The goal of the environmental studies department is to enhance society's ability to create an environmentally acceptable future.
Start Local, Think Global
The mission of the Department of Environmental Studies is to provide students with the advanced interdisciplinary training necessary for solving environmental problems. Graduates of the department are prepared for diverse careers in the environmental field.
The principal emphasis in the M.S. degree is on professional development. The graduate degrees are designed for those who intend to enter the job market for the first time, as well as for midcareer professionals. Faculty work with each student to create a specialized educational plan (developed before or during the first semester of study).
The University of Illinois at Springfield Department of Environmental Studies offers interdisciplinary graduate study in environmental planning and management; general environmental sciences; and sustainable development and policy.
Departmental Goals and Objectives
Students will acquire knowledge and skills based on three broad learning outcomes:
- competency in scientific concepts when studying the environment;
- capacity to critically examine environmental issues and apply contributions from the natural sciences, social sciences, and the humanities for understanding and resolution of environmental issues and concerns; and
- ability to demonstrate and integrate knowledge of natural resource policy, regulations, and the current issues in natural resource management.
Career Outlook
Environmental Studies graduates work as environmental planners, environmental policy analysts, resource management specialists, land use and urban planners, environmental protection specialists, and GIS specialists. Exciting new opportunities are developing in the areas of energy conservation, green development, and sustainability management. Graduates work for industry; federal, state, county and municipal governments; not-for-profit agencies, and academia. These are a few of many options available to graduates.
Employers include the Illinois and U.S. Environmental Protection Agencies, the Nature Conservancy, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the World Health Organization, the Illinois Department of Transportation, and the US Army Corp of Engineers.
Find Out More
We offer an undergraduate BA in Environmental Studies, undergraduate minors in Environmental Studies and Geographic Information Systems, an MS in Environmental Science with three concentrations, and a Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Systems. Learn more about our Academic Programs.
Visit our page for Prospective Students to learn about the application process and available funding opportunities.