Raritan Valley Community College
AC-3: Undergraduate Program

Environmental Science, an option of the Associate of Science degree program in Science and Mathematics, prepares students for transfer into a Bachelor of Science degree program in Environmental Science. The program provides a comprehensive understanding of the functions of local and global ecosystems and examines how they are affected by human activities. Students consider scientific evidence demonstrating how human activities threaten many ecosystems, and they critically study alternatives to present practices. The Environmental Science program trains students to examine the impact of man on the environment from sociological, political and economic viewpoints. Graduates are able to: apply concepts and implement the skills learned in the sciences, mathematics and humanities to real-world environmental issues demonstrate skills in literature research, debate and discussion, oral presentation and scientific techniques and methodology demonstrate awareness of local environmental problems and efforts demonstrate awareness of specialization, career and employment opportunities in the field of environmental science Graduates of the program are prepared for entry into a four-year degree program in environmental science, which leads to a wide range of careers in environmental testing and research, consulting, private industry and environmental agencies.

Environmental Studies, an option of the Associate of Arts degree program, is an interdisciplinary major offered by the Department of Science and Engineering, and other departments at RVCC with environmental interests and applications. This option prepares students for transfer into either Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree programs in Environmental Studies and related fields, which leads to a wide range of career opportunities in environmental policy and law, journalism, activism, business and education. Environmental Studies is an interdisciplinary major designed to teach students to examine environmental issues from a broad range of perspectives and analytical methods. Approximately half of the coursework will consist of classes in the biological and physical sciences, to learn about the basic patterns and processes that govern the natural world, and the effects of human actions upon it. The other half of classes will consist of courses in the humanities and social sciences (e.g., sociology, anthropology, philosophy, history, economics) in order to better understand the complexities of these human dimensions of contemporary environmental issues. With this broad range of tools and perspectives, students will learn to analyze the human and other causes of modern environmental problems, as well as to devise strategies and solutions to address them. Students will also be encouraged to focus on a particular subject area of his or her interest (e.g., social sciences, humanities, communications and languages, education, fine arts, economics, etc.). Graduates are able to: apply critical thinking strategies across the disciplines write research-based essays that analyze and synthesize sources to support a thesis organize and deliver effective oral presentations forge a practical linkage between learning in the classroom and applying that learning to real-world problems demonstrate cultural competence by communicating effectively and efficiently in cross-cultural and multicultural situations analyze real-world environmental issues using the concepts and skills learned in the liberal arts and sciences