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
AI cuts wildlife tracking time from months to days
Artificial intelligence can dramatically speed up the painstaking work of tracking wildlife with remote cameras, cutting analysis time from months or even a year to just days while producing nearly the same scientific conclusions as humans.
WSU SURCA undergraduate researchers earn 65 awards
Seventy-three students at the Showcase for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (SURCA) 2026 were the recipients of 65 awards totaling $14,000.
A gas that causes climate change is bubbling out of reservoirs
John Harrison, professor in the WSU School of the Environment, was featured in an article by the Los Angeles Times about the prevalence of methane in California reservoirs and its environmental impacts.
Ancient brines helped build Idaho’s Silver Valley and the Idaho Cobalt belt
Idaho’s Silver Valley has produced about 1.2 billion ounces of silver since the late 1800s, enough to cast a solid cube roughly as tall as a five-story building, along with huge amounts of lead and zinc.