Skip To Main Content

Environmental Science

Life Sciences & Services Academy

Agriculture, Environmental & Life Sciences Pathway

Learn More About our Academy Model

Learn More About our Academy Model

View all CTE Programs MA State Frameworks

View all CTE Programs MA State Frameworks

Learn About Our Advisory Committees

Learn About Our Advisory Committees

Learn About Co-op

Learn About Co-op

Video: Hear From A Teacher

Environmental Science teacher Emily Kotwal says teaching students in our new facility – with her classroom connected to a lab space with an aquaponics system – allows students “to walk into our next space and show them something that in a book was not making sense.” “Everything we need to teach is right here,” she said.

Program Description

Minuteman was the first high school in Massachusetts to develop an approved Environmental Science & Technology program and is currently one of only a handful of high schools in Massachusetts offering such a program.

Students have a unique opportunity to participate in extensive, concentrated environmental studies, and to conduct in-depth laboratory and field studies not available in traditional high school settings.

The philosophy of the Environmental Science & Technology career major is to bring together students interested in the environmental field, environmental scientists and engineers, community and state officials, and other environmental organizations to investigate real world environmental issues.

Students are trained in wastewater and drinking-water technologies and are prepared to take the Massachusetts Class II Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant Operators and Massachusetts Grade I Drinking- Water Treatment Exams administered by the State of Massachusetts. Eligible seniors may also complete internships with local environmental consulting companies, contractors, or laboratories. Most graduates of this program pursue further education at the college level.

Course Content

  • Limnology & Freshwater Systems
  • Aquaculture
  • Geology
  • Meteorology
  • Senior Project
  • Marine Biology
  • Wildlife Biology
  • Soil Sciences
  • Hydrogeology
  • Energy Technologies
  • First Aid & CPR
  • Environmental Site Assessment
  • Wastewater Treatment Technology
  • Drinking-Water Technology
  • Confined-Space Entry
  • Land-Use Planning/Watershed Management
  • Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
  • Sustainability & Green Technologies

Career Tree: Environmental Science

First page of the PDF file: EnvironmentalScienceCareerTree2019

Environmental Science Instructors

Sarah Cammer

Instructor-Environmental Science

Emily Kotwal

Instructor-Environmental Science, SkillsUSA Advisor
Certification Header

Industry Certifications

  • OSHA 10-Hour General Industry Safety
  • OSHA-40 Hour HAZWOPER
  • First Aid & CPR
  • Confined-Space Entry
  • Massachusetts Grade II Municipal Wastewater Operator’s License (State exam)
  • Massachusetts Grade I Drinking-Water Treatment Plant Operator License (State exam)

Possible Career Pathways

  • Environmental Attorney
  • Environmental Engineer
  • Environmental Technician
  • Geologist
  • Hazardous-Waste Site Worker
  • Health & Safety Specialist
  • Hydrogeologist
  • Laboratory Technician
  • Marine Biologist
  • Meteorologist
  • Natural Resource Manager
  • Oceanographer
  • Toxicologist
  • Water/Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator
Projected Salary

Starting Salary

  • Earnings vary by specialty: $36,310 - $102,610+
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Employers Hiring Minuteman Graduates

  • Genzyme
  • Doosan Fuel Cell America
  • ARCADIS
  • Billerica Water Department
  • Concord Water Department
  • Burlington Water Department
  • Roux Associates
  • U.S. Environmental
  • Geotechnical Engineers, Inc.
  • Woodard & Curran
  • ATC Group Services
College Agreement Header

College Partners

  • Unity College

Articulation Agreement

University of Massachusetts Amherst's Stockbridge School of Agriculture; Minuteman graduation earns 3 Stockbridge credits toward a 2- or 4-year degree.

Advisory Committee Partners

  • ARCADIS
  • Mass. Division of Fisheries and Wildlife
  • Massachusetts Water Works Association
  • New England Environmental Technologies (NEET)
  • UMass Boston