The Natural Resources Conservation (NRC) major provides students with rigorous academic training in the natural, conservation, and social sciences with hands-on field skills and field experiences. Students in the Natural Resources Conservation major focus on one of the following six concentrations:
- Environmental Conservation
- Fisheries Ecology & Conservation
- Forest Ecology & Conservation
- Urban Forestry & Arboriculture
- Water Resources
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation
Students learn about the ecology of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and how these systems can be managed to conserve biodiversity and protect ecosystem functions while providing sustainable benefits to society.
Students then take specialized courses designed to provide them with the knowledge and skills necessary for entry-level employment, graduate training, and professional certification in a conservation concentration. Hands-on field skills integrated into the coursework and field experiences from summer jobs, internships, and cooperative education positions are essential components of the professional training in natural resources conservation.
Natural Resource Conservation program mission, goals, and objectives: Students who graduate from UMass Amherst with a bachelor’s degree in Natural Resources Conservation will:
- have a strong core knowledge of ecological processes and systems, along with associated understanding of related best practices in natural resource management.
- understand the complex socio-ecological global challenges associated with natural resource extraction, management, and conservation.
- be skilled at working collaboratively with others in a team to address the multifaceted environmental challenges facing our society.
- be effective communicators; they will be able to successfully convey to the public the complexity and urgency of complex environmental challenges.
- be engaged environmental citizens; they will understand the importance of civic engagement, and will also be leaders for change toward a more sustainable world.
The NRC Curriculum
In addition to the university's general education requirements, the Natural Resources major requires completion of the courses below. For more curriculum details select the links for each concentration.
Required Science and Math Courses:
- Biology: two semesters – BIOLOGY 151 and 152 or STOCKSCH 108 and BIOL 110
- Chemistry: one semester of general chemistry (CHEM 111)
- Ecology elective: one semester
- Physical Science elective: one semester
- Math: one semester – at least MATH 104 Algebra, Analytic Geometry, and Trigonometry (~pre-calculus)
- Statistics elective: one semester
- RES-ECON 262 Environmental Economics or RES-ECON 263 Natural Resource Economics – 1 semester
- Earth Science elective: one semester
Required Department Courses:
- Introduction to the Environment elective (NRC 100 Environment and Society, NRC 185 Sustainable Living, or ENVIRSCI 101)
- BCT 150 The Built Environment
- NRC 225 Forests and People
- NRC 260 Fisheries Conservation
- NRC 261 Wildlife Conservation
- NRC 211 Animal, NRC 212 Forest Tree and Shrub, and/or NRC 214 Fish Sampling and Identification
- NRC 309 Natural Resources Policy and Administration
- NRC 585 Intro to GIS – spatial data elective
- An Integrated Experience elective
- NATSCI 387 Junior Writing Course