A deep understanding of environmental issues and a passion to find innovative solutions will open doors to meaningful careers in education, climate change policy and environmental science. Learn the skills and science behind solving the most pressing environmental issues of today and in the future.
Program Overview
Help protect and preserve life on earth.
In the Environment & Sustainability (ENVS) program, you’ll study the structure and function of natural systems; examine how social, political and economic activity impacts those systems; and experiment with resilient solutions to unsustainable human impacts.
Through comprehensive coursework and hands-on experience, the ENVS program will prepare you for a meaningful career fueled by your passion and natural interests. Upon graduating, you’ll be an effective interdisciplinary communicator with the skills and knowledge to lead environmental and sustainability efforts anywhere.
Research in our backyard
Sam Brozek uses a hand lens to examine a daisy while conducting field research that looks at the effects of forest regeneration after compounding disturbances.
Courses
At Western, course rotations are crafted to encompass a variety of subject fields for a comprehensive education and versatile degree. For required courses and degree plans, visit the official University Catalog. Below is a general overview of courses at Western Colorado University related to this area of study.
| Code | Title | Credits | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIOL 130 | Environmental Biology (GT-SC2) | 3 | View |
| BIOL 135 | Environmental Biology Laboratory (GT-SC1) | 1 | View |
| ECON 215 | Environmental Economics | 3 | View |
| ENVS 100 | Introduction to Environment and Sustainability (GT-SS2) | 3 | View |
| ENVS 200 | Writing the Environment | 3 | View |
| ENVS 301 | Science of Sustainability and Resilience | 3 | View |
| ENVS 350 | U.S. and Western Environmental Politics | 3 | View |
| ENVS 360 | Global Environmental Policy | 3 | View |
| ENVS 370 | Water Policy and Politics | 3 | View |
| ENVS 375 | Seminar in Water Topics | 3 | View |
| ENVS 390 | Environmental Monitoring | 4 | View |
| ENVS 400 | Applied Sustainability | 3 | View |
| ENVS 410 | Environmental Ethics | 3 | View |
| HWTR 200 | This Is The Headwaters | 1 | View |
| HWTR 398 | Headwaters Conference | 1 | View |
| MATH 213 | Probability and Statistics | 3 | View |
| PHYS 125 | Energy and the Environment (GT-SC2) | 3 | View |
Spotlight
Hannah White
Student
“Being so involved in so many different things you get to know all kinds of people. You get to make connections with people that just aren’t at Western.”
Jonathan Coop, Ph.D.
Faculty
“We can produce high-quality research and publish papers in scientific journals with our students. We’re out on the cutting edge of our field learning the things we don’t know yet."
Careers
Career preparation starts your first year at Western and is the primary focus of every degree.
Visit Career Services in Library 120 or online to discover your interests, define your goals, and land the career of your dreams.
The data below is automatically collected by Burning Glass Technologies, a firm that sources job market data and provides analytics. The statistics illustrate general trends in U.S. careers, but do not precisely represent every job and salary.
Scholarships
Eligibility
- Full-time students who are majoring in Geology, Environment & Sustainability, Environmental Biology or a related field.
- Must be a junior level (60+ credits)
- Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA
- Preference given to students with financial need who are residents of the Western Slope of Colorado and have expressed interest in a career in park operations/park management or a career in the earth sciences
Description
This scholarship is provided by Barbara Kastellic and gifts from others to honor Joseph, who was the first Superintendent of the Black Canyon National Monument from 1975-1984.
Award depends on funds available.
Application:
Complete and submit The Joseph A. Kastellic Scholarship application which is available in the Financial Aid Office.
A recommendation and a one-page essay will be needed to complete the application.
Eligibility
- Students who have demonstrated community involvement with environmental solutions, academic excellence and a dedication to mountain environments which could encompass recreational activity, personal connection or service.
Description
This scholarship is provided by Jim and Dianne Mahaffey.
Award depends on funds available.
Selected by: The Environment & Sustainability Council
Application:
Application and deadline information available on the ENVS scholarships page.
Or contact the Director of Environment & Sustainability at
970.943.3162 | Kelley Hall 240
Eligibility
- Environment & Sustainability (ENVS) majors
- Must have 3.0 GPA or above
- Preference will be given to a resident of Crested Butte, CO. If no applicants meet this requirement, preference will be given to a resident of Gunnison, Colo. If no applicants meet the criteria, applicants must be a Colorado resident.
Description
This scholarship is provided by the Michael Martin Community Fund
Award depends on funds available
Selected by: The Environment & Sustainability Council
Application:
Application and deadline information available on the ENVS scholarships page.
Or contact the Director of Environment & Sustainability Program.
970.943.3162 | Kelley Hall 108
Eligibility
- Full-time students majoring in Environment & Sustainability (ENVS)
- Minimum of 30 credits at Western
- Must have made a significant contribution towards environmental stewardship while at Western
- Students must demonstrate academic achievement and progress towards ENVS major
Description
This scholarship is provided by Dr. James Nauman, who attended Western from 1945-49
Amount:
Award depends on funds available (anticipated award $500).
Selected by: Environment & Sustainability Council
Application:
Application and deadline information available on the ENVS scholarships page. Or contact the Director of Environment & Sustainability Program. 970.943.3162 | Kelley Hall 108
Eligibility
- Must have applied and been admitted to Western
- Demonstrated an interest in pursuing a degree in Environment & Sustainability (ENVS)
- Preference given to students with financial need
Description
This scholarship is provided by Dr. James Nauman, who attended Western from 1945-49.
