solutions for the developing world. To obtain the minor, a student must complete courses within four categories (sustainability, culture, business and technical tools for development) and a project-based global experience. Examples of courses that meet the criteria of each of these categories, as well as the number of required credits within each category are listed below. 

 

Course Requirements

Sustainability Principles Courses

Students choose one of the following classes to develop a comprehensive understanding of sustainability principles: 

  • ANTH381 Consumption and Culture
  • CE434 Sustainable Development Engineering
  • EV300 Environmental Leadership
  • EV305 Sustainability and the Environment
  • EV390 Sustainability Project Experience
  • PHIL370 Environmental Ethics 
  • PHIL405 Sustainability Theory and Practice: A Critical Assessment
  • POL350 International Development and Social Change

Global Appreciation Courses

Students choose any two of the following courses to develop an appreciation of the cultural, political and social character of countries: 

  • ANTH201 Introduction to Anthropology
  • ANTH351 Global Forces, Local Outcomes
  • COMM428 Public Debate and the Environment: Reading & Writing Environmentally
  • LIT250 World Literature
  • LIT251 Understanding Vietnam
  • LIT353 African Literature
  • PHIL310 World Religious and Contemporary Issues 
  • POL250 Government and Politics around the World
  • POL251 Introduction to International Politics
  • POL362 Human Rights Law and Politics
  • SOC330 Health, Wealth, Inequality, and the Environment

Innovation and Entrepreneurship Courses

Students can choose two of the following courses related to key principles of innovation and entrepreneurship: 

  • EC360 Environmental Economics
  • ES438 Alternative Energy Systems
  • MK320 Principles of Marketing
  • MK436 Creativity, Innovation and New Product Development
  • OM476/EM476 Management of Technology
  • SB396 Global Business Strategies

Global Experience

Students can choose one of the following global experiences: 

  • UNIV399, BY399 or other university trip
    Global Experience (with sustainable solutions for the developing world emphasis)
     
  • Multidisciplinary Project Course (with sustainable solutions for the developing world emphasis)
    The multidisciplinary project is intended to serve as the Capstone, Senior Design, or other culminating project based experience that is normally completed within the student’s major program of study. Students participating in the minor will engage in a multidisciplinary project developed by students with the minor faculty who support the minor OR the student may participate in related experiences and opportunities within the student’s major program of study that are thematically linked to this minor. For example, if a student’s senior design course within their major has a multidisciplinary them and relates to strategies employable in developing world, the student can obtain approval from the director of the minor for the course to serve as the minor required course.
Environmental Science Minor

Environmental Policy minors will take a total of 27 credit hours. The student will take courses related to environmental policy and environmental science while also completing projects and conducting research.

All courses are 3 credits unless noted.

 

Environmental Science Minor Core I

Students are required to complete the following course:

  • EV313 Biogeochemical Earth Systems Science

Students must complete five of the following courses, with at least three courses being 300-level and above:*

Environmental Science

  • BY140 General Bio. I
  • BY160 General Bio. II
  • BY222 General Ecology
  • CM221 Spectroscopy
  • BY224 General Ecology Laboratory
  • CM223 Spectroscopy Laboratory
  • BY314 Bioinformatics
  • CM371 Phys. Chem.
  • BY320 Microbiology
  • CM476 Atmospheric Chem.
  • BY322 Microbiology Laboratory
  • CM434 Air Pollution Controls
  • BY328 Conservation Biology
  • EHS309 Industrial Hygiene
  • BY340 Behavioral Eco. and Sociobiology
  • EHS310 Intro to Ind. Hygiene Laboratory
  • BY420 Evolution
  • EHS405 Methods and Analysis
  • BY425 Bio. Systems and Env't'l. Change
  • EHS416 Prin. of Toxic. and Epidem.
  • BY/EV330 Great Lakes Water Pollution
  • EV314 Adirondack Integrated Research Project
  • BY431 Limnology
  • EV/CE 435 Groundwater
  • BY/EV312 Adirondack Ecology & Env. Science
  • ES432 Risk Analysis
  • EV316 Adirondack Env. Science
  • EV314 Adirondack Integrated Res. Project
  • CE301 Eng. Measurements
  • CE301 ADK Geographical Info Systems
  • CE340 Intro to Env. Engineering
  • CE480 Env. Quality
  • ECE470 Hydraulic Eng.
  • CE481 Hazardous Waste Mgmt
  • CE474 Engineering Hydrology
  • CE482 Env. Systems
  • CE479 Water & Wastewater Trtmnt. Proc.
  • CE491 Senior Design Proj.
  • CE486 Industrial Eco.

