Environmental Science and Sustainability
Get started on your Journey
The Environmental Science and Sustainability bachelor's degree from Our Lady of the Lake University prepares students for graduate school and careers in environmental science and sustainability. This degree was built with the student in mind. The interdisciplinary nature of the program allows for flexibility in program design to meet the wide-ranging interests and needs of today’s modern student cohort. Classes in the Environmental Science and Sustainability program are limited to 24 students, allowing faculty members to develop personal relationships with students and provide them with the individualized help, support and guidance they need. An internship and seminar in environmental science and sustainability related fields is built into the program to give students real-world experience and first-hand knowledge of various careers available to them.
Programs Offered
This degree is for students who are interested in graduate studies in environmental science and sustainability or employment in related fields. The Bachelor of Science track is interdisciplinary and includes classes in Environmental Science, Biology, Chemistry, Ecology, Economics, Philosophy, Policy, Sociology, and Public Health. The degree has a wide range of flexibility built into the program to allow students to select courses that speak to their individual goals and interests.
BS Environmental Science and Sustainability degree plan and course descriptions
A minor in environmental science and sustainability pairs well with many majors offered at OLLU. These majors could include, but are not limited to, biology, biomathematics, business, chemistry, chemical biology, criminal justice, education, finance, leadership studies, management, marketing, mass communications, nonprofit management, political science, social work, and sociology. The addition of a minor in environmental science and sustainability allows students to increase their knowledge of how humans interact with the environment, while also developing critical thinking skills by analyzing the surrounding world, generating and testing hypotheses, analyzing data and drawing conclusions. There are a variety of courses available for students to choose from to tailor the minor to their area of interest.
Environmental Science and Sustainability Minor degree plan and course descriptions
TExAS FAST Academic Scholarship
TExAS FAST Academic Scholarship The TExAS FAST (Texas Experiential Learning and Scholarship program for Food and Agricultural Science Training) Academic Scholarship Program awards up to $5,000 per year to incoming freshman or rising sophomores with unmet financial need who are majoring OR minoring in Environmental Science and Sustainability. Learn more about the TExAS FAST Scholars Program.
Career and Graduate School Prep
The Environmental Science and Sustainability program at OLLU prepares graduates to enter the workforce directly for employers such as:
- City of San Antonio
- U.S. Department of Defense (OD)
- Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA)
- San Antonio River Authority (SARA)
- San Antonio Water System (SAWS)
- San Antonio Parks Department
- Various private consulting/engineering companies
Other graduates go on to professional or graduate schools to study the following:
- Business sustainability/administration
- Conservation Biology
- Education
- Environmental Science
- Law/Legal Services
- Resource Management
- Sustainability
Hands-On Opportunities
Studying Environmental Science and Sustainability at OLLU opens the door to many experiences for students. Some of the opportunities for exploration include:
- Due to OLLU's location on Lake Elmendorf, science classes often take place by the lake, or students may use specimens from the lake for research purposes.
- Students have access to the science labs after classes and on weekends to conduct research.
- Many courses in the Environmental Science and Sustainability program include active and experiential learning experiences such as service learning, project-based learning, and learning through direct observation and interaction with real-world context.