The E&ES major is designed to prepare students for graduate school as well as provide a basis for a variety of careers in the private or public sectors. Courses in geology, environmental science/environmental chemistry, environmental science/ecology, and planetary geology lead to different areas of specialization and career options.?

Many E&ES students work with faculty on research projects that range from climate studies to active volcanoes in the Andes, from the structure of the Grand Canyon to the structure of the planet Venus, from coastal areas nearby (Long Island Sound) to lagoons far away (Vieques Island, Puerto Rico). The culmination of the major is a capstone course where students perform independent research in the field (Puerto Rico or Death Valley).