Environmental Earth Science: Career Guide to JMU Majors

Career Guide

Overview

The Environmental Earth Science major is offered by the Department of Geology and Environmental Science within the College of Science & Mathematics.

Admission and Progression Standards

Visit the Major Snapshots site to learn more about the admission and progression standards of this major.

Description of Major

The Environmental Earth Science major prepares students to advocate for the environment in government and private sector employment, or for teaching Earth science. Through courses and mentored research, this major encourages problem-solving, interdisciplinary understanding, and scientific communication skills.

Includes study abroad opportunities for field-based experiential learning. Each student completes a research project mentored by one or more faculty members with opportunities for internships or collaborations with companies, government agencies, or other universities.

All Environmental Earth Science majors are required to choose a minor aligned with student interests:

Climate Science Minor
Environmental Science Minor
Pre-Professional Secondary Education Minor
Or choose a custom set of biology, chemistry, geology, and/or environmental courses in consultation with your advisor.

More About the Field

Environmental Earth Science is highly interdisciplinary and can be customized to reflect interests in environmental problem solving, geoscience, meteorology, land use change and ecology, climate change, science communication, science education, and many other related fields.

Specialization

The interdisciplinary foundation of Environmental Earth Science courses and the tailored minors support a wide range of career directions, including work in the public and governmental sectors. Environmental Earth Science careers are at the cross-roads of science and society. For example, these careers include working as an environmental consultant, evaluating environmental risks and communicating those risks to stakeholders and policymakers; working as an educator in museums and national or state parks; or teaching Earth and Environmental science in middle and high school.

Complementary Majors and Minors

Complimentary majors and minors would include Anthropology, Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Climate Science, Economics, Environmental Information Systems, Environmental Management, Environmental Science, Geographic Sciences, Integrated Science and Technology, Management Science, Nonprofit Studies, Secondary Education, Urban and Regional Planning, and Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication.

Characteristics of Successful Students

Successful students in this program are those that have a deep appreciation for all aspects of the Earth and a strong desire to learn about the interactive systems that make up the Earth. These same students must also be willing and able to work with others in a cooperative fashion, either in a peer group or with external audiences that have an interest in learning the content. Students should be prepared to apply their expertise in a variety of settings where a background in Environmental Earth science is either required or desirable as a starting point for further studies.

Careers

Many graduates choose typical career paths associated with this major. However, some graduates choose nontraditional career fields that utilize skills and experiences developed during their years in college. Keep in mind, that some fields will require graduate study or further training. The listing below offers examples of possible career paths and is not meant to be comprehensive.

Aerial Photographer
Cooperative Extension Agent
Earth Science Teacher
Engineering Technician
Environmental Attorney
Field Technician
Laboratory Technician
Landscape Architect
Meteorologist
Mineral Curator
Museum Consultant
Museum Researcher
Park Naturalist
Pollution Control Specialist
Prospector
Researcher
Regional Planner
Soil Specialist
Surveyor
Technical Consultant
Technical Writer
Urban/Regional Planner

Who Employs Graduates?

School Systems (K-12), Bureau of Land Management (Fed Gov), Bureau of Mines (Fed Gov), Coal Companies, Colleges/Universities, Construction Firms, Department of Defense (Fed Gov), Department of Energy (Fed Gov), Energy Companies, Environmental Agencies, Environmental Protection Agency (Fed Gov), Equipment Suppliers, Federal/State/Local Government Agencies, Museums, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (Fed Gov), National Laboratories, or Research Firms.

Internships and Experiential Opportunities

Practicum, internships, and other forms of individual study are available to all students majoring in Environmental Earth Science. Students should contact faculty coordinators in their areas of interest to gain further information.

View our list of internship coordinators for each major.

Career Profiles

Additional Resources to Research Careers

Handshake: view new internships and jobs that employers are looking to hire JMU students from your major
Career Outcomes: see where alumni worked or studied right after graduating.
GoinGlobal: learn more about employment opportunities overseas as well as H1B visa information for international Dukes pursuing jobs in the U.S.
O*NET: browse occupational profiles to learn about thousands of different careers, pulling data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics
CareerOneStop: explore thousands of different careers by looking at career profiles
Utilize the LinkedIn Alumni tool to see what others have done with their majors and what their career paths look like. Reach out to alumni via LinkedIn and conduct an informational interview.

Copyright

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without permission from the JMU University Career Center. Content for each major has been written/reviewed by faculty in the respective department and is revised each year. Requests to update content can be submitted to career@jmu.edu.