In the University of Maine at Farmington Earth and Environmental Sciences program, you’ll become a member of a true scientific community — learning the techniques of field observation, measurement, sampling and analysis as part of your coursework.
Here, you’ll work side-by-side with your professors in classes and laboratories and also in the field conducting real-world research in our nearby forests, lakes, rivers, mountains and coastal settings.
The Earth and Environmental Sciences program engages you in a variety of in-the-field and in-the-lab investigations to help you better understand the past, present and future behavior of the whole earth system.
As an Earth and Environmental Sciences student you’ll also have opportunities for hands-on internship experiences. You’ll become proficient in doing and communicating science — even making presentations in public and scientific arenas.
See Earth & Environmental Science student Cameron McLaughlin (included in this three-student video) on why he chose Farmington
One Major / Two Tracks
Our Earth and Environmental Sciences has two tracks: Geology or the Environmental Science track. Both place a strong emphasis on field and hands-on experiences.
Geology Track/Concentration
In the Geology track you’ll focus on understanding the past and present processes that shape our planet and its resources. You’ll have field experiences at nearby sites and, during travel courses, at other geologically rich locations such as: Newfoundland, Ireland and Scotland and central Canada. Graduates can go on to careers in mineral exploration, water resource management, education and GIS analysis.
Environmental Science Track/Concentration
In the Environmental Science track you’ll take an interdisciplinary approach that’s flexible, quantitative and offers the opportunity for greater specialization. You’ll gain a strong core in the natural sciences and mathematics and may select electives that allow for in-depth specialization in a specific discipline. Graduates can pursue careers in lake conservation, environmental impact and assessment, endangered species conservation, state park and marine resource protection, sustainable agriculture, air quality and energy resources or enroll in graduate studies.
Empowered to Effect Social Change
Whichever Earth and Environmental Sciences track you choose, you’ll leave UMF ready to the tackle resource, energy and environmental challenges of the 21st century. You’ll be empowered to be an environmentally literate citizen skilled at using scientific approaches to effect constructive social change.
What Can You Do With A Degree in Earth & Environmental Science?
UMF Named a 2023 “Top Green College” by Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges: 2023 Edition
The Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges: 2023 Edition provides a comprehensive measure of a school’s performance as an environmentally aware and prepared institution.
According to The Princeton Review, out of the over 710 schools considered for this project, all 455 Green Colleges (which includes the University of Maine at Farmington) profiled on its site are, in their opinion, truly up to the task of training the next generation of leaders, people who will be responsible for putting green ideas into practice.
Specifically, it includes:
- Whether students have a quality of life on campus that is both healthy and sustainable
- How well a school is preparing students for employment in an increasingly green economy
- How environmentally responsible a school’s policies are
The Princeton Review chose the 455 colleges based on its 2021–22 survey of administrators at 713 colleges concerning their institutions’ sustainability-related policies, practices, and programs. The Review’s editors analyzed more than 25 data points from the survey to tally Green Rating scores for the schools on a scale of 60 to 99. Colleges that earned a Green Rating score of 80 or higher, such as UMF, were chosen for the Guide to Green Colleges.
UMF made the Princeton Review Top Green College list in 2023, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2014, 2013 and 2012.
UMF Named a Best Choice Colleges “Most Affordable Eco-friendly College”
Best Choice Colleges named the University of Maine at Farmington the #4 Most Affordable Eco-friendly College in the Nation in 2021-2022.
To decide the 50 Most Affordable Eco-Friendly Colleges, Best Choice Colleges consulted organizations such as the Sierra Club, U.S. News & World Report, and The Princeton Review to come up with American colleges and universities that have a solid reputation as “eco-friendly.”
From there, it consulted nearly 100 universities’ own websites to determine the annual undergraduate tuition. Finally, it ranked each university from lowest to highest annual tuition, in order to determine the 50 most affordable.
All of the schools on the list have unique structures or lifestyle characteristics that make them leaders in sustainability. They have all earned formal “green” ratings from one major agency or another, and most have been recognized by respected groups dedicated to protecting the environment
Whether you’re looking for an education in order to pursue a career in environmentalism, or are just interested in living a life of sustainability, Farmington is dedicated to the idea of sustainable living: a LEED-certified building, a sustainable biomass heating facility, geo-thermal wells for heating and cooling campus buildings, even an on-campus community vegetable garden. Here at UMF, you don’t need to spend a fortune in tuition and fees just to attend a responsibly eco-friendly college.
Save nearly $6,000 per year in tuition. This University of Maine at Farmington program qualifies for the New England Regional Program tuition discount.
This price break is for residents of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont for the 2023-2024 academic year — a savings of $5,880 per year.
See More About the New England Regional Program Tuition Discount Got questions? Ask a professor in this programContact Us
Office of Admissions
University of Maine at Farmington
246 Main Street
Farmington, Maine USA 04938-1994
tel 207-778-7050
fax 207-778-8182
TYY (via Maine Relay Service) dial 711
umfadmit@maine.edu
