Boston College vs. Colby: Which Is Stronger for Undergraduate Environmental Studies?

For a student seeking the strongest undergraduate-centered environmental studies experience, Colby has the edge. Its environmental offerings are deeply integrated into the liberal arts curriculum, its Maine location provides immediate access to forests, lakes, watersheds, and coastal ecosystems, and field-based learning is a visible part of the academic culture. Colby also gives undergraduates relatively direct access to faculty research and environmental work connected to the region.

Colby’s Environmental Studies program is especially appealing for students who want to connect science with policy, economics, ethics, and community questions rather than study environmental issues only through one disciplinary lens. Its location in central Maine supports hands-on work involving conservation, climate resilience, land use, food systems, and water resources. Its size can also make it easier to build close relationships with professors and pursue substantial undergraduate research.

Boston College has meaningful strengths, particularly through its Environmental Studies program. Its suburban Boston setting offers access to nonprofits, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and internships in a major metropolitan area. BC may be more compelling for someone who wants environmental studies paired with a larger university environment, strong professional networks, or frequent access to Boston-based policy and public-interest opportunities.

The key difference is immersion: at Colby, environmental study is more naturally reinforced by the surrounding landscape and a college-wide liberal arts setting; at Boston College, the strongest advantage is access to an urban research and internship ecosystem.