School of the Environment
The School of the Environment at Washington State University advances earth, environmental, and geosciences to better understand global ecology, ecosystem science, and sustainability of both the natural and human-built world.
We will provide you with technical knowledge, skills, and hands-on experience needed to succeed in your chosen environmental career and help you make a difference in the real world.
- Learn and discover while exploring the outdoors
- Dig into diverse research opportunities
- Work alongside leading scientists and educators studying ecology, conservation science, climate change, and the geology and dynamics of Earth system processes.
- Launch your career with a strong foundation of education, practical experience, and field training.
Undergraduate Majors
Earth Science
Earth science reveals our planet’s amazing history and the powerful forces that shape it. Understanding how Earth’s systems operate over million-year time scales is fundamental for preparing against natural hazards and changing climate, and for the sustainable extraction of natural resources. The Earth Science program offers undergraduate and graduate degrees that prepare students for leading roles in exciting careers in science, industry, nonprofit organizations.
Environmental & Ecosystem Sciences
Solving today’s environmental problems requires a foundational understanding of environmental processes and societal interactions, along with the skills required to uncover and effectively articulate the complexities of our changing world. The Environmental and Ecosystem Science Programs (undergraduate and graduate) prepare students to become science-based leaders by developing necessary science, technical, and communication skills. Our research-focused graduate program uses personalized mentorship to develop science at the forefront of knowledge.
Forest Ecology & Management
Foresters and forest ecologists plan, maintain, and preserve forests and forest resources. The Forest Ecology and Management degree at WSU is an interdisciplinary program that prepares students to make a positive impact locally and globally by creating, managing, conserving and repairing forested ecosystems. The program builds on a strong foundation in science, with an emphasis on forest ecosystems and lots of hands-on experience in forest measurements and sampling.
Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Sciences
The Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Sciences program focuses on understanding the ecology, habitat, conservation and management of wild animals, combining field work with cutting-edge analytical techniques. This broad training provides graduate and undergraduate students the background to pursue exciting careers in wildlife management, conservation, consulting, and academia.
School of the Environment in the News
In the Maya rainforest, even the jaguars pose for the camera
Deep in Guatemala’s Maya rainforest, a team led by Washington State University researchers captured more than just photos of jaguars, tapirs and ocelots.
Faculty took students to all seven continents to study abroad this year
Washington State University faculty took students around the world in 23 different study abroad programs in 2025, from frigid Antarctica to balmy Costa Rica.
WSU study projects increases in lightning, wildfire risk
The Northwest can expect a widespread increase of days with cloud-to-ground lightning in the years to come — along with heightened wildfire risk — according to projections made with a unique machine-learning approach developed at Washington State University.
Washington State University: WSU helps uncover role of inland and coastal waters in nitrogen fixation
Sarah Roley, associate professor, School of the Environmental science at WSU Tri-Cities, co-authored a paper with Carmella Vizza, former WSU Tri-Cities post-doctoral research associate, published in Science.