Credential(s) Offered
Bachelor's degree and above
Method of Delivery
Hybrid or blended
When offered
Other
Instructional Program (CIP)
Description
Environmental science students receive a broad range of environmental courses. They may choose to focus on water resources, energy, or applied ecology. Students are often involved in faculty research programs and present results of their research at local and national conferences.
Students studying water resources focus on the flow and quality of water in various environments including streams, lakes, aquifers, and soils, and students receive comprehensive training in the biology, chemistry, and ecology of soils and water bodies. The focus is on human-influenced and natural processes affecting soil quality and water quality. Courses emphasize watershed and groundwater hydrology and hydrogeology, water quality assessment and control, soil and water conservation, bioremediation and phytoremediation, and watershed management and planning.
Students who focus on energy take courses in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and energy systems, in addition to ecology and environmental courses.
Applied ecology is the study of interrelationships between organisms and their environment, within the context of seeking to understand and mitigate impacts of human activities on those systems. Students are provided with the core science background necessary to conduct environmental field and laboratory research. Students then gain familiarity with specific ecological systems, concepts, and methods through courses such as Water Quality Assessment, Forest Ecology, Wetlands Ecology, Field Methods, Environmental Entomology, and Limnology.
For students interested in becoming certified to teach science in Maine, a concentration in secondary teacher education is offered as part of the B.S. in environmental science.
Environmental Science and Policy courses tend to be laboratory-intensive and quantitative, with a major goal being the acquisition of advanced skills in utilizing analytical tools such as statistical software, mapping applications, and geographic information systems (GIS). This combination of a strong science core with applied environmental technologies allows a graduate in environmental science to pursue either graduate study in the sciences or immediate entry-level employment with an environmental engineering firm, government agency, or non-governmental organization.
Details
Program Length (Weeks)
99999
Hours
120
Entrance Requirements
Combination of Education and Course(s)
School
WIOA Approved Program
Yes
Training Location(s)
PORTLAND
Local WIB
4 - Coastal Counties Local Area 4
Type of Attainment:
Not available
Type of financial aid offered or have access to
See Student Financial Services for additional information: https://usm.maine.edu/student-financial-services
Refund Policy
Is the proposed curriculum currently certified by an accrediting agency or similar national standardization program?
No
Is this proposed curriculum considered a nontraditional program of training services for women?
No
Is this proposed curriculum considered a nontraditional program of training services for men?
No
Cost Items
Total In-State Program Cost
$0.00
