This is an archived copy of the 2015-16 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://bulletin.ndsu.edu.

Natural Resources Management

www.ndsu.edu/nrm

With increasing human pressure and a growing need to balance competing demands, our world needs new and better ways to manage society’s impacts on the environment. The Natural Resources Management program prepares students for challenging careers requiring the sustainability perspective and global social perspective necessary for examining and solving complex natural resources management problems. Our goal is the highest and best societal uses of natural resources while maintaining the integrity of life-sustaining socio-ecological systems. Career opportunities abound in federal, state and local government, the private sector, non-profit conservation and environmental organizations, as well as higher education and research.

An interdisciplinary major in NRM leads to a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree. Students benefit from faculty engagement from the various colleges across the university in the coordination of the program, classroom teaching and advising.

During the first four semesters of the NRM program, students complete a broad foundation of core courses in the social, biological, and physical sciences. The second half of the program offers students the opportunity to focus on a specific area of interest (emphasis). NRM offers six emphasis areas, each allowing students the flexibility to select courses for specialized career preparation.

  • Biotic Resources Science: deals with basic scientific principles that govern the interrelationship between biotic (e.g., plants, animals) and abiotic factors (e.g., climate, soils) in major ecosystems and the use of these principles for environmentally sound management of both natural and agro-ecosystems.
  • Environmental Communication: is designed for environmentally oriented students preparing for careers in communication fields such as journalism, public relations, broadcast media and the internet.
  • Natural Resources Economics: prepares students for management, administrative, regulatory, and policy positions that require a broad understanding of natural resources management and allocation.
  • Physical/Earth Resources Science: leads to an understanding of the physical and chemical aspects of ecosystems. Topics of study include hydrology, water management and quality, waste management, soil properties, energy resources and land-use management.
  • Pollution Control: focuses on the principles and practices of managing natural resources for pollution control. Topics include the technical aspects of pollution as they relate to water, air/solids, earth/soils, and the impact of environmental pollution on biotic factors. Students interested in this emphasis are strongly urged to complete College Algebra before entering the NRM program.
  • Social Sciences: concentrates on human factors (social, political, anthropological) in environmental management and environmental disaster management, while recognizing constraints and opportunities presented by physical and biological factors.

Major Requirements

Major: Natural Resources Management

Degree Type: B.S.
Required Degree Credits to Graduate: 128

General Education Requirements

First Year Experience (F):
AGRI 189Skills for Academic Success (Students transferring in 24 or more credits do not need to take AGRI 189.)1
Communication (C):
ENGL 110College Composition I3
ENGL 120College Composition II3
One Course in Upper Level Writing: Select one of the following:3
Business and Professional Writing
Writing in the Technical Professions
Writing in the Sciences
Writing in the Humanities and Social Sciences
COMM 110Fundamentals of Public Speaking3
Quantitative Reasoning (R):
STAT 330Introductory Statistics3
Science & Technology (S):
CHEM 121
& 121L		General Chemistry I
and General Chemistry I Laboratory		4
GEOL 105Physical Geology3
NRM 225Natural Resources & Agrosystems3
Humanities & Fine Arts (A): Select from current general education list6
Social & Behavioral Sciences (B):
ECON 201Principles of Microeconomics3
Select one of the following:3
Introduction to Political Science
Introduction to Sociology
Emergencies, Disasters, and Catastrophes
Introduction to Anthropology
Wellness (W): Select from current general education list2
Cultural Diversity (D): Select from current general education list
Global Perspectives (G):
GEOL 105Physical Geology3
Total Credits40