 

Environmental Science Minor Core II

Students must complete two of the following courses:

Environmental Policy

  • ANTH270 Env't., Tech. and Soc.
  • PHIL270 American Env.
  • PHIL405 Sustainability: Thry. and Prac.
  • PHIL410 Where the Wild Things Are
  • COMM428 Public Debate and Env't.
  • PHI371 Energy and Society
  • COMM429 Issue Analysis and Advocacy
  • POL220 American Politics
  • EC360 Environmental Economics
  • POL250 Politics in X-Nat'l. Perspective
  • ES436 Global Climate Change: Sci., Eng. & Policy
  • POL351 Globalization
  • LW270 Law and Society 1
  • POL371 Environmental Law
  • LW466 Law of the Workplace
  • POL400 Constitutional Law
  • EM351 Quality Mgmt. and Lean Enterprise
  • POL470 Environmental Policy
  • EM361 Supply Chain Env. Mgmt.
  • POL471 Energy Policy
  • EV314 Adirondack Integrated Research Project
  • SOC330 Health, Wealth, Inequality and the Env't.
  • EV/SS320 Social & Pol. Issues in the Adirondacks
  • EV322 Adirondack Park
  • EC/EV315 Entrepreneurship & Economic Dev. in the Adirondacks

 

Environmental Science Minor Core III

Students must complete the following three courses:

  • An independent research project (1 credit equivalent)
  • An ES&P multidisciplinary project course (1 credit equivalent)
  • EV100 Introduction to Environmental Science & Policy Professions
  • or EV305 Sustainability & the Environment

Disclaimer

*No more than 6 credits of the engineering classes can be applied towards an environmental science minor.

Environmental Policy Minor

Environmental Policy minors will take a total of 24 credit hours. The student will take courses related to environmental policy and environmental science while also completing projects and conducting research.

All courses are 3 credits unless noted.

 

Environmental Policy Minor Core I

Students are required to complete five of the following courses, with at least three courses being 300-level and above:

Environmental Policy

  • ANTH270 Env., Tech. and Society
  • COMM428 Environmental Communication
  • EC360 Environmental Economics
  • ES436 Glbl. Clim. Ch.: Sci., Eng. and Policy
  • LW270 Law and Society 1
  • LW466 Law of the Workplace
  • EM351 Quality Mgmt and Lean Enterprise
  • EM361 Supply Chain Env. Mgmt.
  • EV314 Adirondack Integrated Research Project
  • EV322 Adirondack Park
  • EC/EV315 Entrepreneurship & Econ. Dev. in the Adirondacks
  • EV/SS320 Social & Pol. Issues in the Adirondacks
  • PHIL270 American Environmentalism 
  • PHIL405 Sustainability: Thry. and Practice
  • PHIL410 Wheres the Wild Things Are
  • PHI371 Energy and Society
  • POL220 American Politics
  • POL250 Pol. in X-Nat'l. Perspective
  • POL351 Globalization
  • POL371 Environmental Law
  • POL400 Constitutional Law
  • POL470 Environmental Policy
  • POL471 Energy Policy
  • SOC330 Health, Wealth, Ineq. and the Env't.

 

Environmental Policy Minor Core II

Students must complete two of the following courses:*

  • BY160 General Biology II    
  • BY/EV312 Adirondack Ecology & Env. Science
  • BY/EV330 Great Lakes Water Pollution    
  • BY140 General Biology I    
  • BY222 General Ecology    
  • BY224 General Ecology Laboratory    
  • BY314 Bioinformatics    
  • BY320 Microbiology    
  • BY322 Microbiology Laboratory    
  • BY328 Conservation Biology    
  • BY340 Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology    
  • BY420 Evolution    
  • BY425 Bio Systems and Env. Change    
  • BY431 Limnology
  • CE301 ADK Geo. Information Systems
  • CE301 Eng. Measurements    
  • CE340 Intro. to Env. Engineering
  • CE474 Engineering Hydrology    
  • CE479 Water & Wastewater Treatment Processing    
  • CE480 Env. Quality
  • CE481 Hazardous Waste Mgmt.
  • CE482 Environmental Systems
  • CE486 Industrial Ecology
  • CE491 Senior Design Project
  • CH434 Air Pollution Controls
  • CM221 Spectroscopy    
  • CM223 Spectroscopy Laboratory
  • CM371 Physical Chemistry
  • CM476 Atmospheric Chemistry
  • ECE470 Hydraulic Engineering    
  • EHS309 Industrial Hygiene
  • EHS310 Intro to Industrial Hygiene Lab.
  • EHS405 Methods and Analysis
  • EHS416 Princ. of Toxicology and Epidemiology
  • ES432 Risk Analysis
  • EV/CE 435 Groundwater
  • EV314 Adirondack Integrated Res. Project
  • EV314 Adirondack Integrated Research Project
  • EV316 Adirondack Environmental Science

 

Environmental Policy Minor Core III

Students must complete the following three courses:

  • An independent research project (1 credit equivalent)
  • An ES&P multidisciplinary project course (1 credit equivalent)
  • EV100 Introduction to Environmental Science & Policy Professions
  • or EV305 Sustainability & the Environment
  • or Adirondack Semester courses

Disclaimer

*No more than 6 credits of the engineering classes can be applied towards an environmental science minor.

