Natural Resources Management
Major Requirements
Major: Natural Resources Management
Degree Type: B.S.
Minimum Degree Credits to Graduate: 128
University Degree Requirements
- Satisfactory completion of all requirements of the curriculum in which one is enrolled.
- Earn a minimum total of 120 credits in approved coursework. Some academic programs exceed this minimum.
- Satisfactory completion of the general education requirements as specified by the university.
- A minimum institutional GPA of 2.00 based on work taken at NDSU.
- At least 30 credits must be NDSU resident credits. Resident credits include credits registered and paid for at NDSU.
- At least 36 credits presented for graduation must be in courses numbered 300 or higher.
- Students presenting transfer credit must meet the NDSU residence credits and the minimum upper level credit. Of the 30 credits earned in residence, a minimum of 15 semester credits must be in courses numbered 300 or above, and 15 semester credits must be in the student’s curricula for their declared major.
For complete information, please refer to the Degree and Graduation Requirements section of this Bulletin.
University General Education Requirements
A list of university approved general education courses and administrative policies are available here.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Category C: Communication | 12 | |
| College Composition I | ||
| College Composition II | ||
| Fundamentals of Public Speaking | ||
Upper Division Writing † | ||
| Category R: Quantitative Reasoning † | 3 | |
| Category S: Science and Technology † | 10 | |
| Category A: Humanities and Fine Arts † | 6 | |
| Category B: Social and Behavioral Sciences † | 6 | |
| Category W: Wellness † | 2 | |
| Category D: Cultural Diversity *† | ||
| Category G: Global Perspectives *† | ||
| Total Credits | 39 | |
- *
Courses for category D & G are satisfied by completing D & G designated courses in another general education category.
- †
General education courses may be used to satisfy requirements for both general education and the major, minor, and program emphases, where applicable. Students should carefully review major requirements to determine if specific courses can also satisfy these general education categories.
MAJOR REQUIREMENTS
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core Courses for Natural Resources Management: | ||
| BIOL 150 & 150L | General Biology I and General Biology I Laboratory | 4 |
| BIOL 151 & 151L | General Biology II and General Biology II Laboratory | 4 |
| CHEM 121 & 121L | General Chemistry I and General Chemistry I Laboratory | 4 |
| ECON 201 | Principles of Microeconomics (May satisfy general education category B and G) | 3 |
| ENGL 321 | Writing in the Technical Professions | 3 |
| or ENGL 324 | Writing in the Sciences | |
| or ENGL 459 | Researching and Writing Grants and Proposal | |
| ENT 210 | Insects, Humans and the Environment | 3 |
| PHIL 215 | Contemporary Moral Issues (May satisfy general education category A) | 3 |
| or PHIL 225 | Environmental Ethics | |
| MATH 103 | College Algebra | 3 |
| NRM 150 | Natural Resource Management Orientation | 1 |
| NRM 225 | Natural Resources & Agrosystems | 3 |
| NRM 421 | Environmental Outreach Methods | 3 |
| NRM/RNG/SOIL 462 | Natural Resource and Rangeland Planning | 3 |
| RNG 136 | Introduction to Range Management | 3 |
| RNG 213 | Rangeland Sampling Techniques | 3 |
| RNG 452 | Managing Natural and Rangeland Resources using GIS | 3 |
| EMGT, POLS, or SOC Elective | 3 | |
| SOIL 210 | Introduction to Soil Science | 3 |
| STAT 330 | Introductory Statistics | 3 |
| Emphasis: Students must select one of the NRM emphasis areas listed below to complete the major requirements. | 45-50 | |
| Total Credits | 100-105 | |
NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT EMPHASIS AREAS
- Declaring an Emphasis- Students should formally declare an emphasis area with the Office of Registration & Records no later than the beginning of their junior year. The emphasis area is recorded on the academic transcript with the degree.