Major Requirements

General Education Requirements40
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
BIOL 364General Ecology3
ECON 481Natural Resource Economics3
HIST 434Environmental History3
NRM 150Natural Resource Management Orientation1
NRM/SOIL 264Natural Resource Management Systems3
NRM 431National Environmental Policy Act & Environmental Impact Assessment3
NRM 462Natural Resource and Rangeland Planning3
POLS 115American Government3
or POLS 215 Problems and Policies In American Government
RNG 452Geographic Information Systems in Range Survey3
or GEOG 455 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
SOIL 210Introduction to Soil Science3
Select one of the following:3
Environmental Sociology
Principles of Public Administration
State and Local Politics
Global Policy Issues
Anthropology and the Environment
Disaster Preparedness
Disaster Mitigation
Disaster Response
Disaster Recovery
NRM Emphasis Area: Students must select one of the six NRM emphasis areas to complete the major. See below.38
Degree Requirements: Potential of a minimum of 11 credits to reach 128.11
Total Credits128
Natural Resources Management Emphasis Areas
  • Select and complete one emphasis area as part of the Natural Resources Management major.
  • Declaring an Emphasis- Students should formally declare an emphasis area with the Office of Registration & Records by the beginning of their junior year.  The emphasis area is recorded on the academic transcript with the degree. 
Biotic Resources Science
Required. Select two of the following:6
General Chemistry II
Survey of Organic Chemistry
Introduction to Range Management
Rangeland Resources Watershed Management
Select a minimum of 32 credits from the approved electives list below for Biotic Resourses:32
Plant Systematics
Range Habitat Management
Introduction to Meteorology & Climatology
Urban-Ecosystem Management
Scenarios in Natural Resources Management
Introduction to Prairie & Community Forestry
Limnology
Wildlife Ecology and Management
Genetics
Genetics Laboratory
Wetland Resources Management
Plant Ecology
Introductory Microbiology
Invertebrate Zoology
Herpetology
Mammalogy
Woody Landscape Plants
Range Plants
Plant Physiology
Grazing Ecology
Introductory Microbiology Lab
River and Stream Resource Management
Environmental Outreach Methods
Physiological Ecology
Conservation Biology
Wildlife and Fisheries Management Techniques
General Entomology
Animal Behavior
Ichthyology
Ornithology
Principles of Weed Science
Modeling of Range and Agro-Ecosystems
Total Credits38
Physical/earth Resources Science
Required:
CHEM 122
& 122L		General Chemistry II
and General Chemistry II Laboratory		4
MATH 146Applied Calculus I4
or MATH 165 Calculus I
GEOL 412Geomorphology3
or SOIL 444 Soil Genesis and Survey
Select a minimum of 27 credits from the approved electives list below for Physical/Earth Resources Science:27
Resource Conservation and Irrigation Engineering
Electricity and Electronic Applications
Introduction to Range Management
Physical Geology Lab
Geomorphology
Soil Genesis and Survey
Urban-Ecosystem Management
Wetland Resources Management
Scenarios in Natural Resources Management
College Physics I
Surveying
Soil Fertility and Fertilizers
Soils and Land Use
Introductory Microbiology
Soil And Plant Analysis
Geochemistry
Computer Applications in Agricultural Systems Management
College Physics I Laboratory
Survey of Organic Chemistry
Environmental Geology
Hydrogeology
Introductory Microbiology Lab
River and Stream Resource Management
Environmental Outreach Methods
Principles and Application of Precision Agriculture
Introduction to Meteorology & Climatology
Soil Ecology
Soil Physics
Microclimatology
Soils and Pollution
Total Credits38
Environmental Communication
Required:
COMM 112Understanding Media and Social Change3
COMM 200Introduction to Media Writing3
NRM 421Environmental Outreach Methods3
COMM 485Risk and Crisis Communication3
Select one of the following:4
Applied Research Methods
Social Research Methods
and Social Research Methods Laboratory
Select a minimum of 22 credits from the approved electives list below for Environmental Communication:22
Principles of Broadcast Production
Introduction to Web Design
Rhetorical Traditions
Scenarios in Natural Resources Management
Legal Communication
Digital Media and Society
Advanced Broadcast Production
Public Relations Campaigns
Contemporary Rhetoric
Introduction to Web Development
Advanced Media Writing
Principles of Design For Print
Organizational Communication I
Environmental Outreach Methods
Issues in Mass Communications
Mass Media and Public Opinion
Issues in Communication
Communication Ethics and Law
Total Credits38
Pollution Control
Required:
CE 309Fluid Mechanics3
CE 370Introduction to Environmental Engineering3
CE 408Water Resources and Supply3
CHEM 122
& 122L		General Chemistry II
and General Chemistry II Laboratory		4
MATH 165Calculus I4
ME 221Engineering Mechanics I3
ME 222Engineering Mechanics II3
Select a minimum of 15 credits from the approved electives list below for Pollution Control:15
Air/Solids:
Solid Waste Management
Introduction to Meteorology & Climatology
Microclimatology
Biotic:
Special Topics
Plant Physiology
Plant Ecology
General Microbiology
General Microbiology Lab
Limnology
Wildlife Ecology and Management
Wildlife and Fisheries Management Techniques
Earth/Soils:
Survey of Organic Chemistry
Environmental Geology
Soil Fertility and Fertilizers
Soil Ecology
Soils and Land Use
Soil Physics
Soil Genesis and Survey
Microclimatology
Soil And Plant Analysis
Soils and Pollution
Water:
Resource Conservation and Irrigation Engineering
Water and Wastewater Engineering
Open Channel Flow
Applied Hydrology
Water Quality Management
Hydrogeology
Rangeland Resources Watershed Management
Geochemistry
Total Credits38
Natural Resources Economics
Required:
MATH 146Applied Calculus I4
or MATH 165 Calculus I
ECON 341Intermediate Microeconomics3
STAT 331Regression Analysis2
Select a minimum of 29 credits from the approved electives list below for Natural Resources Economics:29
Quantitative Methods & Decision Making
Applied Agricultural Law
Principles of Macroeconomics
Intermediate Macroeconomics
History of Economic Thought
Public Economics
Industrial Organization
Geography of North America
Urban-Ecosystem Management
Scenarios in Natural Resources Management
International Politics
Global Policy Issues
Comparative Political Economy
Sociology of The Great Plains
Social Change
Principles of Real Estate
Agricultural Policy
Small Group Communication
Money and Banking
Econometrics
Economic Development
International Trade
Leisure And Society
River and Stream Resource Management
Environmental Outreach Methods
Principles of Public Administration
International Law
Environmental Policy and Politics
Environmental Sociology
Total Credits38
Social Sciences
Required:
SOC 405Community Development3
SOC 340
& SOC 341		Social Research Methods
and Social Research Methods Laboratory		4
Select a minimum of 31 credits from the approved electives list below for Social Science:31
Archaeology and Prehistory
Introduction to Cultural Anthropology: Peoples of the World
Latin America & Carribean: Afro-Latino/as, Gender, Indigeneity
Introduction to Criminal Justice
Disaster Preparedness
Disaster Response
Spatial Analysis in Emergency Management
Business Continuity and Crisis Management
Disaster Analysis
Geography of North America
Urban-Ecosystem Management
Environmental Outreach Methods
Comparative Politics
State and Local Politics
Sociology of The Great Plains
Development Of Social Theory
Development of Anthropological Theory
Social Psychology
Environmental Sociology
International Disasters
Human Origins
Apes and Human Evolution
Anthropology and the Environment
Qualitative Methods in Cultural Anthropology
Emergencies, Disasters, and Catastrophes
Disaster Mitigation
Disaster Recovery
Voluntary Agency Disaster Services
Native American Literature
Scenarios in Natural Resources Management
Problems and Policies In American Government
Principles of Public Administration
Environmental Policy and Politics
Social Change
Applied Demographics
Total Credits38

