ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES/SCIENCE …

                            ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES/SCIENCE
                                 What can I do with this degree?
                  AREAS                         EMPLOYERS                                           STRATEGIES

PLANNING
Air Quality                       Federal, state, regional, and local government    Get on planning boards, commissions, and
Aviation                          Corporations                                         committees.
Building/Zoning                   Consulting firms                                  Have a planning specialty (transportation, water
Land-Use                          Banks                                                resources, air quality, etc.).
Consulting                        Real estate development companies                 Master communication, mediation and writing skills.
Recreation                        Law firms                                         Network in the community and get to know "who's
Transportation                    Architectural firms                                  who" in your specialty area.
Water Resources                   Market research companies                         Develop a strong scientific or technical background.
                                  Colleges and universities                         Diversify your knowledge base. For example, in
                                  Nonprofit groups                                     areas of law, economics, politics, historical
                                                                                       preservation, or architecture.
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
AND COMMUNICATION
Teaching                          Federal, state, and local government              Master public speaking skills.
Journalism                        Public and private elementary, middle, and high   Learn certification/licensure requirements for
Tourism                              schools                                           teaching public K-12 schools.
Law Regulation                    Two-year community colleges                       Develop creative hands-on strategies for teaching/
Compliance                        Four-year institutions                               learning.
Political Action/Lobbying         Corporations                                      Publish articles in newsletters or newspapers.
                                  Consulting firms                                  Learn environmental laws and regulations.
                                  Media                                             Join professional associations and environmental
                                  Nonprofit organizations                              groups as ways to network.
                                  Political Action Committees                       Become active in environmental political organizations.


SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT
Chemistry                         Federal, state, and local government              Take some scientific or engineering courses.
Engineering                       Private waste management firms                    Choose an unusual material and think of creative
Hydrology                         Consulting firms                                    ways to recycle or reuse it.
Logistics                         Nonprofit organizations
Planning
Recycling
Transportation
Compliance
(Environmental Studies/Science, Page 2)


                  AREAS                                EMPLOYERS                                           STRATEGIES

HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT
Hydrogeology                              Federal, state, and local government              Consider double major in hard science or
Quality Control                           Private companies that generate hazardous waste      engineering.
Risk Assessment                              in production                                  Attend public meetings on this issue.
Environmental Engineering                 Hazardous waste management firms                  Get laboratory experience.
Public and Environmental Health           Consulting firms                                  Gain computer expertise.
Industrial Hygiene                        Nonprofit organizations                           Work in government office or regulatory agency.
Law                                                                                         Get experience with technical writing.
Biology                                                                                     Get involved with local chapters of citizen watch
Chemistry                                                                                      groups.
Geology                                                                                     Become familiar with Superfund and its activities.
Chemical Engineering
Planning
Compliance
AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT
Engineering                               Federal, state, and local government              Develop a specific skill in the areas of engineering,
Planning                                  Private industry                                    chemistry or laboratory work.
Analytical Chemistry                      Consulting firms                                  Work at state and local agencies as a way to start
Environmental Quality Analysis            Nonprofit organizations                             an air quality career.
Meteorology
Risk Assessment
Safety and Health Management
Toxicology
Project Development
Compliance
WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT
Aquatic Ecology                           Federal, state, and local government              Get a strong chemistry background.
Aquatic Toxicology                        Corporations                                      Become familiar with high-tech tools.
Law                                       Consulting firms                                  Develop computer skills.
Biology                                   Nonprofit organizations                           Focus on a specific technical field.
Civil/Environmental Engineering           Treatment plants                                  Obtain laboratory skills.
Hydrogeology and Hydrology
Drinking Water Supply and Treatment
Waste Water Treatment
Groundwater Protection
Surface Water Management
Estuary Management
Wetlands Protection
Compliance
Industrial Engineering
(Environmental Studies/Science, Page 3)

                AREAS                                    EMPLOYERS                                             STRATEGIES

LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION
Biology                                   Federal, state, and local government                  Get a solid background in the basic sciences while
Ecology                                   Indian nations                                           obtaining a broad-based education.
Planning                                  Utilities and timber companies                        Obtain legal, real estate, and financial skills through
Geographic Information Systems            Consulting firms                                         coursework, internships or part-time jobs.
Preserve Management                       Nonprofit organizations                               Volunteer through the Student Conservation
Law                                       Land trust organizations such as The Nature Conser-      Association (SCA) and hold an office.
Natural Resource Management                   vancy or Trust for Public Land                    Keep up with new funding sources.
Soil Conservation                                                                               Consider law school for careers as counsel to
Land Acquisition                                                                                   environmental organizations.


