Studies & Degrees in Environmental Studies
Environmental Studies Study Programs
Environmental studies looks at how people and the natural environment affect each other. It is an interdisciplinary field: students combine natural sciences such as biology, chemistry and geology with policy, economics, law and ethics. Many universities offer two routes under this heading. Binghamton University in the United States, for example, awards either a BA in Environmental Studies or a BS in Environmental Science, and students on both routes can specialise in ecosystems, earth systems, economic systems or sustainability systems.
The science route is the more technical one. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), coursework in this area often includes chemistry, geology and physics, and specialised courses in hydrology, waste management or environmental policy and regulation are also useful. The studies route gives more room to social sciences and policy. Both normally include fieldwork, laboratory or data work and a final project.
Qualifications and levels
- Bachelor's degrees. In Spain an official bachelor's degree (grado) has 240 ECTS credits. The Grado en Ciencias Ambientales of the Universidad de Navarra is an official degree of 240 credits over four years, taught in Spanish and English in Pamplona; its International Science Program allows students to take the whole first year, the electives and the final-year project in English. The Universidad de Cádiz teaches its Grado en Ciencias Ambientales at the Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Ambientales, which stands inside the Bahía de Cádiz natural park. In Australia, the Bachelor of Environmental Science of the University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC) lasts three years, and international students on a Student visa can only study it full-time.
- Master's degrees. Official master's degrees in Spain have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits. In the United Kingdom, Cranfield University, a postgraduate university, offers an Environmental Engineering MSc that takes one year full-time or two to three years part-time, with shorter PgDip and PgCert options.
- Vocational training. Spain has a higher-level vocational qualification (FP de grado superior), Técnico Superior en Educación y Control Ambiental, with 2,000 hours of training. It prepares environmental educators, guides and monitors of natural areas.
- Short programmes. Some specialised centres take visiting students. The Arava Institute for Environmental Studies states that candidates from all over the world can apply for study and internships.
Where to study
SpainExchange lists 378 active schools for environmental studies. The United States has the most, with 152, followed by Spain (44), the United Kingdom (26), Canada (14), Australia and China (10 each), France (7) and Greece (5). Examples in the United States are The Ohio State University, the University of Michigan, Stanford University and San Diego State University. In Spain the list includes the Universidad de Navarra, the Universidad de Cádiz and the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Zaragoza (IAMZ-CIHEAM). Elsewhere it includes Cranfield University and Anglia Ruskin University in the United Kingdom, the University of Akureyri in Iceland and Tel Aviv University.
The language of instruction follows the country in most cases: English in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, Spanish in Spain. Some Spanish degrees have an English-taught track, as in Navarra. Check the language of each programme, and the level required, before applying.
Careers
The BLS describes environmental scientists and specialists as people who conduct research or investigations to protect the environment or human health. For most jobs they need at least a bachelor's degree in environmental science or a related field. The BLS projects employment in this occupation in the United States to grow 6 percent from 2025 to 2035, faster than the average for all occupations.
The Universidad de Navarra lists rural land management, environmental management in public administration and environmental impact assessment in consultancies among the fields where its graduates work. Graduates of the Spanish vocational qualification work as environmental educators, environmental information officers and nature guides. Other common directions are environmental law and policy, teaching and research, usually after a master's degree or a doctorate.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between environmental studies and environmental science?
Environmental science is built on natural sciences and laboratory and field methods. Environmental studies adds more social science, policy and ethics. Universities such as Binghamton University offer both, as a BA in Environmental Studies and a BS in Environmental Science.
How long does a degree in environmental sciences take in Spain?
An official bachelor's degree (grado) has 240 ECTS credits, which the Universidad de Navarra spreads over four years. An official master's degree adds 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits.
Can I study environmental sciences in English in Spain?
Partly. The degree of the Universidad de Navarra is taught in Spanish and English, and its International Science Program covers the first year, the electives and the final-year project in English. Ask each university which subjects are taught in which language.
Is there a vocational route in Spain?
Yes. The higher-level FP qualification Técnico Superior en Educación y Control Ambiental has 2,000 hours of training and leads to work in environmental education and the monitoring of natural areas.