Degree Notes:                                                                                    

  • Acceptable Substitutions: The following courses are accepted as electives in all emphasis areas: NRM courses (may not be double-counted with the NRM Core); a maximum of 3 credits of Field Experience (396/496); a maximum of 3 credits of Co-op Ed (397/497). All other substitutions require NRM advisor approval and a substitution form to be completed and submitted to the Office of Registration and Records .

Minor Requirements

Natural Resources Management Minor

Minor Requirements

Required Credits: 19

Core Courses
NRM 150Natural Resource Management Orientation1
NRM 225Natural Resources & Agrosystems3
NRM 431National Environmental Policy Act & Environmental Impact Assessment3
Interdisciplinary Courses
Select four of the following: 12
Natural Resource Management Systems
General Ecology
Plant Ecology
Natural Resource Economics
Disaster Preparedness
Disaster Mitigation
General Entomology
Physical Geology
Environmental Geology
Environmental History
Environmental Outreach Methods
Rangeland Resource/Watershed Management
Introduction to Range Management
Introduction to Soil Science
Introduction to Meteorology & Climatology
Environmental Sociology
Environmental Policy and Politics
Geographic Information Systems in Range Survey (RNG 452 changing to NRM 452 GIS in NRM)
Soils and Land Use
Community Development
Wildlife Ecology and Management

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.