Environment / Natural Resources / Sustainability

Finding opportunities for the natural and built worlds to co-exist is complex, and many industries are trying to find more sustainable solutions and reduce environmental impact, as well as “go green”. This community is a dynamic one to explore, and crosses multiple sectors.

Welcome to the Environment / Natural Resources / Sustainability Community

Energy use is an integral part of all sectors of society, be they industrial, transportation, residential, governmental, individual, or other sectors. The bulk of energy used in the world comes from non-renewable sources. The field of energy conservation revolves around the belief that prosperity and environmental stewardship go hand-in-hand. Energy conservationists create solutions for a wide range of environmental issues through political, design, scientific and economic expertise.

Nature and wildlife conservationists protect plants, animals and their habitats to ensure that the natural world will be around and healthy for generations to come. This can take the form of hands on science and research, government/policy work, national parks/education, non-profits focused on raising awareness and funds, and more. Career opportunities in this area are broad in scope, and students from any major should be able to find a way to put their skills to work in this area.

Cities, regions and their residents face significant challenges in the coming decades, and significant opportunities. Addressing the challenges and building on the opportunities requires skilled design and planning professionals who value both theory and practice, who can push professional boundaries while respecting community desires. Landscape architects develop creative designs for residential and commercial spaces in the private sector, as well as serving the public sector in the areas of historic preservation, recreation and other public construction. Regional planners address and resolve the physical, economic, and social problems of towns, cities, and larger regions, and attempt to anticipate and adequately prepare for the impact of growth and development on the environment and vice versa, and to resolve conflicts between development and the environment.

It’s Career Fair Season – are you ready?

Career fairs are one of your best opportunities to speak directly to a recruiter.  Whether you are looking for internships or full-time jobs, this is a chance you don’t want to miss.

Starting in mid-September, the fall UMass career fair …

By Carol Sharick
Carol Sharick Director of Career and Professional Development for Undergraduates, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Read more

Fall Employer Recruiting Starts This Month

Whether you are a senior preparing for the job search, or a student thinking ahead to summer internships, please review the recruiting timeline below for the timelines of the different industries.

The corporate sector tends to do bulk of their …

By Carol Sharick
Carol Sharick Director of Career and Professional Development for Undergraduates, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Read more

What Is Professional Development (and Why Does It Matter)?

School may be over, but learning is a lifelong process, especially if you want to move up the career ladder. Professional development plays a huge role in helping you advance in your chosen career. But what is professional development, and …

Read more

Sidebar

Relevant SBS Courses

Your major does not necessarily have to be in direct line with your career! Sociology majors can work in the business sector. Economics majors can work in government. Poli Sci majors can work on Wall Street. Many SBS departments offer courses relevant to various career paths. Here is a very small sampling of courses relevant to this industry from across the majors. Please speak with your academic advisor to explore all available courses, and remember that you need not constrain yourself to courses within your major. Study what is interesting to you!

STPEC 291 CE – Capitalism & the Environment

STPEC 291 CE – Capitalism & the Environment: Explore the ecological crisis through the lens of both social/environmental theory and political…

COMM 494Cl – Communication, Ecology & Sustainability

COMM 494Cl – Communication, Ecology & Sustainability: As forms of communication contribute to the growing integration of the planet, the planet…

LANDARCH 494I – Landscape Planning and the Cultural Landscape

LANDARCH 494I – Landscape Planning and the Cultural Landscape: Landscape planning crosses scales from regional to site specific, taking a real…

RESECON 471 – Cost Benefit Analysis

RESECON 471 – Cost Benefit Analysis: Theoretical foundations and practical procedures of benefit-cost analysis as applied to public natural resources and…

ECON 308 – Political Economy of the Environment

ECON 308 – Political Economy of the Environment: Application of the theories of political economy to environmental problems and issues.  Topics…

COMM 250 – Interpersonal Communication

COMM 250 – Interpersonal Communication: This course introduces non-majors to a variety of competing theories of interpersonal behavior and everyday social…

POLISCI 253H – Int’l Environmental Policy & Politics

POLISCI 253H – Int’l Environmental Policy & Politics: Focus on the social, political, and economic factors causing environmental threats and by…

SUSTCOMM 205 – Dynamics of Human Habitation

SUSTCOMM 205 – Dynamics of Human Habitation: How the built environment is shaped by humans. The forces that go into developing…

LEGAL 494DI – Environmental & Public Policy Dispute Resolution

LEGAL 494DI – Environmental & Public Policy Dispute Resolution: This course examines multiparty disputes involving topics such as land use management,…

LEGAL 497N – Environmental Justice

LEGAL 497N – Environmental Justice: This course provides an exploration of the environmental justice (EJ) movement. Central to our study is…

POLISCI 280 – Public Policy

POLISCI 280 – Public Policy: Focus on how public policies are made in the U.S., including the role of citizens, interest…

RESECON 262 – Environmental Economics

RESECON 262 – Environmental Economics: Economic analysis of environmental problems, focusing on air, water and land pollution. Emphasis is on analyzing…

SBS College to Careers – SOCBEHAV 250

SOCBEHAV 250: College to Careers This class is all about YOU. • One credit, highly-participatory course • Learn about yourself…

Skill-Building With Linkedin Learning Classes

See below for skill-building classes – visit LinkedIn Learning for more.

