Program Overview

Natural Resources Undergraduate Major (BS, HBS)

The Natural Resources major is an interdisciplinary program administered by the College of Forestry. This major offers the following options:

• Conservation Law Enforcement
• Ecological Restoration
• Fish and Wildlife Conservation
• Forest Ecosystems
• Human Dimensions in Natural Resources
• Individualized Specialty
• Integrated Conservation Analysis
• Landscape Analysis
• Natural Resource Education
• Policy and Management
• Urban Forest Landscapes
• Wildland Fire Ecology

Program Overview

Students who graduate with a BS degree in Natural Resources from OSU should be able to integrate technical field or laboratory skills with analytical skills to solve critical natural resource problems. The curriculum is designed to help students acquire knowledge about a range of natural resource issues, work in interdisciplinary teams, and deal with social and political aspects of resource management.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

• Describe ecological processes, including human impacts that influence ecosystem change, natural succession, and the future sustainability of natural resources.
• Characterize natural resources and be able to quantify at least one of these resources.
• Envision desired future conditions in an area to achieve a set of natural resource-related objectives, prescribe management actions needed to achieve those objectives, and evaluate success of these actions.
• Describe how the use, management, and allocation of natural resources are affected by laws, policies, economic factors, and characteristics of private and public resource owners and users.
• Communicate effectively, orally and in writing, with audiences of diverse backgrounds.
• Work effectively with, and within, interdisciplinary and diverse groups to resolve management problems and achieve management objectives.

Requirements

The Natural Resources major requires a minimum of 180 credits. Only two courses used to complete the Natural Resources major requirements may be taken S/U. A Specialty Option is required for the Natural Resources major.