Undergraduate Research Opportunities

Every environmental science and policy student at Clarkson has the ability to work with our world class faculty on research projects.

    Professor Stephen Bird's research focuses on social and organizational connections and their impact on policy networks. He has also written on policy related to hydro fracking, wind power, and economic growth and energy security and teaches courses like Environmental Policy, Energy Politics and Policy Networks, and American Politics.

    Professor Tom Langen is a conservation biologist with focuses on road ecology, wetland restoration ecology and bird behavior. Prof. Langen teaches Behavioral Ecology & Sociobiology, Animal Learning & Cognition, General Ecology Lecture and Laboratory, Conservation Biology, Biological Systems & Global Environmental Change.

    Michael Twiss is the chair of the Biology Department, as well as director of the Great Rivers Center. He is a limnologist by trade and studies the interactions of freshwater plankton and trace metal elements. Prof. Twiss teaches courses in Limnology, Microbiology Lecture and Laboratory, and Great Lakes Science Practicum.

      Students can also spend summers working in research across the country. Recent environmental science & policy student summer experiences have included researching:

      • environmental efficacy of commercial geothermal
        Civil and Environmental Engineering Professor Shane Rogers hosts an undergraduate class which involves students getting water chestnut samples in kayaks in Beacon, NY
      • differing agricultural practices on soil
      • potential community composting systems for Potsdam
      • microbes in anaerobic digestion systems
      • mercury concentrations in local aquatic ecosystems
      • traits and physiology in pine species
      • perfluorinated compounds in groundwater
      • ranch work in Colorado for The Nature Conservancy
      • aquatic ecology on New York's Hudson River
      • aquatics at Woods Hole in Massachusetts

      Students have also participated in the New York State Assembly Internship Program and done work with the Lake George Land Conservancy.

      Learn more about our Institute for a Sustainable Environment (ISE) faculty affiliates and their research expertise. 

      Adirondack Semester

      Clarkson undergraduate students participate in a hike as part of the Institute for a Sustainable Environment's Adirondack Semester

      Live a semester as a resident explorer, entrepreneur, environmental scientist, poet and policy advocate of the Adirondack Park, one of the largest protected landscapes in North America.

      The Adirondack Semester is a 15-credit, off-campus domestic study program for undergraduates pursuing an experience that is enriching both academically and culturally. Students from any major who are committed to learn about environmental science, policy, economics and the human history and contemporary issues of the Adirondack region are encouraged to apply.

      Whether you attend Clarkson University or another higher education institution, you can do all this and more as part of Clarkson's Adirondack Semester program for undergraduate students.

      Learn more about the Adirondack Semester

      Environmental and Sustainability Student Clubs

      Clarkson University students in the Institute for a Sustainable Environment's Garden Club tend to the campus garden

      Clarkson students can get involved outside the classroom through over 200 clubs and organizations on campus, including several related to the environment and sustainability such as:

      • Clarkson Environmental Club
      • Clarkson Garden Club
      • Clarkson Keepers (beekeeping) 
      • Clarkson Rod and Gun Club
      • Clarkson Sustainability Club
      • Clarkson University Outing Club
      • Clean Snowmobile SPEED Team
      • Engineers for International Sustainability (EIS)
      • H2Code LLC
      • New York Water Environment Association (NYWEA)
      • SCUBA Club
      • Sustainable Synergy

      Sustainability Global Travel Courses

      Clarkson students have the opportunity to travel across the country and the world to work on environmental and sustainability projects through coursework. Clarkson has set a goal to offset all transportation emissions by 2020 and for the whole University to become carbon neutral by 2025. Students can take courses that culminate in a class trip. Below is a sample of some of the options students have to travel on sustainability-related trips. 

      Devil's Thumb Ranch

      This course prepares students for and includes a two-week intensive work/study experience at Devil’s Thumb Ranch in Tabernash, Colorado. Students study the nature of the business and their current sustainability practices through structured class time prior to traveling and identify additional possible projects to creatively overcome complex, real-world sustainability challenges for the business and complete a preliminary feasibility study that includes interdependent technical, economic and environmental considerations.

      Clarkson undergraduate students work on a sustainability project with solar panels at Devil's Thumb Ranch with the Institute for a Sustainable Environment
      Microfinance and Sustainability in Uganda

      On this Global Business Program trip focused on socioeconomics and sustainable development in East Africa, students are exposed to the challenges and opportunities of working in a globally diverse and integrated marketplace. Students visited a cross-section of businesses, governmental and non-governmental organizations, as well as social and cultural locales. 

      What's your purpose? Achieve it here.

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