Cornell offers outstanding opportunities for students to pursue studies in
Natural Resources, a field of study that sits at the interface of science
and policy. The curriculum in Natural Resources emphasizes the study of
species and populations, their environment, and the institutions and
policy that humans use to conserve and manage them. Natural Resources at
Cornell is a flexible major, and free electives can account for as much 39
credits out of a total of 120 credits required for graduation. Career
opportunities in Natural Resources are diverse, spanning private and
public sectors, in addition to continuing study of science and policy in
academia. An undergraduate degree in Natural Resources also is excellent
background for a career path in environmental education, environmental
law, and it is even becoming a creative way to enter into the business
world.
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| Class of 2007 Graduation Posters are available - click here. |
The Core Curriculum
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Understanding the complex interconnections between humans, other species,
and the environment demands training in the basic sciences, social
sciences and humanities, as well as experience with the modern tools and
technologies used to study those interactions. Sound training to meet the
challenge includes a broad education in chemistry, mathematics, biology,
ecology, economics, ethics, and written and oral expression. This
intellectual breadth also is the philosophy of the College of Agriculture
and Life Sciences at Cornell, and thus many of the courses meet the
'distribution requirements' of the College required for graduation.
Just as a broad education is intellectually stimulating, these are unprecedented times for Natural Resource graduates to tackle specific issues facing our society. Therefore, in their first and second years, students also take a set of four core courses: Introduction to the Field of Natural Resources (NTRES 110); Environmental Conservation (NTRES 201); Introductory Field Biology (NTRES 210); and People, Values, and Natural Resources (NTRES 212). These courses introduce the critical environmental and natural resources issues confronting society, and they develop the conceptual and methodological tools that students will use in upper-division courses. |
Highlights
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At the upper-division, students pursue one of three concentration areas:
Applied Ecology (AE); Resource Policy and Management (RPM); or
Environmental Studies (EST) (see descriptions, below). Each concentration
consists of a number of
upper-division courses - NR majors will take at least 5 upper-division
classes, with at least 1 class in each of the 3 concentrations.
| For more detailed information on planning a program of study and to view the curriculum requirements for the Natural Resources major, please click here. |
- Applied Ecology
The concentration in Applied Ecology provides students with advanced study of i) species and population biology and ii) ecosystem ecology as applied to the conservation or management of organisms and their habitats. Course work in the department emphasizes fish, wildlife, and plant populations living in aquatic, forest, and wetland habitats. AE students also take at least one course in resource policy and management. Electives include a broad list of courses offered in the department and in other departments (such as in Crop and Soil Sciences, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and Plant Biology), including topics such as conservation biology, quantitative resource management, resource inventory and information management, biogeochemistry, and global ecology.
- Resource Policy and Management
The concentration in Resource Policy and Management provides students with advanced study in the institutions and policy that humans apply to resource management. Course work in the department focuses on human dimensions, and ethics and values. RPM students also take at least one course in species and populations, and one in ecosystems. Electives include a broad list of courses offered in the department and in other departments (such as in Applied Economics and Management, City and Regional Planning, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Government, and Rural Sociology), including topics such as environmental governance and environmental law.
- Environmental Studies
The concentration in Environmental Studies is intended for those students that want a broad program of study regarding the interactions of humans and their environment. The concentration emphasizes the ability to think critically about those interactions. Each student, with help from their departmental advisor, designs a cohesive sequence of five upper-division courses in the social sciences, natural sciences, and/or humanities related to the environment. The sequence constitutes a theme that identifies a specific set of interactions between humans and their environment that the student wishes to pursue in depth. Some examples are i) the legal and economic incentives for species conservation, or ii) studying human views of the environment as expressed in literature or history. In addition to coursework, many students become involved in research projects and take advantage of internships, which provide opportunities for work experience.
