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Environmental
Studies
Environment Technology
The Environmental Studies Program is a two-year career
option program designed to prepare you for your future career in
environment technology. The
Environmental Studies Program will expose you to a wide range of science,
environmental technology, and general education courses.
This course work will allow you to graduate with the knowledge,
skills, and practical experience you will need for employment or advanced
education. You can choose to
begin your career in environmental technology immediately following
graduation or transfer your credits to a bachelor’s degree program at a
four-year college or university.
Career Options
Your success and employability in the environmental technology
field will depend on a broad base of educational and practical
experiences. The
Environmental Studies Program is designed to give you the type of
experiences which you will need to pursue your career goals in air
pollution control, hazardous materials management, public sanitation,
industrial hygiene and safety, solid waste management, and water pollution
control. You will also be
prepared to successfully transfer to a four-year college or university.
Possible majors include atmospheric studies, chemistry,
environmental studies, microbiology, public health, science education, and
toxicology.
Courses Offered
The Environmental
Studies Program curriculum places a strong emphasis in science,
mathematics, and computer technology.
An Advisory Committee, made up of environmental and conservation
professionals, works with the program coordinator to ensure that you are
adequately prepared to meet practical employment or college transfer
needs. Required course work
includes a 25 credit core of required general education courses, 22
credits of environmental studies courses, and 21 credits of general
education electives. All
environmental studies courses are taught in a modern well equipped
laboratory which provides an ideal setting for academic growth and
development.
Internships &
Experience
As part of your Environmental Studies Program course work, you
are required to complete a practicum for credit. Placement is available through a variety of federal, state,
and local agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency, the Iowa
Department of Natural Resources, and county public health departments.
You can also complete your practicum by working for private
businesses and industries. Opportunities
for summer employment include work as a air pollution inspector,
environmental laboratory technician, hazardous materials technician,
public sanitarian, safety officer, solid waste management specialist,
wastewater treatment plant technician, and water distribution system
operator.
Student Profile
Students who enroll in the Environmental Studies Program
exhibit a strong interest in the plight of the environment.
To address this interest, hands-on experiences are an essential
component of the program. As
a student in the Environmental Studies Program, you will be involved in
ongoing projects for various environmental agencies and organizations.
These projects include environmental quality monitoring projects,
solid and hazardous waste management proposals, and air and water
pollution field research. You
will be involved in collecting data for actual research reports and
publications instead of laboratory work on an academic level only.
Graduate Profile
Graduates of the Environmental Studies Program have
traditionally found great success securing employment in various areas of
environmental technology. Past
graduates are currently employed at the federal, state, county, and
municipal level. Current
employment of program graduates includes laboratory technicians at private
environmental testing laboratories, municipal water and wastewater
treatment plant operators, public sanitarians, and a variety of other
environmental technology positions. Many
graduates of the Environmental Studies Program are currently employed with
environmental agencies and private businesses in Iowa.
Many others have found employment throughout the rest of the United
States.
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