Prospective students often wonder what they can do with a degree in environmental science? The short answer is: there are many opportunities! A major in environmental science prepares students for careers in industry, government, research, and academia. Some students obtain employment right after completing their Muhlenberg education and some enter graduate school.
Job opportunities
Employment opportunities for environmental science majors are found in environmental consulting firms, environmental departments in local, state or federal agencies, environmental compliance and problem solving in industry, laboratories doing environmental testing, nature education centers, natural resource management, and non-profit environmental advocacy groups. Here is small sampling of the diverse positions our alumni have taken in the past decade.
- Biologist, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Zookeeper, St. Louis Zoo
- Communications Coordinator, The Climate Reality Project
- Environmental Underwriter, Great American Insurance Group
- Project Associate, The Food Trust
- Environmental Education and Sciences, Teva Learning Center at Hazon
- Biology and Earth Sciences teacher, Liberty High School (Bethlehem, PA)
- Safety Technician, Environmental Waste Management Solutions
- Wetland Scientist, NJDEP Division of Land Use
- Drills and Training Coordinator, Gallagher Marine Systems, LLC, US Coast Guard
- Budget Specialist, Environment Branch, White House Office of Management and Budget
- Director of Redevelopment, Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation
- Civil Engineer, Langan Engineering & Environmental Services
- Quality Control Technician, Medical Diagnostic Laboratories, L.L.C. (MDL)
- Legal practice assistant, King and Spalding
- Product Stewardship Specialist, Honeywell
- Program Manager, City Parks Foundation (NYC)
- Environmental consultants at multiple firms, including the Verina Consulting Group, PS&S, CDM Smith, and AKRF Environmental Engineering
Graduate Study
The graduate school options open for environmental science majors are very diverse and abundant, including further study in ecology, botany, geology, microbiology, toxicology, marine science, urban planning, public health, and environmental management. Additionally, some of our graduates enroll in law or medical school. Alumni may continue with school immediately after earning their bachelor’s degree, whereas some join the workforce first. Recent graduates have entered a wide array of degree programs, including the examples on the short list here:
- Master’s in public health, Boston UniversityMaster’s in environmental engineering, Columbia University
- Master’s in education, Lehigh University
- Master’s in environmental horticulture, University of Washington
- Master’s in city and regional planning, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
- Medical student, University of Vermont
- Physician scientist (M.D., Ph.D. student), Tulane
- Doctor of veterinary medicine, Colorado State University
- Doctorate in ecology, Michigan State University
- Doctorate in environment and sustainability, UCLA,
- Doctorate in environmental management, Montclair State University
