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NREC Concentration

The Environmental Science Program offers an optional concentration in Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation (NREC). The NREC concentration is designed to allow students specifically interested in natural resources management to follow a more narrowly focused curriculum. This curriculum includes a structured general education course framework to ensure all NREC students have a solid foundation in ecological and earth surface processes, data collection and analysis, ethics, and oral and written communication skills.

The upper-level curriculum includes general and thematic management, ecology, and techniques courses. Students may choose upper-level elective classes based on specific interests in natural resources management. The curriculum includes courses that have field and lab components and students have the option to earn credit through internships, research experiences, and field courses.

Download a PDF of the curriculum.

Students are instructed by a river

Required Core Courses

  • Principles of Biology I and II (BSC 114-115 and 116-117)
  • Ecology and Evolution (BSC 385)
  • General Chemistry I and II (CH 101 and CH 102)
  • Introduction to Environmental Science (GY 100)
  • Atmospheric Processes and Patterns (GY 101)
  • Earth Surface Processes (GY 102) or Dynamic Earth (GEO 101)
  • Map and Air Photo Interpretation (GY 204)
  • Introduction to GIS (GY 430) or Remote Sensing I (GY 420)
  • Statistical Data Analysis (ST 260), Elementary Statistical Methods (PY 211), or Educational Statistics (BER 345)
  • Introduction to Ethics (PHL 292) or Environmental Ethics (PHL 293)
  • Public Speaking (COM 123)
  • Principles of Microeconomics (EC 110)
  • Technical Writing (EN 319) or Science Writing (EN 381)
  • Natural Resources and Environmental Planning (GY 339)

General Management and Planning Course

Select one from:

  • Environmental Decision Making (GY 452)
  • Environment and Society (GY 453)
  • Land Use Regulations (GY 441)
  • Land Use Science (GY 462)

Thematic Management and Planning Courses

Select two from:

  • Watershed Management and Plan Development (GY 385)
  • Forest Ecosystem Restoration (GY 409)
  • Endangered Species Management (GY 415)
  • Water Resources Management (GY 477)
  • Eastern Forest Communities and Silvics (GY 492)
  • Forest Ecosystem Management: Silviculture (GY 496)
  • Conservation Biology (BSC 482)
  • Soil and Groundwater Restoration (GEO 410)

Measurements Course

Select one from:

  • Digital Terrain and Watershed Analysis (GY 488)
  • Forest Measurements and Methods (GY 494)
  • Introduction to Statistics in Biology (BSC 380)
  • Environmental Modeling (BSC 417)

Ecological Processes Courses

Select two from:

  • Forest Ecology and Vegetation Analysis (GY 489)
  • Field Zoology (BSC 303)
  • Dendrology (BSC 314)
  • Freshwater Studies (BSC 320)
  • Plant Biology (BSC 360)
  • Vertebrate Zoology (BSC 373)
  • Vertebrate Function Morphology (BSC 400)
  • Limnology (BSC 412)
  • Wetland Ecology (BSC 415)
  • Biology of Fishes (BSC 428)
  • Animal Behavior (BSC 448)
  • Plant Physiology (BSC 471)
  • Mycology (BSC 472)
  • General Entomology (BSC 475)
  • Aquatic Insects (BSC 476)
  • Plant Ecology (BSC 380)
  • Stream Ecology (BSC 490)

Earth Surface Processes Course

Select one from:

  • Geomorphology (GY 363)
  • Soil Science (GY 472)
  • River Hydrology (GY 485)
  • Watershed Science and Management (GY 486)
  • Fluvial Geomorphology (GY 491)
  • Ecohydrology (BSC 461)

For more information on course numbers and credit, see the official course catalog.