Westfield State College has established an interdisciplinary and intercollege Environmental Science major that emphasizes the interdependence of the natural and social sciences. Upon completion of this major, students will be able to identify and understand the major components of social systems and the natural environment, and how these components interact. Graduates will be prepared to enter the rapidly expanding environmental field with careers in the public and private sectors. Employment opportunities exist in industries concerned about pollutants and toxic waste by-products of their own manufacturing procedures, or among companies specializing in solid and toxic waste management, methods of pollution abatement, or groundwater testing and cleanup. Other employment opportunities include local, state, or federal government agencies engaged in development planning or monitoring compliance with environmental laws, or with monitoring air, groundwater, or surface water quality.

Environmental scientists strive to understand the natural world, identify problems that arise from human interaction with the environment, search for scientific solutions to problems that exist, and implement those solutions. Students majoring in Environmental Science at WSC will have a strong background in the process of science and the fundamental concepts that influence environments. The required Biology, Chemistry, and Geography and Regional Planning courses will provide them with the basic understanding of the components of an ecosystem, the interactions among the various components, and the interaction of abiotic and biotic factors. Technical courses offered at Springfield Technical Community College and Holyoke Community College will further strengthen the skills of WSC environmental science majors. Additionally, students will learn how people interact with each other and how they interact with the environment.Students will learn to identify problems, conduct analyses, and communicate the results of these studies in many of the Biology, Geography and Regional Planning, and English courses. The Senior Capstone experience requirement provides students with practical experience in an environmental field, and also maintains the vital link between industry and academia.

The primary mission of the Environmental Science program is to provide a service-oriented, interdisciplinary and collaborative program which helps students to:

• Develop an understanding of the natural world
• Identify problems that arise from human interactions with the environment
• Search for scientific solutions to these problems
• And develop plans to implement those solutions.