2025-2026 Catalog 
    
    Aug 28, 2025  
2025-2026 Catalog

Environmental Studies (BS)


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From forest rangers to environmental consultants to GIS technicians to graduate researchers, UMFK’s Environmental Studies program empowers students for diverse career possibilities. Our Environmental Studies program embraces hands-on learning under the supervision of supportive and knowledgeable faculty who will prepare you to take on local, regional, and global environmental challenges. 

Located in the St. John Valley of Maine’s Acadian Forest region along a bend in the Fish River and near the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, our campus boasts innumerable opportunities for experiential learning. Our coursework incorporates regular field trips that reinforce classroom learning and development of technological and leadership skills transferable across a range of professions. Students also have the opportunity to do authentic research under the mentorship of our faculty, who are world-class scholars in different areas of natural resource conservation.  

 

The Curriculum

The Environmental Studies curriculum is flexible, consisting of required core courses around which are built restricted electives and general education courses. The Environmental Studies core comprises courses in basic and applied sciences, such as biology, chemistry, botany, soil science, environmental law, and wildlife conservation. Beyond the core, students have the opportunity to develop their specific areas of interest in the environmental sciences by choosing courses from among a pool of directed electives, including courses in forest ecology, wildlife ecology, forensics, silviculture, mammalogy, and fisheries. Students may pursue a minor, providing an opportunity to earn an additional credential as part of their degree.

Students in the Environmental Studies (BS) program are eligible for participation in the 4 + 1 Bachelor - MBA, Accelerated Pathway (MaineMBA)  and the Bachelor - Juris Doctor, Accelerated Pathway (MaineLaw) .

The Environmental Studies (BS) degree will be awarded upon the successful completion of the program requirements and fulfillment of the University of Maine at Fort Kent graduation requirements.

Environmental Studies - Program Details  

Distribution of credits


Core Courses 48 credits
Major-Specific General Education Courses1 11 credits
Program Electives 20 credits minimum
Remaining General Education Courses1 30 credits
Free Electives or minor to reach 120 credits 11 credits2

1The ”Major-Specific General Education Courses” together with the “Remaining General Education Courses”, fulfill UMFK’s General Education requirement.

2Actual total remaining for Free Electives may be different based on student selections.

 

Major-Specific General Education


These courses are required for this major and also fulfill General Education requirements.

Program Electives


Choose 7 courses from this list. Please note, some of these courses include a required Lab section.

Remaining General Education


Refer to the General Education (All Bachelor Degrees)  list for details.

Courses chosen from Program Electives may also fulfill General Education requirements.

Typical Course Sequence


Actual sequence may vary based on student selections.

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