Overview of the Program
The Department of Natural Resource Sciences offers a wide range of graduate educational opportunities designed to meet the following broad goals:
- To couple an atmosphere of scholarship with research and educational opportunities that will produce people capable of responding to the complex issues of understanding, management, use and protection of natural resources.
- To foster the pursuit of research in the natural resource sciences that will lead to better understanding of the ecological, social and economic relationships inherent to natural resource issues.
- To produce scientists/practicing professionals better prepared to assume leadership roles in educational, research, management and/or other careers related to natural resources and the environment.
We offer programs of graduate study leading to both the M.S. and Ph.D degrees. Two degrees are available at the Master's level:
- The M.S. in Natural Resource Sciences, which is a thesis-based degree emphasizing the conduct of original research by the student.
- The M.S. in Natural Resources, which is a non-thesis, more coursework-intensive degree with options in forestry, wildlife, and related areas of emphasis, such as conservation biology and landscape and restoration ecology.
Both of the above degrees provide students advanced education in principles and applications of natural resource sciences, with the former (thesis) degree designed to provide greater emphasis on research-derived education and the latter (non-thesis) degree designed to provide greater opportunity for coursework-derived education. The latter (non-thesis) degree also has particular value for professionals seeking to upgrade their education.
At the doctoral level, the Department collaborates with the WSU Program in Environmental Science and Regional Planning to offer the joint, interdepartmental Ph.D. in Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences. This degree requires original research leading to a dissertation, and coursework supporting desired competence in five areas of advanced knowledge:
- Ecosystems
- Research Methods
- Issues and Ethics
- Interdisciplinary Cognizance
- Subject Area of Doctoral Research.
This doctoral degree is designed to offer students the opportunity to attain an important, interdisciplinary terminal degree that integrates among the various science fields related to environment and natural resources. Graduates will be particularly well-prepared to assume important roles in academia, other research organizations, or advanced work in natural resource ecology and environmental management.
Positions Held by Recent Graduates
- Bear Handler
San Diego Zoo - Teacher
Biology/Natural Resources
Eastern Washington University (Cheney) - Fluvial Geomophologist Resources Staff
Natural Resource Conservation Service
USDA - Assistant Professor
California - Assistant Professor
University of Arkansas - Geographic Information Systems Specialist
State of Maine - Wildlife Technician
Alaska Department of Fish and Wildlife - Consultant
Consulting Firm in
New Jersey - Various Postdoctoral Positions
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