Environmental Science (BS)

Environmental science is a multidisciplinary field that focuses on documenting the impacts that people have on our environment, on reducing the harmful effects of these impacts, and on restoring aspects of the environment to benefit both nature and people.  This program focuses on air, water, and the Earth’s solid surface, and it includes an emphasis on their interactions with life.

One goal of this program is to give you the skills and know-how to actually fix things.  Careers range from the assessment, remediation, and protection of air and water resources to the restoration of disturbed landscapes to helping to ensure that major industries comply with environmental regulations (either by working for the industry itself or a government agency).  In addition, this program provides fine intellectual training in the tradition of a liberal arts education, which means that you will also be well-qualified to get the jobs on offer at Pitt’s career fairs.

There is considerable potential overlap with a geology degree.  In short, if you like rocks, mountains, and the Earth’s long history, do geology and pick classes with an environmental focus.  If you don’t like rocks, pick environmental science!

Advising

Explore the links at right to learn what you need to know to pick your major and plan out your undergraduate career.  The Degree Requirements and Self-Advising link is particularly helpful!  It is important to do this before you meet your advisor because you are really the best person to chart your future.  You do NOT have to declare you major before coming to meet one of our two environmental science faculty advisors:   

Dr. Anusha Balangoda
216 SRCC (attached to Thaw Hall at 4107 O'Hara Street)
anusha.balangoda@pitt.edu

Dr. Abby Carroll
312/313 SRCC (attached to Thaw Hall at 4107 O'Hara Street)
arc235@pitt.edu

Our faculty advisors can provide an overview of the major, compare our three majors, and give you advising on careers, internships, field programs, and graduate school.

In addition, we have two wonderful staff advisors who will be the ones who, once you declare your major, will lift your advising holds and make sure that your schedules make sense and will get you to graduate on time:

Corbin Curtis
255 Thackeray Hall / 200E SRCC (in Dept office)
cac535@pitt.edu
412-648-7384
 

Virginia Robson
201 Thackeray Hall / 200E SRCC (in Dept office)
robson@pitt.edu
412-648-7431