Water, Habitat, and Environmental Management Emphasis
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 364 | General Ecology | 3 |
| BIOL 475 | Conservation Biology | 3 |
| or BIOL 476 | Wildlife Ecology and Management | |
| ECON 481 | Natural Resource Economics | 3 |
| NRM 264 | Natural Resource Management Systems | 3 |
| NRM 402 | River and Stream Resource Management | 3 |
| or NRM 454 | Wetland Resources Management | |
| or SOIL 410 | Soils and Land Use | |
| NRM 431 | National Environmental Policy Act and Environmental Impact Assessment | 3 |
| NRM 453 | Rangeland Resources Watershed Management | 3 |
| Select a minimum of 29 credits from the approved electives below: | 29 | |
| Evolution | ||
| Plant Systematics | ||
| Invertebrate Zoology | ||
| Ichthyology | ||
| Herpetology | ||
| Ornithology | ||
| Mammalogy | ||
| Animal Physiology | ||
| Plant Ecology | ||
| Physiological Ecology | ||
| Animal Behavior | ||
| Structure and Diversity of Plants and Fungi | ||
| Wildlife and Fisheries Management Techniques | ||
| Ecotoxicology | ||
| Wetland Science | ||
| General Entomology | ||
| Introductory Microbiology and Introductory Microbiology Lab | ||
| Urban-Ecosystem Management | ||
| Sustainable Scenarios in Natural Resources Management | ||
| Introduction to Prairie & Community Forestry | ||
| Genetics | ||
| Genetics Laboratory | ||
| Principles of Weed Science | ||
| Woody Landscape Plants | ||
| Ecology of Fire-Dependent Ecosystems | ||
| Ecological Restoration | ||
| Grazing Ecology | ||
| Range Plants | ||
| Introduction to Meteorology & Climatology | ||
| Soil Ecology | ||
| Soils and Land Use | ||
| Soil Ecohydrology and Physics | ||
| Soil Genesis and Survey | ||
| Total Credits | 50 | |
Environmental Sustainability, Outreach, and Policy Emphasis
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 364 | General Ecology | 3 |
| ECON 481 | Natural Resource Economics | 3 |
| NRM 401 | Urban-Ecosystem Management | 3 |
| NRM 420 | Sustainable Scenarios in Natural Resources Management | 3 |
| NRM 431 | National Environmental Policy Act and Environmental Impact Assessment | 3 |
| POLS, SOC or EMGT | 200 level or higher | 6 |
| Select a minimum of 29 credits from the approved electives listed below: | 29 | |
| Plant Ecology | ||
| Understanding Media and Social Change | ||
| Introduction to Agricultural Communication | ||
| Conflict Communication | ||
| Environmental Economics | ||
EMGT 101 | ||
EMGT 281 | ||
EMGT 361 | ||
EMGT 362 | ||
EMGT 363 | ||
EMGT 410 | ||
| General Entomology | ||
| Climate Change and Energy | ||
| Oceanography | ||
| Environmental Geology | ||
| Geomorphology | ||
| Hydrogeology | ||
| Biogeochemistry | ||
| Remote Sensing | ||
| Environmental Law and Policy | ||
| Rangeland Resources Watershed Management | ||
| World Food Crops | ||
| Introduction to Prairie & Community Forestry | ||
| American Government | ||
| Problems and Policies In American Government | ||
| Global Policy Issues | ||
| Ecology of Fire-Dependent Ecosystems | ||
| Ecological Restoration | ||
| Grazing Ecology | ||
| Introduction to Sociology | ||
| Social Problems | ||
| Social Research Methods | ||
| Community Assessment | ||
| Community Development | ||
| Cultural Diversity | ||
| Environmental Sociology | ||
| Social Change | ||
| Introduction to Meteorology & Climatology | ||
| Principles of Real Estate | ||
| Introduction to Agricultural Management | ||
| Applied Agricultural Law | ||
| Food Laws & Regulations | ||
| Cooperatives | ||
| Mathematics for Business | ||
| Principles of Macroeconomics | ||
| Intermediate Microeconomics | ||
| Public Economics | ||
| Remote Sensing of the Environment | ||
| Total Credits | 50 | |
Rangeland Ecology Emphasis
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ANSC 114 | Introduction to Animal Sciences | 3 |
| BIOL 364 | General Ecology | 3 |
