Coursework is drawn from fields such as biology, math, public policy, economics and cultural and historic?preservation. Student-directed research leads to a thesis in the senior year, and majors are encouraged to address real-world problems through internships and field study.

Students in the environmental studies program enjoy a geographic proximity to freshwater, saltwater, forests and farmland, and have the opportunity to collaborate with local and regional groups such as the Atlantic Division of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, the Graduate School of Oceanography of the University of Rhode Island and the Aquidneck Land Trust.