FISHERY AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
Aquaculture                               Federal, state, and local government                  Get a broad scientific education.
Botany                                    Marine sport fisheries                                Obtain skills in areas such as planning,
Data Management                           Utility companies                                        administration, communications, and negotiation
Biology                                   Developers                                               through coursework, internships, or part-time jobs.
Hatchery Management                       Timber companies                                      Get experience and skills in computers, statistics
Marine Biology                            Wildlife ranges                                          and computer modeling.
Ecology                                   Scientific foundations                                Join the Peace Corps as a segue into federal
Education                                 Zoological parks                                         government positions.
Research                                  Hunting and fishing clubs                             Get on government agencies' job registers.
Planning                                  Consulting firms
                                          Nonprofit organizations

PARKS AND OUTDOOR RECREATION
Administration and Management             National Park Service                                 Get a broad-based education that will develop both
Law Enforcement                           Federal agencies                                         technical and interpersonal skills.
Recreation Planning                       State, county or city parks                           Gain expertise in additional areas such as
Natural Resource Management               Resorts                                                  communications, writing, fund-raising, negotiation,
Research                                  Marinas                                                  and computer applications.
Site Operations and Maintenance           Privately owned facilities                            Obtain working knowledge of a foreign language
Ecotourism                                Nonprofit organizations                               such as Spanish.
Direct Mail Merchandising
(Environmental Studies/Science, Page 4)

                  AREAS                                                       EMPLOYERS                                                        STRATEGIES

FORESTRY
Consulting                                                  Federal, state, and local government                              Obtain skills with computers, statistics, and
Entomology                                                  Consulting firms                                                    accounting through coursework, internships or
Hydrology                                                   Timber companies                                                    part-time jobs.
Natural Resource Management                                 Nonprofit organizations                                           Develop good communication and public relations
Planning                                                                                                                        skills.
Research                                                                                                                      Get a minor or double major in a technical area
International Forestry                                                                                                          (soil science, wildlife or surveying) or in an arts
Urban Forestry                                                                                                                  and science area (business, economics, political
                                                                                                                                science or computer science).

ENVIRONMENTAL LAW
                                                           Private firms                                                      Law degree required.
                                                           Corporations
                                                           Federal and State government agencies such as
                                                              Environmental Protection Agency, Department of
                                                              Justice and Attorney General Office
                                                           Nonprofit organizations such as Green Action and
                                                              Natural Resources Defense Council
GENERAL INFORMATION
· Environmental studies and environmental science differ from each other in the amount of science course work needed.
· Environmental studies provides a broad base of hard sciences as well as liberal arts or social science coursework.
· Environmental science incorporates hard sciences and environmental sciences.
· Choice depends upon career focus, for example, administration or policy-making versus technical areas or research.
· Combine liberal arts skills with analytical skills to increase employability. Formally, obtain a double major in these areas or minor in one of these areas. Informally,
      obtain these skills through internships, co-ops, volunteer work, summer jobs or independent research projects.
· Be familiar with current environmental laws and regulations. Stay up-to-date with changing environmental legislation.
· Join related professional associations; read related literature and journals to keep up with new developments.
· Attend seminars, conferences and workshops sponsored by professional associations or public interest groups.
· Network and get to know people who are working in area of interest.
· Research agencies/organizations of interest before applying for a position.
· Learn local, state and federal government job application procedures.
· Obtain graduate degree for job security/advancement.


                                Prepared by the Career Planning staff of Career Services at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. (1996, Revised 2002)
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