Environmental Studies

About the Major

Building on Wilson College’s long standing mission, the Environmental Studies Department strives to cultivate students that seek fulfilling lives and professions by providing them with the tools for ethical leadership and humane stewardship of our communities and our world. We have designed a curriculum that provides students with a broad understanding of the cultural, economic and environmental aspects of sustainability.  The curricula of the Environmental Studies Department has a strong grounding in the principles of environmental science, sustainability, biology, ecology, chemistry, and statistics. Many courses offered by the Department focus on experiential and service learning.

The Environmental Studies Department offers a major in Environmental Science and Environmental Sustainability, a minor in Environmental Studies and certification in Environmental Education.  The Department works in close partnership with the Fulton Center for Sustainable Living (FCSL), and requires all students to complete an internship in the student's selected area of focus as part of their program. Opportunities are also provided for independent study courses in specialized areas of research.

Our beautiful, 300-acre campus is situated on the banks of the Conococheague Creek in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in southern Pennsylvania. Wilson College houses an interpretive trail, Fulton Farm--an over 50-acre farmstead that produces Certified Naturally Grown crops for our community-supported agriculture (CSA) program--and the Robyn Van En Center (RVEC). RVEC is a nonprofit organization that houses a national database of CSA’s and provides education and assistance about the promise of CSA’s as a way to reconnect people to farmers and preserve small family farms. There are also hands-on alternative energy technologies that students can learn about including biodiesel, solar, and wind. These and other resources make Wilson College a unique place to study and experience environmental science and sustainability.

Environmental Studies majors and minors plan their programs in close collaboration with faculty advisors. Careers in environmental fields require intensive preparation; therefore, some students consider a double major or minor in a related discipline. Students with special interests may develop individual programs of study in collaboration with advisors from appropriate disciplines. Our graduates have chosen to pursue graduate work in ecology or environmental science, environmental policy, environmental law, or find employment with private companies or governmental or non-governmental organizations. Specifically, recent students have interned with or been employed by the National Park Service at Homestead National Monument of America in Nebraska, the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund, and Earthnet Energy among others. Wilson also has a formal partnership with Vermont Law School.

Our program continues to grow. We will continue to adapt to our changing student body and new local and global needs as they arise. Please contact the Environmental Studies Department with questions.