Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science (BSES)

With a major in Environmental Science through a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science (BSES) degree, you will study the environment and look for solutions to pressing environmental problems.

Employment opportunities include environmental consulting firms; federal, state, and local environmental agencies; and non-governmental environmental organizations. 

Graduates in this major have gone on to land positions as:

  • Environmental Health and Safety Engineer, Arconic
  • Restorative Technician, Davey Resource Group
  • GIS Specialist, Johnson Country REMC
  • Field Scientist, Alt & Witzig Consulting Services
  • Environmental Technician, State of Indiana
  • Environmental Manager, Indiana Department of Natural Resources
  • Public Policy Analyst, Dentons
  • Conservation Finance Research Associate, The Trust for Public Land
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BSES success stories

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Ashlyn Carter, BSES’18
Law Student, IU McKinney School of Law, Indianapolis

“I was inspired to apply to law school after listening to my O’Neill School professors speak passionately about the environment. My undergraduate environmental science degree was so rigorous that the academic skills I learned have been invaluable in law school—and helped me balance life in general. Keep an open mind; this degree can take you places you did not plan.”

Corben Andrews, O’Neill Student
2020 Sustainability Scholar

“I feel like the opportunities I’ve had have given me a taste for what it is like to really work in the field of sustainability.”

Experience a day in Corben's life

Required coursework

The BSES is a joint degree program between the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs and the College of Arts + Sciences—to offer you a selection of courses on a wide range of environmental topics, taught by over 40 faculty and instructors across Indiana University.

You’ll follow an interdisciplinary approach, gaining knowledge and tools from the traditional sciences, such as biology, chemistry, geology, hydrology, mathematics, meteorology, and physics. Many of the courses include field and laboratory work, providing valuable hands-on experience, and demonstrating the applied nature of environmental science. At the same time, you will be encouraged to think broadly about the relationships between science, policy, and management.

Note: If you are completing Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science requirements from pre-fall 2013, see an advisor—your requirements are different than those in the link.

 

Major and core course requirements

In-depth info on the BSES

Integrated Program for the Environment