Environmental Sciences
The University of West Alabama
Are you interested in learning about the functioning of natural ecosystems? Would you like to know more about the source, fate, and regulation of environmental contaminants? If so, the environmental sciences program at UWA could be right for you. Students in the program also learn about methods used to minimize environmental pollution and the political and social influences on the use of such technologies. Over the course of the program students visit the Alabama Onsite Wastewater Association Training Center (AOWATC) to learn about alternative sewage treatment methods specific to west Alabama's soil conditions. Additionally, students become familiar with basic principles of biology, ecology, chemistry, psychology, sociology, and economics that influence the field of environmental science.
The environmental sciences program at UWA embraces the interdisciplinary nature of this growing field. Students who successfully complete the bachelor of science degree in environmental sciences at UWA will be prepared to excel in a number of environmental careers. Traditionally, our environmental science graduates enter the workforce very soon after graduation. Additionally, those students choosing to continue their education in graduate school find themselves prepared for the advanced coursework and original research required by graduate programs.
During the student's senior year, they intern at one of a number of intern sites with which UWA is affiliated. Intern sites offer a choice between laboratory or field work environments, each offering different experiences. Internship sites include waste disposal firms, regional environmental health departments, paper mills, international chemical companies, municipal public works, testing laboratories, and agencies (government and private) concerned with environmental quality and monitoring. Students receive 12 semester hours of academic credit for this internship, as well as gain experience in environmentally related activities before graduating.
For more information explore the links to the left.