Award depends on funds available (anticipated award $500)
Selected by: The Environment & Sustainability Council
Application:
Application and deadline information available on the ENVS scholarships page. Or contact the Director of Environment & Sustainability Program. 970.943.3162 | Kelley Hall 108
Alumni Association Future Alumni Scholarship
The Alumni Association Scholarship is a one-time scholarship of $1,000 and is applicable for the student’s junior or senior year at Western.
Any child or grandchild of an alumni is eligible to receive the Future Alumni Scholarship.
- This is a one-time non-renewable scholarship of $1,000.
- Only one Future Alumni Scholarship will be awarded per academic year.
- GPA must be 3.2 or above (college).
Due date has been extended to April 15 for 2021. An Alumni selection committee, appointed by the Alumni Advisory Board, will review applicants and select awardee by June 1.
Alumni Legacy Scholarship
The Alumni Legacy Scholarship is a one-time non-renewable scholarship and is only applicable for the student’s first year at Western (incoming freshman or new transfer students are eligible).
Do you have a son or daughter looking at college? Have they considered attending Western? As an alumni, your son, daughter and/or grandchildren are eligible for certain benefits distributed through this scholarship, as follows:
- This is a one-time scholarship of $1,000.
- Nominee must be an incoming freshman or new transfer.
- The cost of orientation is reduced by half (a $45 value).
- The admission application fee is waived (a $30 value).
- GPA must be 2.5 or above (high school or college of transfer).
The applicant must fill out the application form found here (click). Application forms are accepted year-round. If the applicant meets the GPA guidelines, the scholarship will be awarded.
Mountaineer Alumni Recommendation Scholarship
The Mountaineer Alumni Recommendation Scholarship is a one-time non-renewable scholarship and is only applicable for the student’s first year at Western. This scholarship is not available to midyear transfers or students beginning in the spring semester.
Are you an alumni or employee of Western and know a prospective (or incoming) student who would be a great fit at Western? A recommendation from alumni and employees can support any new student and provide them a $500 scholarship their first year. (Western employees may not recommend a spouse or dependent receiving tuition benefits).
- Any Western alumni/employee may nominate only one student per academic year to receive the $500 scholarship (distributed $250 per semester).
- The scholarship is good for the first year only and is non-renewable.
- The recommended student must be a full-time undergraduate student, attending Western for the first time.
The applicant must fill out the application form found here. The nominating alumni/employee must fill out the application form and submit the required documents by June 1. The recommended student must meet university admissions acceptance standards and complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
The Presidential Promise is guaranteed to students who have received a scholarship through the Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF) and/or GearUp—and are eligible for a Pell Grant.
For students who meet these criteria, Western will cover the cost of tuition and fees through the combination of federal, state and institutional aid. For more information on the Presidential Promise, visit our scholarships page.
Description
The Western Presidential Honors Scholarships, established by the Jack and Marilyn MacAllister Foundation shall be an elite class of scholarships awarded to Western’s highest achieving and most deserving students, celebrating the ideals of academic excellence and service to the campus and community. Recipients of the Scholarships will be members of the Western Colorado University Honors Program.
There are eight Presidential Honors Scholarships of $2500 each. Each year two new Presidential Honors Scholarships will be awarded to two incoming freshmen.
Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) or Central Plains (CP) tuition represents a substantial savings relative to normal, out-of-state tuition. Students eligible for the WUE or CP program will be charged 150% of Western’s total in-state tuition. For 2018-19, total in-state tuition was $8,934. WUE/CP tuition was $13,401. The WUE/CP discount is valued at $4,695.
For more information about the WUE and CP geography-based programs, visit Western’s Tuition Discount Programs Page.
Immediately upon acceptance at Western, every student is considered for a merit scholarship worth between $2,500-$4,500 per year for in-state students and $8,000-$10,000 for out-of-state students. The amount is based on the student’s GPA and ACT/SAT scores. Visit our Net Price Calculator at western.edu/cost to determine whether you qualify for a merit scholarship.
For more information about merit scholarships at Western, visit our scholarships page.
Get Involved
Take your education beyond the classroom.
Get the hands-on learning experience you need to apply your knowledge and launch your career.
- Clubs & Organizations: Join the Organics Guild, Sustainability Coalition or Wildlife Society.
- Coldharbour Institute: Experiment with sustainable building design, resilient food systems or community organizing in the Gunnison Valley.
- Conferences: Attend the Headwaters Conference, the Colorado Water Workshop and Sage Grouse Spring Symposium.
- Earthship Academy: Learn how to construct a self-sustaining building capable of producing food and saving energy.
- High Country News: Check out the independent news source’s new satellite office located in Kelley Hall.
- Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory: Find a research assistantship at one of the premier biological research stations in the world.
- Solar Energy International: Engage in the local, regional or global conversation about the renewable energy era.
Plotting a path forward
The ENVS program prepares students for meaningful livelihoods based on their values. Graduates enter their fields with the skills to connect ideas, individuals and organizations.
News & Research
Additional Resources
Department Information
School of Environment & Sustainability (ENVS)
Campus Location
1 Western Way
Gunnison, CO 81230