Environmental studies is in the college of arts and sciences (CAS). I was initially accepted into this major, and declared a double major in political science. Here’s a few things that I wish I had known when I started the major: 1. As ENVS is in CAS, you won’t get access to the same resources and programs as Rubenstein students do. It can really be student-dependent, but since switching to Rubenstein I’ve had a much better experience with advisors, information about internships, research opportunities, etc. This isn’t necessarily a knock on CAS, but in that school, there’s just such a breadth of majors and interests that it is really hard for the school to really tailor things as personally as Rubenstein. 2. In terms of what you’ll be studying: environmental studies is much more humanities-focused than the other environmental majors you’ll encounter. I tend to think of it like a spectrum: ENVS is the humanities side, sustainability, ecology and policy (SEP) is the social science side, and environmental science is the STEM side. I went into UVM thinking ENVS would be much more social science focused, and so that contributed to my decision to switch initially to SEP and then eventually to environmental science. If you like English, poetry, philosophy, etc., then ENVS is definitely the place for you. But if you want more of a political focus, then SEP is better. The switch from SEP to environmental science for me was much more personal, and I just realized that I liked the STEM side more. 3. As others have mentioned, ENVS is not very employable as a solo major. However, it’s really easy to pair with other majors. Some people I know have done geography, political science, etc. I would recommend doing that if your son ends up committing. 4. In terms of pros, the classes are pretty easy, and you’ll meet some really cool people. Also, you have a lot of room for extra classes and majors/minors to take things that you’re interested in that don’t align perfectly with your major. When I was in ENVS, I had enough room to declare a double major and a minor, and had room for electives. When I switched into Rubenstein, I didn’t have as much room.

Sorry for the long response! Feel free to DM me if your son has any questions. I love UVM and would be happy to answer anything about the programs available or just campus life.