Quinnipiac University
2 students collecting water samples in a river

Areas of Interest

Environment and Sustainability

Are you committed to protecting the environment? Do you want to use your talents to create a more sustainable future and a healthier planet? Channel your passion into a career in environmental studies where you can explore the interconnectedness of the world, help conserve resources and improve our global health. With an interactive and experiential-based curriculum, our environmental programs will provide a solid foundation for continued exploration in graduate studies or a successful career focused on protecting our world’s natural resources.

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By the Numbers

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$78K Well Compensated

The median annual salary for environmental scientists and geoscientists is $78,730. (U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023)

+5.6% In Demand

Expected job growth for environmental scientists and geoscientists from 2022 to 2032. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023)

98.5% Major Success

Percentage of our 2022 College of Arts and Sciences graduates who are either employed or pursuing graduate study six months after graduation.

Explore Environment and Sustainability

Develop career-ready skills to make a positive impact on the world

As the world addresses issues such as climate change and global expansion, there is an increased demand for conscientious stewards to protect both our natural and designed environments. New regulations implemented at an increasingly rapid rate are creating more jobs each day to tackle the complex issues caused by human activity. Whether your interests are recycling, conservation, reducing industrial contamination or investigating the health risks of pollution, there are a wide range of professional options to fit your interests.

Our undergraduate and dual-degree programs will provide the insight and hands-on experience to gain a deeper understanding of some of the most prevalent environmental issues facing us today. You will examine topics from various perspectives, including political, sociological, legal, economic and cultural. Our academic programs include an emphasis on experiential learning with practicums, fieldwork, internships, global learning and interdisciplinary projects led by faculty experts.

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Student Groups

With a variety of student organizations, including academic and service groups, you’ll have many opportunities to connect with people who share your talents and interests. Joining a student organization is an ideal way to boost your skills, get involved, network — and have some fun, too.

  • Alpha Phi Omega

  • The Big Event at Quinnipiac

  • Bobcats in the Community

  • Community Action Project (CAP)

  • Habitat for Humanity

  • Hand Prints for Sunshine

  • Quinnipiac University American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)

  • Relay For Life

  • Rotaract Club

  • Society of Women Engineers (SWE)

  • Students for Environmental Action

Strategic Direction Towards Sustainability

As the model for a sustainable University of the Future, Quinnipiac pursues sustainability in three areas: learning, living and leading.

Learning

We envision a world where Quinnipiac students, faculty, staff and alumni are agents of sustainability for the communities they engage and enrich — locally and beyond. To accomplish this, QU promotes a culture where students gain and develop an understanding of environmental sustainability appropriate to their majors. Students learn about complex connections among natural environments, built infrastructure, and social and cultural institutions. Learning occurs within the curriculum and through engagement in co- and extra-curricular activities.

We are currently proceeding on three fronts:

  • Conducting audits of:

    • Our faculty members’ expertise related to sustainability

    • Current environmental initiatives

    • Campus culture

    • Curriculum

  • Building curricular and co-curricular elements, by:

    • Implementing our three new majors

    • Developing new courses for the University Curriculum

    • Establishing an eco-rep program

  • Setting targets to:

    • Establish an environmental Essential Learning Outcome (ELO)

    • Integrate sustainability as a theme throughout all co- and extra-curricular programs and activities

Sunset over the quad and business center
Sunset over the quad and business center

Living

In both physical presence and action, Quinnipiac serves as a responsible steward of its natural resources and supports the long-term environmental sustainability of humanity on Earth. QU community members live and engage in sustainable practices, contributing to the creation of a more resilient and environmentally sustainable campus and community.

We currently work to:

  • Measure:

    • Waste and energy flows

    • Water consumption

    • Transportation options

    • The use of plastic on campus

  • Implement:

    • Recycling education

    • Food recovery programs

    • Increased access to existing campus and regional transit services

    • Water conservation in our landscaping efforts

    • Programs promoting mindful conservation practices

  • Envision:

    • Targeted reductions of single-use plastics

    • Alternatives to single-occupancy vehicles

    • A flagship sustainable facility on campus

A student studies on the rooftop patio on the north haven campus
A student studies on the rooftop patio on the north haven campus

Leading

The presence of environmental sustainability in all pertinent practices is a central value at Quinnipiac. This value permeates our administrative and operational structures and provides the basis for external communication and internal execution of sustainable practices.

To better lead in sustainability on and off campus, we are:

  • Hiring an in-house environmental health and safety officer

  • Researching appropriate institutional memberships

  • Developing and implementing comprehensive monitoring and reporting systems

  • Working toward the full establishment of an Office of Sustainability with a Chief Sustainability Officer

Snow blankets the campus surrounding the pond on the Mount Carmel Campus.
Snow blankets the campus surrounding the pond on the Mount Carmel Campus.

Our Approach to Sustainability

We envision a Quinnipiac that is a model for sustainability in southern New England, building its practices and leveraging its campuses to promote a healthy regional ecosystem, and to engage in practices that equip current and future students, faculty and staff to embody sustainable practices in their personal and professional lives, equipping them to thrive in a world increasingly influenced and affected by environmental disruption.

Download our Sustainability Plan

Albert Schweitzer Institute

The Albert Schweitzer Institute conducts programs that link education, ethics and voluntarism for the sake of creating a more peaceful and sustainable world. A dynamic presence at Quinnipiac, the institute has drawn notable humanitarians both to campus and to its board, and gives students of all majors opportunities to make a positive impact on local and global communities.

Learn how to get involved with ASI

Environment and Sustainability Programs

Programs

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