Minor in Natural Resource Science and Management

The Natural Resource Science and Management minor provides students an opportunity to enhance their understanding of how to create, manage, conserve, and restore natural and urban ecosystems. Students may use these additional skills to conserve plant and animal species in forests, grasslands, rivers, streams, and urban areas.  The breadth of knowledge and skills acquired can complement other degrees (i.e., biology, geography, environmental sciences, agricultural education, animal sciences, environmental engineering, political science, and plant science) and enhance employment opportunities.

The minor in Natural Resource Science and Management can be generalized or have a focus area:

  • Focus on fisheries and wildlife: prepares students for careers involving conservation and management of game and non-game animal species. 
  • Focus on forestry: prepares students for employment in government and commercial sectors that manage timber resources. 
  • Focus on urban conservation: prepares students for positions that maintain and restore functional ecosystems in urban settings.
  • Focus on human dimensions: prepares students for jobs in natural resources policy, environmental economics, or environmental education.

Requirements

The minor requires a minimum of 15 credit hours. At least 12 credit hours must be completed under the curriculum designators of F_W, FOREST, and/or NAT_R, and 9 credit hours must be completed at the 3000-level or above. Students may choose to complete a broad range of natural resources coursework or gain greater depth of knowledge through a focused study of fisheries and wildlife, forestry, urban conservation or human dimensions.  All coursework must be approved by an academic advisor within the Natural Resource Science and Management degree program.

Application for Minor

Students interested in this minor should complete the online form located here.