Welcome to the Environmental Biology (EVB) website!
Are you passionate about wildlife conservation, aquatic ecosystems, or solving environmental challenges? The Environmental Biology (EVB) program within Biological Sciences gives you the scientific foundation and real-world experience to turn that passion into a meaningful career.
Choose Your Path:
Beginning in Fall 2026 our three concentrations allow you to specialize in a specific career path while earning your degree.
What Makes EVB Different?
This isn't just classroom learning. Every EVB student completes a hands-on internship and/or research experience tailored to their career goals. You'll work alongside professionals at state and federal agencies, conservation organizations, research labs, environmental consulting firms, zoos, and nature centers, gaining the skills and connections that open doors after graduation.
Our Wildlife Biology and Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences concentrations provide all the coursework and training needed to apply for professional certification with nationally recognized organization immediately after graduation, giving you a valuable credential that sets you apart in the job market.
Whether you're tracking wildlife populations in the field, analyzing water quality data, managing fish communities, or developing conservation strategies, you'll graduate ready to make a real impact on the environmental challenges that matter most to you.
Gain valuable hands-on experience and become engaged in your chosen field of study! Our best students work with one or more faculty members and generate knowledge, not just learn it. Research experiences are key for those interested in graduate or professional schools. You can also earn credit for your research and count it towards your degree.
Following the work of one of our previous interns, EVB has partnered with the EIU Office of Sustainability to work towards composting organic wastes from EIU’s food services. We are currently exploring vermicomposting as a way to speed up the process.
EIU offers pre-health-professions coursework to prepare students for admission to medical programs at other institutions. Click here for more information on this program.
For the last few semesters, we have been converting used cooking oil from dining services into diesel fuel. We now have a Biodiesel truck and will be doing outreach to local schools in the near future. This is just a part of EIU’s commitment to renewable energy as we are also exploring fuels from algae and biomass. These efforts should continue to expand as the Renewable Energy Center develops.
Geographic Information Systems, or GIS are an ever expanding tool used in mapping and developing management plans for species and landscapes. The GIS minor works well within the EVB degree with most classes counting towards your EVB electives.
As more and more interest is placed in renewable energy and in using our existing resources more wisely, issues of sustainability have become more important to companies and agencies. The new sustainability minor explores those issues and works well within the EVB degree, with most classes counting towards your EVB electives.
Dept. of Biological Sciences
Eastern Illinois University
600 Lincoln Avenue
Charleston, IL 61920
eleffert@eiu.edu