Environmental Science

Faculty: Faculty of Social Sciences
Degree options:  

• Bachelor of Science (BSc), honours or major
• Any degree, minor

Other degree options in the field of geography and environment at Mount Allison:

• Bachelor of Arts (BA), Environmental Studies (honours, major, minor)
• BA, Geography (honours, major, minor)
• BA, Geocomputing (joint major)
• Any degree, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) (minor)

The environmental science program at Mount Allison provide the strong but diverse scientific foundation required to understand environmental issues from a multi-disciplinary perspective. Issues studied include:

• the mechanics of weather and climate
• the biological consequences of climate change
• the impacts of environmental degradation
• the effects of climate on the distribution of animals and plants
• the impact of environmental change on freshwater systems

In upper years, you will compliment your major with an in-depth concentration of courses to provide you with a scientific specialty when you graduate. Concentrations include:

• Aquatic environments
• Environmental chemistry
• Environmental management
• Environmental modelling
• Environmental monitoring

You also have the opportunity to investigate issues you are passionate about through independent research (honours).

Find a list of specific environmental science courses in the academic calendar – geography and environment.

Not sure about the difference between a major, a minor, and an honours?

Popular career paths for environmental science graduates include:

• ecologist
• environmental consultant
• public policy analyst
• environmental auditor/risk assessor
• water treatment plant operator
• air quality specialist
• soil scientist
• wildlife conservationist
• environmental activist
• pollution/contamination removal specialist
• water resource specialist

Alumni spotlight

Adam Cheeseman ('14)
Bachelor of Science, honours environmental science
Director of Conservation, Nature NB

Cheeseman is responsible for co-ordinating Nature NB’s climate change adaptation program, along with two stewardship programs — the New Brunswick Important Bird & Biodiversity Area Program and Protected Natural Areas Stewardship Program.

» A natural approach — Adam Cheeseman (’14) returns to Sackville to work as the Director of Conservation with Nature NB

“I love the freedom the environmental science program provides. You can choose to focus on environmental chemistry, conservational biology, social impacts of climate change, or really whatever interests you the most! It has provided me with more opportunities than I ever thought possible from an undergraduate program.”

Melanie Wagar
Environmental science, minor in biology (’14)
Port Hawkesbury, NS   

“Each professor offers amazing opportunities such as field trips to carry out stream analysis in the Acadian forest, trips to study crustaceans that live on the mudflats, outdoor physical geography labs that expose students to equipment such as differential GPS, anemometers, etc. These unique experiences are what I love most about the program and also provide real world experience conducting research and using modern equipment.”

Adam Cheeseman
Honours environmental science, minor in philosophy (’14)
Meaford, ON

Centre for Environmental Innovation – set to open in Fall 2018, this world-class facility for environmental science will consolidate research for 15 scientists whose work focuses on environmental and life sciences, and will provide high quality, hands-on educational and research experience to our students.

Faculty spotlight

Dr. Joshua Kurek
Assistant professor, geography and environment

Established the Environmental Change and Aquatic Biomonitoring Lab (ECAB) at Mount Allison

» Mount Allison professor receives funding to study environmental change in Canadian lakes and rivers   

» 5 questions with environmental science professor Dr. Joshua Kurek