Major Requirements

• Interdisciplinary Foundations:
  • FES 485: Consensus and Natural Resources (3 credits)
  • NR 201: Managing Natural Resources for the Future (3 credits)
  • NR 202: Natural Resource Problems and Solutions (3 credits)
  • NR 455: Natural Resource Decision Making (4 credits)
• Advanced Communication: Select one course from the following (3-4 credits)
  • COMM 321: Introduction to Communication Theory
  • COMM 322: Small-Group Problem Solving
  • COMM 324: Communication in Organizations
  • COMM 326: Intercultural Communication
  • COMM 328: Nonverbal Communication
  • COMM 385: Communication and Culture in Cyberspace
  • COMM 440: Theories of Conflict and Conflict Management
  • COMM 442: Bargaining and Negotiation Processes
  • FES 430: Forest as Classroom
  • FW 489: Effective Communications in Fisheries and Wildlife Science
  • GEOG 453: Effective Communication of Environmental Change Science
  • NR 312: Critical Thinking for Natural Resource Challenges
  • TRAL 493: Environmental Interpretation
  • WR 327: Technical Writing
  • WR 362: Science Writing
  • WR 462: Environmental Writing
  • WR 466: Advanced Technical Writing
• Biological Sciences:
  • Biology: Select one group of courses from the following (12 credits)
    • BI 101, BI 102, BI 103: Environmental Biology, Animal Biology, Human Biology
    • BI 204, BI 205, BI 206: Introductory Biology I, II, III
    • BI 221, BI 222, BI 223: Principles of Biology: Cells, Organisms, Populations
  • Chemistry: CH 121: General Chemistry (5 credits) or CH 231 and CH 261: General Chemistry and Laboratory for Chemistry 231
• Climate Science: Select one course from the following (3-4 credits)
  • ATS 201: Climate Science
  • ATS 341: Snow, Smoke, and Storms: Climate Change Impacts in the PNW
  • FW 345: Global Change Biology
  • GEOG 323: Climatology
  • SUS 103: Introduction to Climate Change
• Earth or Soil Science: Select one course from the following (4 credits)
  • CSS 205: Soil Science
  • CSS 305: Principles of Soil Science
  • GEO 101: Planet Earth
  • GEO 201: Physical Geology
  • GEO 202: Earth Systems Science
  • GEO 221: Environmental Geology
  • GEOG 102: Physical Geography
  • SOIL 205 and FOR 206: Soil Science and Forest Soils Laboratory
• Ecology: Select one course from the following (3-4 credits)
  • BI 351: Marine Ecology
  • BI 370: Ecology
  • BOT 341: Plant Ecology
  • FES 341: Forest Ecology
• Mathematics and Statistics:
  • Mathematics: Select one course from the following (4 credits)
    • MTH 112: Elementary Functions
    • MTH 241: Calculus for Management and Social Science
    • MTH 245: Mathematics for Management, Life, and Social Sciences
    • MTH 251: Differential Calculus
  • Statistics: ST 201: Principles of Statistics (4 credits) or ST 351: Introduction to Statistical Methods
• Resource Management:
  • Animal ID: Select one course from the following (2-4 credits)
    • FES 412: Forest Entomology
    • FOR 210: Terrestrial Vertebrate Identification and Natural History
    • FW 312: Systematics of Birds
    • FW 316: Systematics of Fishes
    • FW 318: Systematics of Mammals
    • Z 365: Biology of Insects
    • Z 473: Herpetology
    • Z 477: Aquatic Entomology
  • Environmental Assessment and Planning: Select one course from the following (3-4 credits)
    • FES 445/FW 445: Ecological Restoration
    • FW 462: Ecosystem Services
    • GEOG 250: Land Use Planning for Sustainable Communities
    • GEOG 450: Land Use in the American West
    • GEOG 451: Planning Principles and Practices for Resilient Communities
    • GEOG 452: Environmental Assessment
    • RNG 421: Rangeland Restoration and Management
    • RNG 457: Habitat Analysis 1: Habitat Use and Movement
    • RNG 490: Rangeland Management Planning
    • SUS 304: Sustainability Assessment
    • SUS 350: Sustainable Communities
    • TRAL 456: Planning for Sustainable Recreation
    • TRAL 457: Planning for Sustainable Tourism
    • NR 325: Scientific Methods for Analyzing Natural Resource Problems
    • WSE 385: Evaluating Sustainability through Life Cycle Analysis
• Fisheries and Marine Sciences: Select one course from the following (3-4 credits)
  • BI 150: Introduction to Marine Biology
  • BI 347: Oceans in Peril
  • BI 351: Marine Ecology
  • FW 302: Biology and Conservation of Marine Mammals
  • FW 320: Introductory Population Dynamics
  • FW 323: Management Principles of Pacific Salmon in the Northwest
  • FW 426: Coastal Ecology and Resource Management
  • FW 454: Fishery Biology
  • FW 465: Marine Fisheries
  • FW 473: Fish Ecology
  • FW 481: Wildlife Ecology
  • OC 201: Oceanography
  • OC 202: Introduction to Biological Oceanography
  • OC 332: Coastal Oceanography
• Forestry: Select one course from the following (3-4 credits)
  • FE 456/FOR 456: International Forestry
  • FES 240: Forest Biology
  • FES 341: Forest Ecology
  • FES 342: Forest Types of the Northwest
  • FES 350/HORT 350: Urban Forestry
  • FES 440: Wildland Fire Ecology
  • FES 445/FW 445: Ecological Restoration
  • FES 452/FW 452: Biodiversity Conservation in Managed Forests
  • FES 477/NR 477: Agroforestry
  • FOR 346: Topics in Wildland Fire
  • FOR 441: Silviculture Principles
• Land and Water: Select one course from the following (3-5 credits)
  • FE 430: Watershed Processes
  • FE 434: Forest Watershed Management
  • FW 326: Integrated Watershed Management
  • FW 456: Freshwater Ecology and Conservation
