Natural Resources
Natural Resources
Description
When you study natural resources at OSU's campus in Bend, you join one of the world’s top forestry schools. OSU's College of Forestry is internationally recognized for its ground-breaking research and for preparing graduates who can take on the complex challenges that face our natural world.
In this interdisciplinary degree, students study science, management and policy topics with expert faculty who have experience in research, public agencies and industry. You'll study complex interactions that take place in the natural world — and how humans can impact them. Your courses will include ecology, fish and wildlife, watershed management, habitat restoration, environmental ethics and law, sociology, and resource policy.
Our graduates are prepared to make the natural world better in careers in resource ecology, land use, water resources, environmental policy, resource technology and natural resource education — or even to apply to graduate school.
You'll have millions of acres of national forest and public lands at your doorstep. It's a natural laboratory where we explore, develop leadership skills, take field classes and discover innovative conservation and preservation methods.
Program Information
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Option
This option prepares students for a career in the broad arena of natural resource and wildlife conservation. It emphasizes understanding the relationship between animal species and their habitat requirements and the ability to apply this knowledge to the management of ecosystems as a means of conserving fish and wildlife.
Individualized Specialty Option or Ecampus Specialty Option
The Individualized Specialty Option (ISO) is a student-designed option that allows a student to tailor their academic program to specific goals or interests. In consultation with their academic advisor, students will develop a program of study that meets their goals, as well as program requirements. The student is required to submit a proposal for approval by the Natural Resources Program Director. Students should contact their assigned academic advisor for information on developing an Individualized Specialty option.
Policy and Management Option
This option will prepare students for careers in the broad arena of natural resource and environmental conservation, with an emphasis on the social and political aspects of resource issues.
A total of 180 quarter credits are required to graduate, including 60 upper-division credits. Requirements include:
- Core Education
- Natural resources major requirements
- Specialization option (students must select an option):
- Fish and Wildlife Conservation option
- Individualized Specialty option
- Choose an Ecampus specialty option
- Electives as needed to meet 180 total college credits
Degree Checklist and Advising Guide
Natural Resources Checklist and Advising Guide
Natural Resources Fish and Wildlife Conservation Checklist, NR3 (PDF)
Natural Resources General Checklist, ISO or Ecampus Options
Natural Resources Advising Guide
Transfer Guides
OSU-Cascades COCC Transfer Guides
College of Forestry Transfer Guides for Oregon Community Colleges
Four-Year Sample Plan
A degree pathway is important to student success. To help you explore your major coursework and for you to begin the process of creating an individualized academic plan, we have created a sample four-year plan for the Natural Resources major. These plans also include academic and co-curricular opportunities ideas for each academic year.
This is a sample plan intended for informational purposes only. Students will work with their OSU academic advisor to create degree plan that works best for each student based around unique interests, goals and transfer work.
Using the following course forecast information students will plan ahead and work with their advisor to create and update academic plans.
Upon successful completion of the program, students will meet the following learning outcomes:
- 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 (both market and non-market), and characteristics (including demographic, cultural, ethnic, and “values” differences) 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.
Natural Resources Minor (27 credits)
Students majoring in other programs at OSU-Cascades can choose to complete the natural resources minor. The minor is intended to provide a broad exposure to the natural resources field. It offers course work that integrates a number of natural resources disciplines.
Natural Resources Minor Curriculum Checklist
One of the best colleges offering degrees in natural resources & conservation
College Factual
OSU's College of Forestry is ranked second in the world
CWUR
National forests and public lands in Central Oregon form our 2.5 million-acre classroom
Making decisions on behalf of the environment
Natural resources students work with top researchers to tackle environmental challenges. Student Kaitlin Rodriguez joined researcher Dr. Skuyler Herzog to study Central Oregon rivers and how they best interact with their floodplains. The researchers give restoration suggestions to land owners and land management agencies. Undergraduate research is one of the best ways to get professional experience. It stands out in a job interview or on a graduate school application.
Research on wildlife crossings
As the human population increases, animals need help crossing busy highways to reach their habitats. Corrinne Oedekerk, an OSU-Cascades natural resources alumna and researcher in the HERS Lab, is studying how and when animals use the wildlife crossing structures. Check out footage from the wildlife cam and see what's crossing!
Sample Courses
- Forest Types of the Northwest
- Fish and Wildlife Conservation
- Managing Natural Resources for Future
- Wildland Plant Identification
- Desert Watershed Management
- Sustainable Communities
- Aquatic Entomology
- Endangered Species
- Management of Pacific Salmon
- Rangeland Management
- Environmental Politics and Policy
Where do our grads work?
- Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation
- Bureau of Land Management
- City of Bend
- Deschutes River Alliance
- Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs
- Coquille Tribe
- GSI Water Solutions, Inc.
- Human and Ecosystem Resilience and Sustainability Lab
- Middle Deschutes Watershed Council
- Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
- Oregon Department of Forestry
- Upper Deschutes Watershed Council
- U.S. Department of Agriculture
- U.S. Forest Service
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