Environmental Science
Bachelor of Science
(Faculty of Science)
The challenge of establishing an appropriate and sustainable balance between resource utilization and damaging exploitation has never been more pressing and the need for experts in environmental sciences has never been more apparent. Environmental science creates and applies knowledge and attitudes from many different disciplines related to the changes in our natural and human environment. Our legacy of alteration of our environment, often inadvertent, frequently casts the environmental scientist in the role of “problem solver.” Since environmental problems and issues are embedded in both scientific and social contexts, the field of environmental science is remarkably broad, encompassing both sciences and social sciences, including physics, chemistry, geology, biological sciences, and geography.
General Admission Requirements
To be considered for admission applicants are required to present the appropriate high school subjects and a competitive average.
Application/Document Deadlines
Transfer Students:
- Transfer students must present the competitive average plus the following specified courses:
Environmental Science
Applicants to this major must present:
- 8 or more half-course equivalents (University of Calgary and/or transferable courses taken at other institutions). Students are also required to meet the Environmental Science and chosen concentration Grade Point Averages.
- A notification of an area of concentration upon admission to the program (Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Geography and Social Sciences, Geology, Physics or Statistics). Applicants declaring a concentration in Biological Sciences are also required to present the specified courses required for entrance into the Biological Sciences program.
Why Study Environmental Science?
A theme with six variations
The Environmental Science program is grounded in biological sciences, chemistry, geography and social sciences, geology, physics and statistics. You will choose one of these areas to specialize in, but your program will also emphasize a team-based multidisciplinary approach, which is the prevailing problem-solving paradigm in the environmental industry. That means that along with a disciplinary specialization, you are exposed to a common background in the sciences and common interdisciplinary environmental science courses.
Experience leading to exciting possibilities
You will leave the program with a strong sense of achievement. Within six months of graduation, almost all graduating students are working in their chosen field, a strong indicator of the value of applied experience gained during their time in the program. In addition, you will be presented with many opportunities to develop and refine writing and public-presentation skills. You are taught critical concepts of statistical treatment of data so you can draw sound conclusions for reports and presentations. Our graduates ‘hit the ground running’.
Making a difference!
Each year, research teams of students and faculty conduct environmental studies in the local region. While these courses serve to instruct students in best practices in environmental science, we also aim to contribute this research to wider communities whenever possible. For example, research from an ongoing field school in the Kananaskis Valley was presented at a recent national conference on parks and protected areas. The results of the capstone class research course are presented at open houses each year, and have influenced management decisions and further research. We recognize that we have an unusual opportunity for in-depth analyses of issues without vested interests.
What do I need to get in?
You’ll need to meet the admission requirements of the Faculty of Science which can be found online at www.ucalgary.ca/admissions.
What will I study in my two years?
The first two years of your Environmental Science degree depend on your area of concentration, and largely track the corresponding major. Of note is that students in all concentrations should take the first year course in animal and plant biology that majors in biological sciences take (Biol233). It is also important to take a designated course in statistics by the end of second year.
What will I study in later years?
In your third and fourth years, you will expand beyond your core concentration to take courses in ecology, hydrology, chemistry and social sciences related to environmental science. In addition, you will apply your knowledge gained in your degree to environmental issues in at least four courses specific to Environmental Science students. These courses emphasize hands-on, team-based multidisciplinary analysis of real local issues.
What can I do with my degree?
Career opportunities in this field are wide and varied, and this is among the fastest-growing industry sectors in Canada. Graduates may work in environmental protection, which is concerned with air, water, or land quality, or in conservation and protection of natural resources, which focuses upon parks, fisheries, wildlife and vegetation, and operation of resource-based industries. Most graduates will work with environmental consulting agencies at some time in their careers. You may also practice your craft in environmental education and communications, or in environmental research. The breadth of the field presents an enormous number of employment niches, particularly for individuals who are innovative and flexible in their approach to problems.
In addition, you can obtain professional accreditation with your degree and professional work experience, depending on your area of concentration. Relevant professional organizations include the Alberta Society of Professional Biologists, the Association of the Chemical Profession of Alberta, the Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists of Alberta (APEGGA), the Alberta Institute of Agrology and the Canadian Environmental Certification Approvals .
Additional Information
Student Finance
