Environmental Sciences: Geosystems

The College of Engineering and Physical Sciences (CEPS) and the College of Life Science and Agriculture (COLSA) jointly offer a bachelor of science degree in environmental sciences. Environmental sciences, an interdisciplinary field, focuses on the interaction of biological, chemical, and physical processes that shape our natural environment. Students graduating with a degree in environmental sciences will have an understanding of these interacting processes, the ability to communicate effectively with both scientific and lay audiences, competency in field methods appropriate for entry-level environmental science positions, competency in the use and application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), a basic understanding of environmental policy, and the ability to contribute to multidisciplinary teams. The University of New Hampshire is a recognized leader in environmental sciences research, and the environmental sciences program capitalizes on faculty expertise in this area. The full-time faculty members comprising this program have major teaching and research emphases in the areas of biogeochemical cycling, environmental chemistry, ecosystem science, geospatial science, global change, hydrology, plant ecology, soil science, and water resource management. 

Employment opportunities include environmental consulting firms, educational facilities (e.g., science centers), environmental monitoring laboratories (e.g., water treatment plants; the Environmental Protection Agency), government agencies (e.g., the U.S. Geological Survey, Bureau of Land Management, Natural Resource Conservation Service), university and government research laboratories, and nongovernment environmental organizations. The environmental sciences program also constitutes an excellent preparation for graduate programs in several areas relating to the environment. Students should consult with their adviser early if their goals include further study.

The Program has four options, and specific course requirements for the major vary by option. The geosystems and hydrology options are both managed by the Department of Earth Sciences in CEPS, and the ecosystems and soils and watersheds options are both managed by the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment in the COLSA. The geosystems option provides students with a solid grounding in quantitative reasoning, with an emphasis on geochemical and geospatial systems.

• Recognize common Earth and environmental materials and dynamic processes in the Earth System and environment.
• Understand the Earth as a system and be able to describe the broad attributes of and interactions within the Earth System and the environment through both short- and long-term perspectives, evaluate how and why it is changing today, and assess coupled human and natural system interactions. Understand the ecological and chemical systems of the environment.
• Understand Earth processes and cycles using a strong foundation of physical, biological and chemical sciences.
• Perform field measurements and simple calculations to collect, evaluate and interpret quantitative environmental or geological data. Understand the role that spatially explicit data and time series play in understanding environmental and hydrological sciences.
• Collect, interpret, and synthesize basic field observations and measurements to develop and test multiple working hypotheses to explain them. Additionally, become comfortable with the use of technology and computational methods in processing a range of scientific data.
• Analyze, summarize, evaluate, and explain/present their own scientific data and the primary Earth and environmental sciences literature.
• Communicate results of scientific inquiries orally, visually, and in writing.

Secondary and/or university transcript(s) of any coursework taken prior to applying to UNH, with English translations, are required. International documents received by UNH Admissions are verified, scanned, and confidentially destroyed. Official documents submitted will not be returned to the student.

Ideally, the letter should be from a student's school counselor or teacher. UNH does not require more than one recommendation and our preference is to receive no more than two. Excess recommendations may delay the admissions review process.