| BIOL 452 | Ichthyology | 3 |
| or BIOL 454 | Herpetology | |
| or BIOL 456 | Ornithology | |
| or BIOL 458 | Mammalogy | |
| BIOL 461 | Plant Ecology | 3 |
| BIOL 475 | Conservation Biology | 3 |
| or BIOL 476 | Wildlife Ecology and Management | |
| NRM 431 | National Environmental Policy Act and Environmental Impact Assessment | 3 |
| NRM 453 | Rangeland Resources Watershed Management | 3 |
| or NRM 454 | Wetland Resources Management | |
| PLSC 380 | Principles of Plant Physiology | 3 |
| RNG 450 | Range Plants | 3 |
| RNG 451 | Ecology of Fire-Dependent Ecosystems | 3 |
| RNG 456 | Ecological Restoration | 3 |
| RNG 458 | Grazing Ecology | 3 |
| SOIL 217 | Introduction to Meteorology & Climatology | 3 |
| SOIL 351 | Soil Ecology | 3 |
| or SOIL 410 | Soils and Land Use | |
| or SOIL 444 | Soil Genesis and Survey | |
| Select a minimum of 9 additional credits of 300 or 400 level courses from ENT, SOIL, RNG, or NRM: | 9 | |
| Total Credits | 51 | |
Rangeland Livestock Production Emphasis
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ANSC 114 | Introduction to Animal Sciences | 3 |
| ANSC 220 | Livestock Production | 3 |
| ANSC 223 | Introduction to Animal Nutrition | 2 |
| ANSC 357 | Animal Genetics | 3 |
| NRM 431 | National Environmental Policy Act and Environmental Impact Assessment | 3 |
| PLSC 315 | Genetics | 3 |
| PLSC 320 | 3 | |
| PLSC 323 | Principles of Weed Science | 3 |
| RNG 450 | Range Plants | 3 |
| RNG 456 | Ecological Restoration | 3 |
| RNG 458 | Grazing Ecology | 3 |
| SOIL 217 | Introduction to Meteorology & Climatology | 3 |
| SOIL 351 | Soil Ecology | 3 |
| or SOIL 410 | Soils and Land Use | |
| or SOIL 444 | Soil Genesis and Survey | |
| Select a minimum of 9 additional credits of 300 or 400 level courses from ENT, SOIL, RNG, or NRM | 9 | |
| Total Credits | 47 | |
Soil Science Emphasis
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 240 | Survey of Organic Chemistry | 3 |
| or BIOC 260 | Elements of Biochemistry | |
| or MICR 202 & 202L | Introductory Microbiology and Introductory Microbiology Lab | |
| GEOL 105 & 105L | Physical Geology and Physical Geology Lab | 4 |
| MATH 105 | Trigonometry | 3 |
| PHYS 211 & 211L | College Physics I and College Physics I Laboratory | 4 |
| PLSC 110 | World Food Crops | 3 |
| PLSC 225 | Principles of Crop Production (or 300/400 level Range Sciences Course ) | 3 |
| PLSC 380 | Principles of Plant Physiology | 3 |
| SOIL 217 | Introduction to Meteorology & Climatology | 3 |
| SOIL 322 | Soil Fertility and Fertilizers | 3 |
| SOIL 351 | Soil Ecology | 3 |
| SOIL 410 | Soils and Land Use | 3 |
| SOIL 433 | Soil Ecohydrology and Physics | 3 |
| SOIL 444 | Soil Genesis and Survey | 3 |
| SOIL/NRM 454 | Wetland Resources Management | 3 |
| Select a minimum of 6 additional credits of 300 or 400 level classes from PLSC, RNG, NRM, ENT, PPTH, ABEN, or ASM | 6 | |
| Total Credits | 50 | |
Entomology Emphasis
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 364 | General Ecology | 3 |
| RNG 450 | Range Plants | 3 |
| or BIOL 461 | Plant Ecology | |
| or PLSC 380 | Principles of Plant Physiology | |
| BIOL 450 | Invertebrate Zoology | 3 |
| BIOL 475 | Conservation Biology | 3 |
| ENT 350 | General Entomology | 3 |
| ENT 431 | Principles of Insect Pest Management | 3 |
| ENT 470 | Insect Ecology | 3 |
| PLSC 110 | World Food Crops | 3 |
| Select a minimum of 6 credits of approved electives from below: | 6 | |
| Horticulture Science | ||
| Introduction to Prairie & Community Forestry | ||
| Genetics | ||
| Principles of Weed Science | ||
PLSC 350 | ||
| Woody Landscape Plants | ||
| Herbaceous Landscape Plants | ||
| Landscape Management | ||
| Turfgrass Management | ||
| Nursery Production and Management | ||
| Vegetable Crop Production | ||
| Fruit Crop Production | ||
| Greenhouse Production and Management | ||
| Potato Science | ||
