Environmental Studies

Most students who plan to transfer and pursue Environmental Studies will complete the Associate of Arts-Direct Transfer Agreement (AA-DTA): Environmental Science, or Associate of Arts-Direct Transfer Agreement (AA-DTA): Environmental Policy. These degrees meet statewide guidelines endorsed by 22 colleges and universities in Washington.

Requirements for transfer institutions may vary, so work with your Success Coach or a Faculty Advisor to create your academic plan.

You should consult with an advisor at the transfer institution for specific requirements.

Visit the Olympic College Transfer Center webpage for more info. 

Graduates with degrees in Environmental Studies can pursue numerous career fields, including: 

• Climate Change Policy Analyst 
• Environmental Economists 
• Environmental Restoration Planners 
• Environmental Science and Protection Technicians 
• Environmental Scientists and Specialists 

Visit O*Net OnLine to view these and other career opportunities. 

Olympic College was honored with 2019 Tree Campus USA® recognition by the Arbor Day Foundation for its commitment to effective urban forest management.

“Tree Campuses and their students set examples for not only their student bodies but the surrounding communities showcasing how trees create a healthier environment,” said Dan Lambe, president of the Arbor Day Foundation. “Because of Olympic College's participation air will be purer, water cleaner and your students and faculty will be surrounded by the shade and beauty the trees provide.”

Olympic College is developing signage identifying significant vegetation on the Bremerton campus, including:

• Sequoiadendron giganteum - Giant Sequoia (Located on the Hazelwood Library lawn).
• Quercus pontica - Armenian Oak (Located at the northwest corner of the Science and Technology building).
• Umbellularia californica - California Bay Laurel (Located north and west of the Sophia Bremer Child Development Center).
• Acer palmatum’ ornatum’ - Purple Lace Leaf Japanese Maple (Located at the main entrance of the Humanities and Student Services building).
• Eucryphia X nymansensis - Leather Leaved Eucryphia (Located north of the Sophia Bremer Child Development Center).
• Camelia sasanqua ‘Maiden’s Blush’ - Maiden’s Blush Camelia (Located south of the Barner house).
• Ulmus glabra ‘Camperdownii” - Camperdown Elm (Located northwest of the Barner house).

The signs are attached to the tree itself and are specially designed with a spring and washer system so that it will extend to give the tree room to grow. Each plaque includes a QR code that people can scan with their phones to pull up more information about the tree. The default setting is to simply pull up more information about that particular tree species, but the college has the ability to include information specific to Olympic College, such as when particular trees were planted. Five of the signs have been installed so far, with seven more on the way.

"I think it really helps with awareness about some of our heritage trees," said OC Biology Professor Amy Lawrence.

The Tree Campus USA program honors colleges and universities for effective campus forest management and for engaging staff and students in conservation goals. Olympic College achieved the title by meeting Tree Campus USA’s five standards, which include maintaining a tree advisory committee, a campus tree-care plan, dedicated annual expenditures for its campus tree program, an Arbor Day observance and student service-learning project. Currently there are 385 campuses across the United States with this recognition.

The Arbor Day Foundation has helped campuses throughout the country plant thousands of trees, and Tree Campus USA colleges and universities invested more than $51 million in campus forest management last year. This work directly supports the Arbor Day Foundation’s Time for Trees initiative — an unprecedented effort to plant 100 million trees in forests and communities and inspire 5 million tree planters by 2022. Last year, Tree Campus USA schools have collectively planted 34,515 trees and engaged 33,432 tree planters — helping us work toward these critical goals.

More information about the program is available on the Abor Day Foundation website.

The Arbor Day Foundation is a million member nonprofit conservation and education organization with the mission to inspire people to plant, nurture and celebrate trees. More information is available at the Arbor Day Foundation website. 

Kitsap Peninsula is rich in biodiversity and our students have access to field sites where you will gain relevant hands-on learning experience. 

• Barner Learning Landscape
• Chico Salmon Park
• Poulsbo’s Fish Park