Student Profile

Maureen Copeland
Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania
Major: Environmental Science
Minor: Psychology

"Every professor I've had has been been great...they're down to earth, knowledgeable, and ready to help you."

During Maureen Copeland’s second semester at Allegheny, Professor Rich Bowden invited her to spend the summer as a research assistant. As part of a larger national project, they would seek to determine effects of global warming by measuring soil properties. Allegheny’s Bousson Experimental Forest, a 283- acre tract of natural woodlands seven miles east of campus, served as their research site.

“I was really surprised,” Maureen says about being offered a chance to do research. “I figured on having another typical summer job at the grocery store.”

Learn more about Maureen here.

The Environmental Science Department

Environmental Science is the study of interrelationships between human activities and the environment. Through core courses, Environmental Science majors are exposed to the general principles of biology, chemistry, geology, and mathematics. Upper level courses, rich in lab and field experiences, integrate the basic natural sciences into environmental problem-solving strategies. While focusing on the natural sciences, the major does not ignore the social, cultural, and economic elements of the environmental realm. A fundamental aspect of the program is the investigation of human impacts on natural processes within a social, political, and cultural context.

"Environmental scientists need to ask if technical solutions
will be viable to the world -- will it work in the social arena?"
~ Dr. Richard Bowden

Major and Minor Programs

Two interdisciplinary programs are offered.

Major in Environmental Science

For students interested in fields such as air and water quality, conservation biology, agro-ecology, pollution biology, environmental engineering, forestry, and fisheries. Areas of concentration include: conservation ecology, terrestrial ecosystems, aquatic ecosystems, landscape ecology, environmental toxicology, environmental geology and environmental chemistry.

Major in Environmental Studies

For students interested in environmental law, public policy, environmental art, environmental literature, philosophy, women and the environment, resource management, environmental writing, and land use planning. Areas of concentration include: environmental philosophy, environmental history, communications and the environment, ecological economics, environmental law, environmental policy, international sustainable development, culture and the environment, art and the environment, environmental education, community development, German cultures and the environment, and urban planning and land use.