Board of Visitors approves environmental sciences degree program

June 2012

Longwood’s Board of Visitors approved a new degree program for a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences.

Pending approval by the State Council of Higher Education in Virginia, Longwood will begin recruiting students for the program, which is expected to enroll approximately 20 students each year. Classes could begin in fall 2013.

The proposed degree program is a response by Longwood to calls for new opportunities for students to pursue STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) careers. In its report “Preparing for the Top Jobs of the 21st Century,” Gov. Bob McDonnell’s Commission on Higher Education Reform, Innovation and Investment noted, “Virginia will need to prepare 100,000 additional workers with STEM degrees over the next decade.”

Longwood’s proposed program is unique in that it will provide an integrated interdisciplinary approach that will include practical, hands-on experiences throughout the entire curriculum. It also will provide strong foundational knowledge in natural and social science, and will heavily emphasize the skills and integrated critical thinking that are necessary for making decisions about complex environmental issues.

Representatives of several key state environmental agencies, including the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Department of Environmental Quality, Department of Conservation and Recreation, and Clean Virginia Waterways have written letters of support for the program.

Potential employers for graduates who earn degrees in environmental sciences include numerous state, federal and local agencies; corporations that deal with environmental management; private sector consulting firms specializing in environmental engineering; waste management and recycling companies; and nonprofit organizations.