Best Online Associate’s in Sustainability Program. Top-Rated Online Associate Programs in Environmental Science: FAQs and Key Highlights
Leading online associate programs in environmental science focus on analyzing various environmental issues, including climate change, overpopulation, and biodiversity. These programs are ideal for students passionate about environmental stewardship, offering a robust foundation in the natural and physical sciences and hands-on experiences to prepare them for a fulfilling career in environmental science.
In addition to many other things, students pursuing online degrees in Environmental Science, which is closely related to Natural Resource Management, will learn how to design and carry out scientific projects, comprehend how humans and the natural world interact and find workable solutions to environmental problems.
Best Online Associate’s in Sustainability Program
Columbia College
Columbia College’s Associate of Science in Environmental Studies program aids students in comprehending how human social, political, and economic actions affect natural systems. Students can choose from a variety of concentration areas in this online degree, including sustainability, agriculture, and environmental conservation.
To have a solid understanding of the scientific and cultural significance of environmental science, students in this degree will study extensively in environmental history and literature.
To graduate from the associate’s degree program, students must complete 60 credits in total.
The program curriculum includes courses in geography, ecology, biology, environmental science, environmental history, and much more.
What Is Special About This Program?
The associate’s degree program is meant to enable students to pursue careers as field technicians, environmental education assistants, sustainability coordinators, and support personnel for nonprofit organizations, among other positions.
Were you aware?
As long as students transfer from a school that has received regional accreditation, Columbia College will accept transfer credits for the majority of courses with a “C” or above.
Great Bay Community College
The environmental science Associate of Science degree offered by Portsmouth, New Hampshire-based Great Bay Community College is perfect for future transfer to a four-year university in order to get a bachelor’s degree in environmental science or other related subjects.
The curriculum offers between sixty-three and sixty-one credit hours total.
The interactions between the environment’s physical, chemical, and biological components are the main emphasis of the program design.
Students at Great Bay Community College have access to a variety of flexible course alternatives, such as online and hybrid delivery methods.
What Is Special About This Program?
A number of New England colleges and universities have articulation agreements with Great Bay Community College.
Seminole State College
The Associate of Arts in Environmental Studies program at Seminole State College is primarily intended for transfer students who want to work in environmental planning, resource management, environmental law, or environmental policy at upper-division public institutions or universities in the state of Florida.
There are 60 credit hours altogether in the program. To enhance flexibility, courses are offered both in-person and virtually.
After earning their AA, students have the option to continue their education at Seminole State in order to pursue a bachelor’s degree.
What Is Special About This Program? In order to pursue their bachelor’s degree, Seminole State associate’s degree holders are also eligible for guaranteed admission to the University of Central Florida or another Florida state university.
Community College of Vermont
The Associate of Science in Environmental Science program at the Montpelier-based Community College of Vermont prepares graduates for jobs in environmental fields or for transfer to a four-year university to pursue a bachelor’s degree.
The curriculum can be finished entirely online and consists of 63 credit hours in total. The multidisciplinary degree program gives students the knowledge and skills to identify environmental issues and provide solutions.
At the conclusion of the degree program, students must complete a Professional Field Experience course, which provides them with the opportunity to network with nearby environmental agencies and other possible employers.
What Is Special About This Program? With the goal of facilitating a smooth transition from this degree program to a bachelor’s degree program, CCV has agreements and 2+2 paths with other Vermont and regional state college systems.
Northwest Arkansas Community College
As a component of their AAS in Environmental and Regulatory Science program, Northwest Arkansas Community College provides an Associate of Applied Science in Safety, Health, and Hazardous Materials. With its emphasis on safety, compliance, and regulations related to the environment, it may not be exactly the same as the traditional environmental science degree program, but there are still a lot of areas of concern where it is similar.
The curriculum offers 60–61 credit hours in total.
The AAS program offers three academic tracks, the most popular of which is the online AAS in Safety, Health, and Hazardous Materials course.
What Is Special About This Program? The curriculum is developed so that students can easily transfer to a four-year university to pursue a bachelor’s degree in environmental science or a similar career in health.
Cape Cod Community College
A combined Associate of Arts degree program with a focus on environmental studies is available at Cape Cod Community College. For students who eventually want to enroll in a four-year bachelor program in environmental studies, this curriculum is perfect.
A number of environmental electives are available to students, in addition to natural science and mathematics coursework. The program is offered in a 50% online version because it may involve lab work.
What Is Special About This Program?
The curriculum offers strong preparation for further coursework in environmental engineering, environmental studies, environmental management, environmental education, and natural resource management.
Were you aware? An associated Associate of Science in Environmental Technology degree program is also available at Cape Cod Community College.
Lee College
An environmental science hybrid associate’s degree is available at Baytown, Texas’s Lee Institution, a public community institution. The goal of this degree program is to provide students with a solid foundation for when they transfer to a four-year institution to pursue a bachelor’s degree in environmental science or a closely related field.