The Core Competencies All Employers Seek

Some skills are universally sought by employers and are essential to a well functioning team.  Stand out from the crowd…

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) Essential Training (2021)

Taught by Corey Koberg
Google Analytics 4 provides the means to track, analyze, and report on the visitors to your site and app—who they…

Excel Essential Training (Microsoft 365) (2018)

Taught by Dennis Taylor
Get up to speed with Microsoft Excel, the world’s most popular spreadsheet program. Follow along with Excel expert Dennis Taylor…

Nano Tips for Using Excel with Miss Excel (2021)

Taught by Kat Norton
Welcome to our Nano Tips series, where LinkedIn Learning creators deliver impactful lessons in literally seconds. Here, join Miss Excel…

How to Be More Inclusive

Taught by Madecraft
Creating an inclusive workplace, where every employee feels welcomed, valued, respected, and heard, requires both structural change to your company…

The Secrets to Success at Work

Taught by Nigel Cumberland
Regardless of your profession or career stage, you can excel and be successful at work. In this course, Nigel Cumberland—a…

ArcGIS Pro Essential Training (2019)

Taught by Gordon Luckett
ArcGIS Pro is a popular geographic information system (GIS) that combines the power of 2D and 3D mapping with cloud-based…

Learn Emotional Intelligence, the Key Determiner of Success

Taught by Big Think
Explore the four domains of emotional intelligence—self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management—as defined by psychologist and author Daniel Goleman.…

Outlook Quick Tips (2017)

Taught by Nick Brazzi
Get quick answers to your most urgent Outlook questions. These short tutorials help users work faster and smarter with Outlook,…

Public Speaking Foundations

Taught by Laura Bergells
Develop the skills you need to prepare and deliver an outstanding speech or presentation. In this course, Laura Bergells offers…

Cert Prep: PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)®

Taught by Kelley O'Connell
The agile approach to project management can help companies respond faster and more effectively to change. As a result, having…

Excel: PivotTables for Beginners (2018)

Taught by Dave Ludwig
PivotTables don’t have to be scary! This powerful Excel feature cuts the time you spend on formulas in half. In…

PowerPoint: Designing Better Slides (2017)

Taught by Heather Ackmann
Designed for non-designers, this course introduces average business professionals to key design components and requirements for purposeful PowerPoint slide design.…

Learning Excel 2016

Taught by David Rivers
This beginner-level course will introduce new users to Excel 2016. Author David Rivers covers the interface, creating and opening workbooks,…

You Need a Career Development Plan

Taught by Macmillan Publishers
You can’t navigate your way to career success without first plotting a course. Having a career development strategy can be…

Explore Outcomes

The SBS Office of Career & Professional Development annually surveys graduating seniors in order to provide a snapshot of their post-graduation plans.  The survey begins just prior to graduation, and continues until six months after graduation.  Our data collection process is guided by the industry standard put forth by the National Association of Colleges & Employers, and includes information collected by the SBS Office of Career & Professional Development, the Office of Institutional Research at UMass Amherst, and by various academic departments, as well as from information that is made publicly available by students.  The SBS undergraduate outcomes knowledge rate for 2022 was 70%, though knowledge rate varies among departments.

The SBS Office of Career & Professional Development annually surveys graduating seniors in order to provide a snapshot of their post-graduation plans.  The survey begins just prior to graduation, and continues until six months after graduation.  Our data collection process is guided by the industry standard put forth by the National Association of Colleges & Employers, and includes information collected by the SBS Office of Career & Professional Development, the Office of Institutional Research at UMass Amherst, and by various academic departments, as well as from information that is made publicly available by students.  The SBS undergraduate outcomes knowledge rate for 2022 was 70%, though knowledge rate varies among departments.

  • First Destination
  • Top Employers
  • Starting Salary
  • Job Titles
  • Employment Locations
  • Top Universities
  • Degree Types
  • Fields of Study

First Destination

SBS graduates pursue a range of plans after graduation, including employment, continuing education, and volunteering/service, among others.  This graph depicts what recent SBS graduates tell us they are doing within six months after graduation.

Student Success Stories

Featured Resources