Academic Programs - Undergraduate

Environmental Science

When you study Environmental Science at Acadia, you will explore the complex relationships between humans and our environment. You will study some of the biggest challenges facing our planet.

Find the connections

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The environmental sector is one of the fastest growing areas of employment in Canada. As an environmental science student, you will study the relationships and interactions among organisms, their environment, and human activity. To understand and solve the problems associated with how humans affect the environment, you will draw on a diverse range of disciplines. As you learn, you will develop the expertise to apply your knowledge to real problems.

You can study environmental science at the BSc or BSc (Honours) level. Acadia’s program is accredited by Environmental Careers Organization (ECO) Canada. In your first and second year, you will study core courses in biology, earth science and chemistry. A central theme of environmental science courses ties the other courses together. Students can design the four-year program to address their needs and specific interests. Some areas of concentration may include:

  • ecology
  • conversation biology
  • environmental geoscience
  • environmental policy
  • sustainable development

All students will complete an intensive field course in environmental science, and if you are an honours student, you will also complete a thesis project. An award-winning co-op option is also available that lets you alternate work terms with study terms. This means you can earn while you learn.

The following Acadia centres have pioneered approaches for environmental research and environmental action:

  • Acadia Centre for Estuarine Research
  • Centre for Analytical Research on the Environment

Our students have also made submissions to public discussions on environmental issues of local, provincial, and national concern.

The program offers an opportunity to study abroad. Our exchange program includes:

  • University of Plymouth, UK
  • Norwegian University of Life Sciences

As an environmental science student at Acadia, you will learn by doing. The program is multidisciplinary. It offers small class sizes, excellent teaching facilities, and state-of-the-art science labs. It also offers an engaged faculty and a university commitment to conduct research on the environment. You will be part of a close-knit community. The strong network you develop will typically continue long after you graduate.

First Year at a Glance

First semester

  • GEOL 1013 and GEOL 1010L
    Our Dynamic Earth, with Lab
  • CHEM 1013 and CHEM 1010L
    General Chemistry 1, with Lab
  • ENVS 1013
    Introduction to Environmental Science 1
  • BIOL 1113 and BIOL 1110L
    Organisms and their Environment 1, with Lab
  • ELECTIVE xxx3
    Your choice

Second semester

  • GEOL 1023 and GEOL 1020L
    Earth History: Global Change through Time, with Lab
  • CHEM 1023 and CHEM 1020L
    General Chemistry 2, with Lab
  • ENVS 1023
    Introduction to Environmental Science 2
  • BIOL 1123 and BIOL 1120L
    Organisms and their Environment 2, with Lab
  • ELECTIVE xxx3
    Your choice

Future Careers

  • Agriculture
  • Conservation ecology
  • Ecotoxicologist
  • Environmental impact assessment
  • Environmental law
  • Environmental policy
  • Environmental remediation
  • Fisheries
  • Geography
  • Geomatics
  • Natural resources management
  • Resource conservation
  • Soil conservation
 

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