  • FW 479: Wetlands and Riparian Ecology
  • GEO 306: Minerals, Energy, Water, and the Environment
  • GEO 307: National Park Geology and Preservation
  • GEO 308: Global Change and Earth Sciences
  • GEOG 340: Introduction to Water Science and Policy
  • GEOG 440: Conflict, Cooperation, and Control of Water in the US
  • GEOG 441: The World's Water
  • RNG 355: Desert Watershed Management
  • RNG 455: Riparian Ecohhydrology and Management
  • SOIL 366: Ecosystems of Wildland Soils
  • SOIL 388: Soil Systems and Plant Growth
  • SOIL 395: World Soil Resources
  • SOIL 466: Soil Morphology and Classification
• Range: Select one course from the following (3-4 credits)
  • FES 440: Wildland Fire Ecology
  • FES 445/FW 445: Ecological Restoration
  • FOR 346: Topics in Wildland Fire
  • RNG 341: Principles of Rangeland Ecology and Management
  • RNG 351: Ecology of Grassland Ecosystems
  • RNG 352: Ecology of Shrubland Ecosystems
  • RNG 421: Rangeland Restoration and Management
  • RNG 441: Vegetation Monitoring and Analysis
  • RNG 442: Rangeland-Animal Relations
  • RNG 490: Rangeland Management Planning
• Vegetation ID: Select one course from the following (3-4 credits)
  • BOT 321: Plant Systematics
  • BOT 425: Flora of the Pacific Northwest
  • FES 241: Dendrology
  • HORT 226: Landscape Plant Materials I
  • HORT 228: Landscape Plant Materials II
  • RNG 353: Wildland Plant Identification
• Wildlife Management: Select one course from the following (3-4 credits)
  • FW 251: Principles of Fish and Wildlife Conservation
  • FW 320: Introductory Population Dynamics
  • FW 321: Applied Community and Ecosystem Ecology
  • FW 435: Wildlife in Agricultural Ecosystems
  • FW 451: Avian Conservation and Management
  • FW 452/FES 452: Biodiversity Conservation in Managed Forests
  • FW 458: Mammal Conservation and Management
  • FW 481: Wildlife Ecology
  • Z 350: Animal Behavior
• Social and Political Dimensions:
  • Ethics and Philosophy: Select one course from the following (3-4 credits)
    • AG 301: Ecosystem Science of Pacific NW Indians
    • ANTH 352: Anthropology, Health, and Environment
    • ANTH 477: Ecological Anthropology
    • ANTH 481: Natural Resources and Community Values
    • ANTH 482: Anthropology of International Development
    • FW 340: Multicultural Perspectives in Natural Resources
    • GEOG 333: Environmental Justice
    • HST 481: Environmental History of the United States
    • NR 312: Critical Thinking for Natural Resource Challenges
    • NR 380: Nature in Storytelling over the Centuries
    • PHL 440: Environmental Ethics
    • PHL 443/REL 443: World Views and Environmental Values
    • SUS 331: Sustainability, Justice, and Engagement
  • Natural Resource Policy: Select one course from the following (3-4 credits)
    • AEC 432: Environmental Law
    • AEC 454: Rural Development Economics and Policy
    • FES 486: Public Lands Policy and Management
    • FOR 460: Forest Policy
    • FOR 462: Natural Resource Policy and Law
    • FW 415: Fisheries and Wildlife Law and Policy
    • FW 422: Introduction to Ocean Law
    • PS 473: US Energy Policy
    • PS 475: Environmental Politics and Policy
    • PS 477: International Environmental Politics and Policy
  • Political Issues: Select one course from the following (3-4 credits)
    • ENT 300/HORT 330: Plagues, Pests, and Politics
    • FOR 462: Natural Resource Policy and Law
    • FW 350: Endangered Species, Society, and Sustainability
    • NR 351: When Science Escapes the Lab: Science and Resource Management
    • PS 455: The Politics of Climate Change
    • PS 475: Environmental Politics and Policy
    • PS 476: Science and Politics
    • PS 477: International Environmental Politics and Policy
    • TRAL 352: Wilderness Management
  • Economics: AEC 250: Introduction to Environmental Economics and Policy (3-4 credits) or ECON 201: Introduction to Microeconomics
  • Social Issues: Select one course from the following
    • BI 301: Human Impacts on Ecosystems
    • BI 348: Human Ecology
    • FES 365: Issues in Natural Resources Conservation
    • FW 325: Global Crises in Resource Ecology
    • GEOG 240: Human Dimensions of Climate Change
    • GEOG 241: Transforming Environmental Conflicts
    • GEOG 300: Sustainability for the Common Good
    • GEOG 430: Resilience-Based Natural Resource Management
    • GEOG 431: Global Resources and Development
    • NR 351: When Science Escapes the Lab: Science and Resource Management
    • OC 333: Oceans, Coasts, and People
    • SOC 381: Social Dimensions of Sustainability
    • SOC 475: Rural Sociology
    • SOC 480: Environmental Sociology
    • SOC 481: Society and Natural Resources
    • SUS 420: Social Dimensions of Sustainability
    • TRAL 251: Recreation Resource Management
    • TRAL 351: Outdoor Recreation Management on Public Lands
    • TRAL 352: Wilderness Management
    • TRAL 353: Nature, Eco, and Adventure Tourism
    • TRAL 354: Communities, Natural Areas, and Sustainable Tourism
    • TRAL 357: Parks and Protected Areas Management
    • WGSS 440: Women and Natural Resources
• Spatial Analysis: Select one course from the following (3-4 credits)
  • CROP 414/HORT 414: Precision Agriculture
  • FE 257: GIS and Forest Engineering Applications
  • FW 303: Survey of Geographic Information Systems in Natural Resource
  • GEOG 201: Foundations of Geospatial Science and GIS
  • GEOG 360: GIScience I: Geographic Information Systems and Theory

