I chose to pursue an Environmental Studies major. I liked the idea of an interdisciplinary program which drew concepts from several different fields. Environmental issues are found in all kinds of fields, from geology and biology to public policy and law, so many colleges also offer Environmental Studies concentrations or minor programs to go with a more traditional scientific or policy-based major. For instance, I could have majored in biology and minored in environmental studies while taking many of the same interesting and insightful classes.
But what exactly is Environmental Studies? According to our website, "Environmental Studies connects key concepts from many disciplines in an environmental context, providing a framework for the study of ecosystems and human interaction with the Earth." Environmental challenges face every business, agency and institution - from the decision of whether to recycle junk mail at the smallest two-person office, to the decision of how to cost-effectively comply with complex environmental regulations in big industry. Part of the idea of majoring in Environmental Studies is to be better prepared for a wide array of challenges.