<p>I will probably be asking an array of questions on this site, likely on all different topics. I am interested in a lot of things and like to find out as much as I can. My question now is about Evolutionary Biology and Human Ecology. First of all, what colleges, if any, offer undergraduate majors in these fields? Secondly, and this may not be the goal of this site, but what jobs are available in this field? (other than Professor)</p>
<p>I think there are three main ways you can study the fields you want:</p>
<p>-Colleges/universities that actually have a major in one of those fields.
-Colleges and universities that have a major in environmental sciences, perhaps supplemented with some biology and/or social science classes.
-Colleges and universities that have a regular biology major, but with enough classes in ecology and evolution to help round out your education.</p>
<p>For the first type, there are a relative few. College of the Atlantic is a college in Maine that is focused on ecology and environmental sciences. Columbia has the E3B department (I always get what it stands for wrong, but if you search E3B you will find it) that has an interdisciplinary undergraduate major in evolutionary biology and one in environmental biology. Case Western has a major in evolutionary biology, as one as ones in environmental studies and environmental geology. Dartmouth, Tulane, the University of Rochester, and Rice all have a major in ecology and evolutionary biology. Harvard has a few programs that are related - human evolutionary biology, but also environmental science and public policy, and perhaps earth and planetary sciences. Colorado College has an organismal biology and ecology track in their bio major. Colby College has an ecology and evolution concentration in their biology major. Vanderbilt has an ecology, evolution, and organismal biology major. Beloit College has a concentration in evolution, ecology, and behavior in their bio department. (I also left out a lot of great public universities, like Michigan, UVa, San Jose State, SUNY College of Environmental Sciences and Forestry, UC-Davis, Binghamton, Purdue, Pitt, UCSC, UCSB, Ohio U, Arizona, and some others. I don’t know where you live, but you should check and see whether your state’s flagship has one.)</p>
<p>There are more of the latter two types. You can easily find a list of the colleges with environmental science majors by using the SuperMatch feature on this site. From there, you can visit the pages of the ones that interest you and see what their course offerings are like. You can do the same thing with biology majors, but since most colleges have biology majors this would be more time consuming to do.</p>
<p>Environmental scientists do a lot more than just teach and do research at universities.</p>
<p>-Some work in the public sector for their local, state, or the federal government. They may conduct research, do evaluations of environmental impact programs, conduct inspections of other private and public organizations to ensure compliance with environmental policies, do policy analysis, advise legislators, clean up polluted areas, test water and air quality, and help establish standards for minimum quality. Some work with an environmental standards board (like the EPA and its state and local equivalents) and some work for departments of health and human services.</p>
<p>-Environmental health science is a special branch of ecology and evolutionary biology. It overlaps a lot with the above, particularly with helping to establish policies for max levels of contaminants and doing policy analysis - but they can also do environmental testing and fieldwork.</p>
<p>-Some work in the private sector for private corporations. They may ensure compliance with federal and local laws about environmental protection and contamination, and they may advise business stakeholders on the environmental impact of their plans to expand or move into new areas of business. Some private corporations do environmental work that needs scientists, like waste management or clean-up.</p>
<p>-You could work in conservation science. Most of these jobs are public sector. Conservation scientists manage natural resources like parks, wetlands and reserves. They may work with private corporations on land use agreements, monitor the use and management of publicly-owned natural resources, and negotiate the terms of forestry use for commercial purposes (like wood).</p>
<p>-You can combine your interests with other fields, too. A combination of ecology and engineering can lead to environmental engineering, which uses technology to solve environmental problems. Combing ecology and urban planning can lead to the design of sustainable cities and living environments.</p>
<p>-Even if you wanted to do research for a living, you don’t necessarily have to do it at a university as a professor. There are research institutes that do this kind of work; you could do it for the federal government as well. You could also do the research for international NGOs and nonprofits that are dedicated to environmental and ecological issues. Some zoos might also maintain ecologists and evolutionary specialists.</p>
<p>Wow! Thank you for the information. As a sort of follow-up question, for most of the careers you mentioned, would a bachelor’s degree suffice, or would you need to obtain a Master’s or even a PhD?</p>