Part of the coursework can be done online, thanks to the range of distance learning options that Lee College offers.
The curriculum equips students with critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, which are essential for careers in environmental science, in addition to the theoretical underpinnings that are required.
What Is Special About This Program?
Students can select from a variety of specialization areas within the program curriculum, including physical geology, chemistry, biology, and Geology.
Were you aware? In addition to offering a 4-year transfer option, Lee College’s AS in Environmental Science program gives graduates strong foundational training for entry-level technical or assistant roles, especially in lab or teaching settings.
Ocean County College
An Associate of Science in Environmental Studies from Ocean County College, a public community college in Ocean County, New Jersey, is a suitable starting point for a range of technical, teaching, and research jobs in the environmental sciences, including those in the ecotourism sector.
There are 60 credit hours overall in the curriculum, all of which can be completed online.
Students complete a three-credit-hour field experience or practicum during their last semester of study.
What Is Special About This Program?
The curriculum gives students a solid foundation in the natural sciences, equipping them for a range of occupations in government, academia, and research, as well as the business sector.
Were you aware? A Certificate of Completion (CC) in Environmental Sustainability is another program that Ocean County College provides.
Florida Gateway College
The Associate of Science in Environmental Science Technology program at Florida Gateway College, a public college in Lake City, is a specially focused program that equips students with knowledge in the areas of water resources, including hydrology, pollution management, wastewater treatment, and more.
The course is only available online.
Instead, program participants who currently hold operator licenses for wastewater treatment and water treatment may elect to document their experiential learning in order to receive college credit.
What Is Special About This Program?
The numerous related processes, topic areas, and disciplines that are specifically related to water resource management are the emphasis of this degree program.
Were you aware? An additional program offered by Florida Gateway College is the Environmental Science Technician College Credit Certificate (CCC), which is intended for individuals with prior industry experience as well as those aspiring to work in the water resource management sector.
College of the Rockies
The College of the Rockies offers an Associate of Science in Environmental Science, providing prospective students with a solid foundation for further education and unlocking numerous education and career prospects.
This online program enables students to explore a variety of courses that help them discover their specific areas of interest. It features interdisciplinary studies focusing on local and global environmental issues.
Courses in the program cover a range of topics, including Introduction to Cultural Anthropology, Introduction to Biology, Introduction to Microbiology, and Genetics, among others.
What Sets This Program Apart: The Associate of Science in Environmental Science online degree program serves as the first two years of a bachelor’s degree, allowing students to save on tuition costs by completing the initial half of their degree mostly online.
Fun Fact:
The College of the Rockies maintains small class sizes to provide personalized attention and guidance from instructors. This individualized approach greatly benefits students aiming to successfully complete the degree program.
Community College of Denver
Access the Community College of Denver’s Associate of Science in Environmental Science degree program online. It is intended to assist students in fulfilling prerequisites for employment in teaching, research, conservation, and agricultural science at the entry level.
The curriculum includes classes on natural disasters, environmental science with a lab, special topics, and other subjects.
After completing this associate’s program successfully, students can transfer to a four-year institution to get a bachelor’s degree.
What Is Special About This Program?
With the support of state-of-the-art equipment and roomy labs, students in this program may expect to effectively complete their degree. Additionally, they can engage in experiential learning in small classes that provide equitable opportunities for mentoring and assistance to all students.
Were you aware? Financial aid from the federal government is available for the associate’s degree in environmental science. To easily find out how they can afford to attend college, students can simply get in touch with the Financial Aid Office.
Delta College
Delta College gives interested students a chance to enter the field of environmental science with the offer of an Associate of Science in Environmental Science online program.
- In this program, students learn lab sampling techniques and write technical and field reports, along with compliance knowledge when it comes to federal, state, and local environmental health and safety regulations.
- Students can also expect to understand the interrelationship of environmental issues.
What Makes This Program Unique?
The program’s classes are designed to provide students with high-quality instructors and courses. Students can expect interactive lectures, activities, and hands-on lab sessions on top of the available online courses.
Did you know?
Delta College is a good place to start one’s pursuit of higher education while saving thousands of dollars to earn the degree program. Students who want to transfer credits to any public institution in Michigan will be able to transfer 30 credits under the Michigan Transfer Agreement.
Broward College
The Associate of Science in Environmental Science Technology program at Broward College, which is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), helps students acquire the information and abilities necessary to preserve natural resources that are in jeopardy.
In addition to the type of research they select, students will engage in project-based learning that includes practical research activities.
The program’s educational materials cover topics like native plant protection, wetlands management, and resource preservation.
For convenience, the program provides day, evening, and online programs.
What Is Special About This Program?
Modern labs and facilities are expected to support the learning process for students. With the best instruments available to them, this can better prepare them for lab and field work.
Were you aware?
Graduates with this degree can find employment in a variety of environmental science-related fields. In addition to being taught how to properly monitor adherence to environmental standards, they should also learn how to gather samples of the air, water, and soil.