Department ofEnvironmental Studies

flowers and the Bellarmine Arch

Transforming ourselves, our communities, and our world

The Environmental Studies Department values authenticity, connection & community, integrity & justice, and making a difference. We find purpose in transforming ourselves, our communities, and our world by providing a life-changing student experience in environmental problem-solving and capacity-building through intensive coursework involving field trips, technical skill development, and community engagement toward a fulfilling, ethical, and meaningful career improving the human condition and the natural world.

Recent growth in green business ventures, environmentally sustainable practices, and conservation of natural resources suggests that future economic and social opportunities will be most successful when environmental concerns are adequately addressed. The department exemplifies Bellarmine’s commitment to educate students—mind, body, and spirit—to lead lives of purpose amidst changing times through development of strategic pathways to rewarding careers in the environment. 

Working alongside students in real-world applications of learning, we train effective environmental professionals and change-makers for ethical and meaningful lives by living out our core values and purpose.

Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible. —Saint Francis of Assisi

Our Degrees and Minor

We offer a B.S. degree in Environmental Science, a B.A. degree in Environmental Justice and Sustainability, and a minor in Environmental Studies.

The B.S. degree in Environmental Science prepares students for careers in environmental technology, environmental monitoring, conservation biology, and environmental science research through examination of ecological processes, the causes and consequences of human impacts on the natural world, and technologies needed to minimize or mitigate environmental problems.

B.A. degree in Environmental Justice and Sustainability prepares students for careers in environmental policy and sustainability, environmental planning, environmental communication, and environmental education through emphasis on the political, economic, and sociological aspects of environmental issues.

The minor in Environmental Studies pairs well with many majors, including but not limited to Anthropology, Business, Biology, Chemistry, Communication, Criminal Justice Studies, Economics, History, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology

Terra Learning Community

The Terra Learning Community (TLC) is a program for 15 first-year residents and commuters of any major that have a strong interest in the issues of sustainability. Students in the environmental majors are highly encouraged to apply. With a focus on the theme “Sustainability: From Words to Action,” students in the TLC support each other in the courses they take together, environmentally conscious living, civic engagement benefitting the greater community, and activities that align with the theme of TLC, such as a river clean-up, a visit to a farm-to-table restaurant, projects at the Bellarmine Farm, and outdoor activities.

Click to learn more about the Terra Learning Community.

Recognition

Tree Canopy USA logo

Certified as a Tree Campus USA campus
by the Arbor Foundation since 2014

green spirit partner

Recognized as a Green Spirit Partner of
Kentucky Interfaith Power and Light since 2020

Contact

Dr. Martha Carlson Mazur
Chair, Environmental Studies Department
502.272.8998
mmazur@bellarmine.edu

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