Earth and Environmental Science
About Earth & Environmental Science
Our Program & Courses
A major in earth and environmental science follows one of three tracks: earth systems (geoscience), ecosystems, or environmental chemistry. No matter which track you choose, you will develop a broad, deep knowledge of earth’s systems, structures, processes, and materials; natural resources; hydrogeology, groundwater resources, and water science; the concept of deep time; and climate change. You can further customize your degree by adding a second major in environmental studies, which is designed to seamlessly complement the environmental studies major.
Geoscience
The earth systems track examines Earth, inside and out. You’ll study the planet’s history, the dynamic processes that shape Earth, plate tectonics, mountain building, the world’s oceans, landscape geochemistry, natural resources, climate change, stream and wetland restoration, and more. Once you’ve built a strong understanding of Earth processes and features, you’ll explore the real-life applications of how humans use and affect the planet — including through environmental politics, production of waste, water and energy, public health, nuclear power, and more.Ecosystems
The ecosystems track focuses on biological communities and how organisms interact with each other and their surrounding environments. You’ll study evolution, ecology, and biodiversity and have an opportunity to delve into advanced ecology, physical and marine biology, comparative physiology, behavioral ecology, urban ecology, and more. You’ll also examine how ecosystems are affected by environmental policy, climate change, urbanization, wildlife conservation, and protected areas.Environmental Chemistry
Study the chemical and biochemical phenomena of nature. By following the environmental chemistry track, you’ll have the opportunity to develop an intricate understanding of organic, inorganic, and environmental chemistry; landscape geochemistry; chemical analysis; groundwater and water resources; water, air, and soil quality; and more.Learning Outside the Classroom
In the Field
F&M’s location provides the perfect landscape for studying earth and environmental science. Pennsylvania’s dynamic landscape and waterways, flourishing agricultural scene; the nearby Susquehanna River, Appalachian Mountains, and Piedmont province; and F&M’s Spalding Nature Conservancy and the Big Spring Run long term restoration monitoring project provide dynamic and exciting locations to learn outside of the classroom.You can also enjoy hands-on experience in F&M’s greenhouse, which sits atop the Barshinger Life Sciences & Philosophy Building on campus. In the greenhouse, you can learn how to plant, water, fertilize, trim, transplant, and assist in pest control of a variety of plants. Many of these plants are used in F&M courses, but some are also used to enliven College events, such as Commencement.
Research Opportunities
As you become fully immersed in your earth and environmental science studies, you may find yourself forming hypotheses or questions. The good news? You don’t have to wait until graduate school to investigate those ideas. It’s common for students to embark on an independent study, or to work alongside their professors and become an integral part of their ongoing research even as early as their sophomore year. Earth and environmental science professors are expert researchers working on a wide array of environmental topics, including:- Wetland and floodplain restoration
- Mountain building events and the role of plate tectonics in landscape patterns
- Ground water sources and flow dynamics
- Remote sensing and data science applied to earth systems and natural resources
- Environmental applications of remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems
- Methods for detecting landmines and other explosive remnants of war
- Evidence of permafrost that existed in the mid-Atlantic region during glacial times
- Trace metal cycling in marine and terrestrial environments
- Environmental change and extinction in modern and ancient marine environments
- Understanding and predicting responses of aquatic communities and organisms to environmental change
- Soil biogeochemistry, carbon cycling, and global change
- Plant physiology, ecophysiology, and ecology
- Organism-environment interactions of plants, birds, and mammals
Center for the Sustainable Environment
Many of our students get involved with F&M’s Center for the Sustainable Environment
(CSE), our hub for global environmental stewardship and sustainability on campus.
The CSE is home to a seminar room, a field-work laboratory space, a meeting space
for sustainable clubs on campus, and more. Many students work in the CSE or participate
in its extracurricular activities, food composting workshops, wild food tastings,
and guest speaker presentations.
Explore the CSE
Keck Consortium
The Keck Geology Consortium consists of twelve liberal arts colleges focused on enriching undergraduate education through the development of high-quality research experiences. Each summer, with support from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Consortium offers a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program to engage undergraduate students in four- to five-week field and laboratory research projects in the earth sciences. Advanced students continue their summer research projects during the following academic year using cutting-edge laboratory techniques. All students are encouraged to participate in a professional conference. The Keck Geology Consortium is currently administered through Macalester College.Off-Campus Study
Off-campus study, in the U.S. and internationally, is encouraged. We have sponsored extracurricular field trips to exotic locations such as Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky. Our students have also spent semesters or summers abroad studying at field stations and laboratories in Woods Hole, Ma., the Australian rainforest, and the savanna of Kenya.Explore off-campus study at F&M
Dual Degree Programs
Earn Master of Forestry (M.F.) or Master of Environmental Management (M.E.M.)
In partnership with Duke University, F&M enables you to earn a bachelor’s degree from F&M and a master’s degree from Duke in a total of five or six years.
M.E.M. and M.F. Professional Master’s Degrees
The Duke Professional Master’s program is a two-year, course-based, non-thesis professional degree program similar to law or business school in its applied focus. In fact, the degree will actually be an M.E.M. (Master of Environmental Management) or M.F. (Master of Forestry), depending on the path you choose. This is not the same as applying to graduate school in the college of arts and sciences, where you might earn a broader, less applied M.S. (master of science) degree in a discipline like zoology or biochemistry.
