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Environmental Majors

Biology  

The Concentration in Ecology and Environmental Biology is designed for students with interests in Ecology, Field Biology, Natural Resources, Environmental Biology, Conservation Biology,  Evolution, Animal Behavior, and Organismal Biology. 

Economics                                                                            

The Concentration in Environmental & Natural Resource Economics is for students with specific interests in forests, fisheries and wildlife or those with a more general interest in both environmental and natural resource issues.

Engineering                                                                   

The Sustainable Engineering Design Focus incorporates the technical, economic, environmental and social requirements of the engineering design process.

Geographic_Science                                                              

 The concentration in Environmental Conservation, Sustainability and Development allows students to explore human and environmental change in depth through a focus that brings together environmental and economic questions.

Geology                                                                                       

The concentration in Environmental and Engineering Geology presents specialized study focusing on earth materials, internal and external earth processes, analysis of earth history and application of geology to environmental and engineering issues.                            

Integrated Science and Technology                           

In the Environment concentration, students learn to apply natural and social sciences to address and manage practical, real-world environmental problems faced by modern society. Through coursework, students learn about the natural, human, and technological dimensions of environmental systems and sustainability.  Research projects, field studies, and scientific experimentation are integrated into the curriculum to provide hands-on experience with current technologies and relevant environmental policies and regulations. Graduates with this concentration are well-prepared to enter the workforce or to pursue advanced degrees.

James Madison University supports a variety of environmental majors and minors that are part of a larger hub of academic and applied environmental initiatives at JMU.

There are many options for students to learn about the natural, human, and technological dimensions of environmental systems and sustainability.  Students can major in a science or social science with an environmental emphasis, or they can partner an environmental minor with any major.  In the majors and minors listed here, research projects, field studies, and scientific experimentation are integrated into the curriculum to provide hands-on experience with current technologies and relevant environmental policies and regulations.  Students pursuing an interest in environmental study will find themselves well prepared for advanced graduate study or workforce success.

Environmental Minors

The Environmental Management, Environmental Science, and Environmental Studies minors take an interdisciplinary approach that prepares students to develop and apply science and technology to environmental problems in a variety of professional settings.  

Any of the three environment minors may be taken in conjunction with any STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) area major.  They also may be taken in conjunction with a major from any other JMU academic area — Business, Communications, Education, Health and Human Services, Humanities and Social Sciences, or Visual and Performing Arts.

Environmental Management, Environmental Science and Environmental Studies are united by a common capstone, ENVT 400. In this course, students converge and work with a faculty team on environmental problem solving from this cross-disciplinary nexus.

The Spring 2012 ENVT 400 topic will focus on "Feeding the Planet." The course will focus on the global and local food systems that feed the planet. Beginning with a global perspective, this course will investigate various environmental impacts and implications of intensive agriculture on the planet.

Other environmental programs:

JMU/University of Malta - Master of Science

Dual Degree Master of Forestry

Environmental Information Systems minor

Business Sustainability certificate