| Intermediate Genetics | ||
| Weed Biology and Ecology | ||
| Cropping Systems:An Integrated Approach | ||
| Soil Ecology | ||
| Select a minimum of 15 credits from the approved electives listed below: | 15 | |
| Evolution | ||
| Animal Behavior | ||
| Wildlife Ecology and Management | ||
| Introductory Microbiology | ||
| Microbial Ecology | ||
| Clinical Parasitology | ||
| Urban-Ecosystem Management | ||
| River and Stream Resource Management | ||
| Sustainable Scenarios in Natural Resources Management | ||
| National Environmental Policy Act and Environmental Impact Assessment | ||
| Rangeland Resources Watershed Management | ||
| Wetland Resources Management | ||
| Genetics | ||
| Introductory Plant Pathology | ||
| Diseases Of Field and Forage Crops | ||
| Plant Disease Management | ||
| Landscape Plant Pathology | ||
| Fungal Biology | ||
| Range Plants | ||
| Soils and Land Use | ||
| Total Credits | 45 | |
Accelerated Program in Natural resource Management
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| NRM 621 | Environmental Outreach Methods | 3 |
| NRM 652 | Managing Natural and Rangeland Resources using GIS | 3 |
| NRM 662 | Natural Resource and Rangeland Planning | 3 |
| 600 Level Electives | NRM/RNG/SOIL/ENT 1 | 6 |
| Total Credits | 15 | |
- 1
Accelerated Electives must be advisor approved and the specific courses are to be identified on the Accelerated Declaration form.
Degree Requirements and Notes:
- Acceptable Substitutions: For the Water, Habitat, and Environmental Management; Environmental Sustainability, Outreach, and Policy; and Entomology emphasis areas there is a list of recommended emphasis electives: All other substitutions require advisor approval and a substitution form to be completed and submitted to the Office of Registration and Records. Emphasis area courses may not be double-counted with the NRM core classes; a maximum of 3 credits of Field Experience (396/496) or Co-op Ed (397/497) may be counted as emphasis electives.
- Accelerated Program in NRM Notes:
-
If a student is interested in this option, they should speak with their Undergraduate Advisor. Students intending to pursue the Accelerated option will need a 3.0 overall GPA, as well as 60 completed credits (in-progress courses do not count). Students will be required to complete a Combined/Accelerated Program Declaration Form and apply to the Graduate School. Taking the GRE is not required.
-
Minor Requirements
Minor: Natural Resources Management
Required Credits: 18
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Course | ||
| NRM 225 | Natural Resources & Agrosystems | 3 |
| Interdisciplinary Courses: Select 5 of the following: | 15 | |
| General Ecology | ||
| Wildlife Ecology and Management | ||
| Natural Resource Economics | ||
EMGT 261 | ||
EMGT 262 | ||
| General Entomology | ||
| Physical Geology | ||
| Environmental Geology | ||
| Environmental History | ||
| World Environmental History | ||
| Natural Resource Management Systems | ||
| Urban-Ecosystem Management | ||
| River and Stream Resource Management | ||
| Sustainable Scenarios in Natural Resources Management | ||
| Environmental Outreach Methods | ||
| National Environmental Policy Act and Environmental Impact Assessment | ||
| Rangeland Resources Watershed Management | ||
| Wetland Resources Management | ||
| Ecological Restoration | ||
| Introduction to Range Management | ||
| Range Plants | ||
| Ecology of Fire-Dependent Ecosystems | ||
| Grazing Ecology | ||
| Community Development | ||
| Environmental Sociology | ||
| Introduction to Soil Science | ||
| Soil Ecology | ||
| Soils and Land Use | ||
| Soil Ecohydrology and Physics | ||
| Total Credits | 18 | |
Minor Requirements and Notes:
- Students must earn a 2.00 minimum GPA in the courses used to satisfy the minor requirements.
- A minimum of 8 credits must be taken at NDSU.