M.E.M. Specializations
The M.E.M. degree is structured around environment and management concentrations. Students select one from each of the following groups of possibilities, to gain depth of knowledge in a topical area (environment) and to build the skills (management) to put this knowledge into practice:
Environment concentrations:
- Coastal and marine systems
- Ecotoxicology and environmental health
- Energy and environment
- Terrestrial and freshwater environments
Management concentrations:
- Business and the environment
- Environmental analytics and modeling
- Environmental economics and policy
- Community engagement and environmental justice
You may spend either three or four years at F&M, during which time you’ll complete all requirements for your chosen major, and all F&M general education requirements. You will then transfer to Duke for two years of additional study.
Please consult this document for more details about this program and instructions for participation. Contact Professor Elizabeth De Santo at edesanto@fandm.edu with any questions related to this program.
Success Beyond F&M
Graduate School
Many of our graduates go on to graduate school after F&M, typically pursuing doctoral programs in science, medicine or law. Our graduates have completed their advanced degrees at the best universities in the U.S. and abroad.Career Paths
Career outcomes for earth and environmental science graduates are diverse. Many obtain entry-level positions in the environmental and geotechnical consulting field and as sustainability analysts or consultants. Our alumni have also held positions such as:- Chemist
- Chief Exploration Scientist
- Chief Science Officer
- Energy Industry Analyst
- Environmental Analyst
- Environmental Scientist
- Consulting/Exploration Geologist
- Consulting/Exploration Geophysicist
- Global Sustainability Manager
- Hydrologist/Hydrogeologist
- Marine Biology Researcher
- Marine Chemist
- Planetary Geologist
- Public Health Researcher
- Professor
- Resident Naturalist
- Science Policy Advisor
- Senior Geologist
- Senior Research Scientist
- Stream Restoration Specialist
- Sustainability Planner
- Water-Quality Technician
- Wildlife Monitoring Technician
Alumni Spotlight
Climate Leader Inspires the Next Generation of Changemakers
At F&M, you can engage alumni who are not only actively shaping our world, but are eager to share their wisdom with the next generation of Diplomats. F&M welcomed back Brendan Shane '91, the Climate Director for Trust for Public Land, a leader with three decades of experience shaping environmental policy and action. Shane discussed practical applications of Geographic Information System (GIS) in ecosystem and conservation planning and conservation planning, community resilience, and collaborative efforts.Alumni Spotlight
“The research opportunities for students at F&M are unparalleled.”
For 2023 alumni Alice Fodor and Hannah Connuck, studying environmental science at F&M helped them land full-time roles with the Chesapeake Watershed Initiative (CWI) shortly after graduation. CWI studies the impact of human activity on tributaries that drain into the Chesapeake Bay. “The broader work is to study the human impact on these floodplains from colonial settlement and the construction of mills and mill dams, and to work together in an interdisciplinary way to find the most sustainable ways to restore them,” said Fodor (pictured), geospatial and visual communications coordinator with the CWI. Connuck and Fodor both credited their F&M experience with helping them develop the skills to thrive after graduation and said they had opportunities as undergraduates that typically aren’t available until graduate school. “The research opportunities for students at F&M are unparalleled,” Connuck said. “Usually that would be a graduate student up in that tree, but at F&M, all our students have more opportunities.”Read More »
Earth and Environment Laboratory Facilities
F&M's Department of Earth & Environment offers laboratory facilities open to F&M faculty, staff, and students, as well as colleagues from other institutions for their teaching and research. We have ongoing relationships with F&M's Departments of Chemistry, Physics and Biology, Millersville University, colleges in the Keck Geology Consortium, NASA, the U.S. Geological Survey, and Armstrong World Industries.
Learn more »Related Fields of Study
Environmental Studies
Do you wish to better understand how humans interact with and affect the environment around us? Environmental Studies at F&M offers a distinctive approach to building the knowledge you need to tackle the environmental challenges of the 21st century.
Geosciences
Become an expert in a vital field that consistently ranks among the best undergraduate programs in the country. By studying geosciences at F&M, you’ll examine and understand the dynamic processes that shape our planet, the minerals and rocks that comprise it, and the features and processes of the Earth’s surfaces and interior.
Sustainability Planning Certificate
Sustainability planning is an increasing need in the marketplace. F&M’s sustainability planning certificate provides the glue that bonds biology; earth and environment; and business, organizations and society to prepare students interested in careers in sustainable practices.
Earth and Environmental Science at Work
June 3, 2025
How Do F&M Students Spend Summer Break?
What do F&M students do during the summer? Hear from 10 students and recent graduates to see the breadth of possibilities available, from internships and classes to travel and personal development.
November 6, 2024
Where Research Can Take You
Undergraduates don’t usually present research before a national organization of professionals, but that was the unlikely situation a Franklin & Marshall student found herself in this year.
October 11, 2024
Professor’s Book Looks at Securing the Seas
In her recently published book about protecting the oceans through conservation, F&M's Elizabeth De Santo explores the geopolitical, environmental justice and science implications.