What is Environmental Science?
Environmental Science is one of the most dynamic departments at Baylor. Since 2000, the Department of Environmental Science has added three new undergraduate majors' options, and expanded its course offerings, particularly in toxicology, wildlife conservation, and environmental health. The Department of Environmental Science faculty have raised publication and meeting attendance rates for graduate students and are recruiting PhD students for degree programs in the Ecological, Earth, and Environmental Sciences, and for Biomedical Studies. The majority of our majors' classes have fewer than thirty students, and our advanced laboratories sections are planned for six to eighteen enrollments.
Our undergraduates rate their faculty advisors as friendly, knowledgeable and easily accessible. Focused on scholarship, the department engages in cutting-edge scientific investigation on topics such as invasive species impacts, pharmaceuticals in waste water, use of wetlands for water treatment, organic air pollutants, and the effects of chemical exposure on humans. The department also sponsors social science and humanities research in environmental ethics, sustainable development, and Christian responses to environmental issues. The Department of Environmental Science has numerous student-oriented opportunities for assistantships, scholarships and grant-supported research.
A Global Concern
The future of the earth depends on intelligent responses to environmental issues.
We live in a world that is increasingly stressed by human population growth and industrial enterprise. We face many challenges in our future, a critical one being equitable access to a natural resource base that allows us all to pursue desired livelihoods and meaningful standards of living. However, equitable access to the earth's natural resources it not available to all people in all places. Many do not have the simple access to clean water, adequate nutrition or healthy living environments.
The Department of Environmental Science is dedicated to training students in both the social and scientific dimensions of environmental issues. Our goal is to provide an educational opportunity where students learn to be stewards of the earth's soil, air and water and protectors of our threatened biodiversity.
The field of environmental science is interdisciplinary; and the Department of Environmental Science at Baylor University advocates an interdisciplinary approach to education. Aside from offering courses within the department, courses are also cross-listed with a variety of programs in the sciences, social sciences and humanities. Partners include Anthropology, Biology, Geology, Economics, Political Science, Religion and Sociology. Students are encouraged to gain exposure to as many different areas as desired.
Sound science is considered the foundation of environmental problem solving; an understanding of both basic and applied science is required. Hands on engagement as well as basic laboratory and field sampling is essential to research.