Best Colleges and Top Degrees in Environment Science

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In the last decade, climate change has revolutionized the professions and way of working of industries. It has introduced previously unknown fields of education and work. Environmental Science is one such domain. Need of Environmental Science degrees is increasing among employers, both governmental and private.

Read our previous article on top  career trends related to climate change here .

Since our leaders are behaving like children, we will have to take the responsibility they should have taken long ago.

Greta Thunberg, 2018

If you are someone who agreed with the Swedish child activist, Greta Thunberg when she asked the younger generation to take upon the responsibility of environmental conservation, then you have come to the right place. We know that you care for the planet and want to contribute your bit to protect it from the harms of climate change. We know that you prefer a jute bag over a plastic one and switch off the lights and fans when not in use. But is that all that you can do? In one word, the answer is No. This article will answer this and many other questions in detail.

Read on to know more about:

  • Environmental Science as a new field of education
  • Top college degrees in Environmental Sciences
  • Top universities offering courses in India
  • Online courses from top universities
  • Job and higher education prospects

Environmental Sciences – Need of the hour: 

Due to constant criticism from activist groups and movements like last year’s #FridaysForFuture, organizations all over the world are racing towards eco-friendly modes of operation and production. With vision to minimize carbon footprint, Government of India is also supporting cleantech sector and other sustainable projects.

All of this has resulted in the creation of a huge demand for individuals who understand the issues related to the environment deeply and can cater to the needs of governments and MNCs alike. Up to 65 million new jobs could be created in the next decade in sustainable and climate-friendly sectors. However, you will only be able to harness this mega-opportunity if you have proper education and training to meet the new demand.

Top College Degrees in Environmental Sciences: 

Environmental Science is an interdisciplinary field. This means that its curriculum is designed in such a way that it has elements from many traditional fields like chemistry, biology, geography, physics, oceanography, mineralogy, etc.

 Post-graduate courses:                                                                                   

These courses can be done even after a few years of work experience if you want to switch to a more environment-centric work profile. Some of the top courses offered in India are:

  1. M.Sc. in Forestry
  2. M.Sc. in Environment management
  3. M.Sc. in Wildlife Management
  4. M. Tech in Environmental Engineering
  5. M.B.A in Forestry & Environment Management
  6. M.Sc. in Disaster mitigation
  7. M.Phil. in Environment Biology

Diploma Courses:

While degree courses often focus more on the academic aspect of the field of study, diploma courses are shorter in duration and prepare an individual for the job market. Some of the best diploma courses related to the environment are :

  1. Diploma in Environmental Law
  2. Diploma in Environment Protection
  3. Diploma in Environment Photography
  4. Post Graduate Diploma in Pollution Control Technology
  5. Post Graduate Diploma in Sustainable Development

Undergraduate courses:

Usually, all post-graduate courses in Environmental Science accept students from a diverse background. But, there are always benefits of being an early bird. Some of the UG courses that will give you an edge are:

  1. Environmental engineering
  2. B.Sc. in Environmental Science and Water Management
  3. B.Sc. in Environmental Science and Wildlife management
  4. Bachelor in Environment and Ecology

Best Colleges in India:

Top engineering colleges including IIT Bombay and VIT – Vellore offer B.Tech and M.Tech courses in environment field.

M.Sc. courses are offered at eminent institutes like the Forest Research Institute (FRI) – Dehradun, Fergusson College – Pune, Jawaharlal Nehru University, and Amity University – Noida among others.

Diploma courses are offered at some of the best universities including the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru ( JNU), IGNOU, National Law Universities, etc.

UG courses in environmental sciences are offered at many universities like the University of Delhi, Banaras Hindu University, Wildlife Institute of India – Dehradun, Bharti Vidyapeeth University – Pune, Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) – Kochi.

Image Credit: Coursera

Online Courses and degrees:

In the times of 5G internet connectivity, online courses and degrees are gaining traction. A plethora of quality tutorials and short term courses are made available at a very low price on educational websites like Coursera and Udemy. These courses also provide valuable certification upon their completion. You can check out the range of courses here. Free courses from world’s best university, Massachusetts Institute of Technology are available here.

Government of India has launched online portal, Swayam recently which has various online courses and certifications at zero to minimal cost. It has courses from top colleges and universities of India, like IIM and IITs in environment and sustainable field. You can check them here.

Job Prospects:

The market in India and abroad is teeming with lucrative job opportunities for specialists in environmental science and related fields. Initial Salaries range from 6-7 lacs per annum for posts like ecologist and environmental consultant to as high as 15-18 lacs per annum for Sustainable Product Manager and Bio Research Assistant. Many new jobs are expected to arrive in the market making it more beneficial for professionals.  Read our previous article for more details: Climate Change and Career Growth: Future In Green Jobs

Although we have tried our best to cover all the important details in this post, there might be further questions in your mind that we would love to answer. Comment below and we will get back to you with info that matters.

Happy Reading!

Satyam Srivastava
Satyam is an undergraduate student at Hansraj College, Delhi. He loves to read about a myriad of topics and then write and debate on them. He has a keen interest in following the global sociopolitical developments and their impact on various facets of human lives. He also writes prose and poetry in both his native language, Hindi and English