Specialty Option

A Specialty Option is required for the Natural Resources major. The Specialty Option for the Natural Resources major is an additional 37 credits (minimum) with at least 20 upper-division credits. The Specialty Option has a required minimum GPA of 2.25. Up to 6 credits of internships, projects, or study abroad can be used to fulfill requirements in the Specialty Option.

Plan of Study

The plan of study for the Natural Resources major is designed to be completed in four years. The following is an example of how students may complete their degree:

First Year

• Fall: Chemistry (5 credits), Mathematics (4 credits), English Composition (4 credits), Lifetime Fitness for Health (2 credits)
• Winter: Managing Natural Resources for the Future (3 credits), Climate Science (4 credits), Political Issues (4 credits), Physical Activity Course (1 credit), Speech (3 credits)
• Spring: Natural Resource Problems and Solutions (3 credits), Earth or Soil Science (4 credits), Writing II (3 credits), Western Culture (3 credits), Elective (3 credits)

Second Year

• Fall: Biology I with Lab (4 credits), Statistics (4 credits), Ethics & Philosophy (4 credits), Cultural Diversity (3 credits)
• Winter: Biology II with Lab (4 credits), Spatial Analysis (4 credits), Economics (4 credits), Literature & The Arts (3 credits)
• Spring: Biology III with Lab (4 credits), Vegetation ID (3 credits), Forestry (4 credits), Elective (4 credits)

Third Year

• Fall: Ecology (4 credits), Animal Identification (3 credits), Fisheries & Marine Sciences (4 credits), Specialty Option Course (4 credits)
• Winter: Range (4 credits), Advanced Communication (4 credits), Wildlife Management (4 credits), Specialty Option Course (3 credits)
• Spring: Environmental Assessment & Planning (4 credits), Social Issues (4 credits), Spatial Analysis (4 credits), Specialty Option Course (3 credits)

Fourth Year

• Fall: Land & Water (4 credits), Natural Resources Policy (4 credits), Specialty Option Course (3 credits), Specialty Option Course (3 credits)
• Winter: Consensus and Natural Resources (3 credits), Specialty Option Course (4 credits), Specialty Option Course (4 credits), Elective (4 credits)
• Spring: Natural Resource Decision Making (4 credits), Specialty Option Course (4 credits), Specialty Option Course (4 credits), Elective (3 credits)

Total Credits

The total credits required for the Natural Resources major is 180 credits.