Major Mondays: Environmental Studies
Major Mondays: Environmental Studies
Major: The Environmental Studies major can be completed as a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree. The BS has more unit requirements and more of a STEM emphasis. However, both programs educate students on a wide variety of topics, including sustainability in business, environmental policy, and science courses like biology, chemistry, geology, and more. Even better, you can choose a concentration of interest to further focus on whatever aspect of the program intrigues you. What’s incredible is that the program is also operated by the Wrigley Institute of Environmental Studies, one of USC’s research departments located on Catalina Island.
Current Student Perspective: With this added “campus” on Catalina Island, students can pursue research or internships there. There are a variety of communications, GIS, management, and marine biology internships available to undergraduates, along with social science and biology-based research opportunities. There are also 4-6 Maymesters every year on Catalina Island, including one where students are trained as scientific divers and take their class literally underwater!
As a current student, I’m always surprised by the range of opportunities I have. Personally, I’m interested in how we can use geospatial software to better inform policy and business proposals. I have the ability to take spatial studies courses, completes GIS internships, and work with faculty that will help me shape my degree to my specific career interests. On the other end of the spectrum, a pre-law friend of mine (also an Environmental Studies major) will be doing a progressive degree program, where she completes her BA and an Masters of Arts in Environmental Studies in just four years! This speaks to the range of opportunities environmental studies students have and how hard the department works to make sure that there are pathways to different types of sustainability careers.
For anyone passionate about environmentalism and wanting a career devoted to sustainability, but unsure of what industry you’d like to work in or where your talents specifically lie, USC’s environmental studies program is the perfect pick. With a breadth of options, as well as enough room in your course plan to pick up a minor or even second major, your opportunities as an environmental studies student are endless!
Written by: Avery Fratto, USC Student Ambassador