NR Courses - USFS Job Series Map

OSU-Cascades Qualifying Classes – Natural Resources Degree 

General Federal Application Notes: 

  • Start early! Federal resumes and getting everything together takes a lot longer than you think it will. 
  • If using your education to qualify you for a position, you must provide transcripts with the application. You may provide unofficial transcripts in the application, but the hiring manager may request official transcripts later in the hiring process. 
  • If you’re using classes or including a community college or other college you are no longer attending, remember to give yourself time to get the official transcript from that college to attach to your resume. 
  • You must have a Bachelor’s degree for a GS Level of 5 or higher. 
  • Since when you apply is a “snapshot” in time and you cannot provide further documentation later, you can only apply with what you have at the time. 
  • For example: You are starting your Senior year Fall of 2023 and applying for the 2024 Summer season with the USFS. Because you do not have your degree at the time of applying, you will only qualify for, at maximum, a GS 4. Even though you may have your degree when you start the job, you did not when you applied, and you cannot add more documentation (IE: your diploma) later. 
  • This list notes requirements for GS Series 5 or above: as such some series (like the Botany series) Natural Resources students won’t qualify for since the position is looking for a very specific degree. However, NR students may qualify for a lower level in that series, such as a GS 3 or 4, based on previous work history and classes. Lower GS levels can have a much wider range of classes or experience that can be used as qualifications. 
  • Many jobs are asking for semester hours. These are not the same as term/credit hours! The conversion from term/credit hours to semester hours is: 
  • Credit Hours/1.5 = Semester hours (Example: Z 477: Aquatic Entomology is 4 credits. 4/1.5 = 2.7 so Z 477: Aquatic Entomology equals 2.7 semester hours. 
  • Make sure to highlight any research or project experience you have: you can add it under your education section before your list of classes. 
  • Contact Hadiya Riechers in the Career Center with questions!

Fish Biology Series 0482

Schooling/degree requirements (you must have a degree for GS level 5 and up.)

Need: At least 6 semester hours in aquatic subjects (such as: limnology, ichthyology, fishery biology, aquatic botany, aquatic fauna, oceanography, fish culture, or related courses in the field of fishery biology) and at least 12 semester hours in the animal sciences (such as: general zoology, vertebrate zoology, comparative anatomy, physiology, entomology, parasitology, ecology, cellular biology, genetics, or research in these fields.)

Aquatic Subjects
  • Z 477: Aquatic Entomology (4 Cr) 
  • FW 323: Management of Pacific Salmon in NW (3 Cr)
  • FW 255: Field Sampling of Fish and Wildlife (3 Cr) 
  • FW 251: Principles of Fish & Wildlife Conservation (3 Cr)
Animal Sciences
  • FW 312: Systematics of Birds (3 Cr)
  • FW 318: Systematics of Mammals (2 Cr)
  • RNG 455: Riparian Ecohydrology & Mgmt (4 Cr) 
  • FES 341: Forest Ecology (3 Cr) 
  • RNG 341: Rangeland Ecology and Mgmt (3 Cr) 
  • GEOG 340: Intro. to Water Science (3 Cr)
  • BI 375: Field Methods in Ecological Restoration (4 Cr) 
  • FW 370: Conservation Genetics (4 Cr) 
  • FES 440: Wildland Fire Ecology (3 Cr) 
  • FW 311: Ornithology (3 Cr)
  • FW 317: Mammalogy (3 Cr) 
  • FW 481: Wildlife Ecology (3 Cr)
Using experience and education to qualify: 

Need: courses equivalent to a major in biological science (i.e., at least 30 semester hours), of which a minimum of 6 semester hours were in aquatic subjects and 12 semester hours were in the animal sciences, (as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education).

  • This would use the same list of classes to qualify, in addition to research you’ve done as part of the classes, outside of class, or summer jobs, such as working or volunteering at a fishery.

U.S. Office of Personnel Management website

Applicants must meet all the requirements: 
  • Have a degree with major study in biology, zoology, or biological oceanography that included at least 30 semester hours in biological and aquatic science and 15 semester hours in the physical and mathematical sciences. 
    • This is a situation where you would likely have to request an official transcript to send to the hiring manager.
  • At least 15 semester hours in zoology beyond introductory biology or zoology (such courses as invertebrate zoology, comparative anatomy, histology, physiology, embryology, advanced vertebrate zoology, genetics, entomology, and parasitology) 
  • At least 6 semester hours applicable to fishery biology (such as: fishery biology, ichthyology, limnology, oceanography, algology, planktonology, marine or freshwater ecology, invertebrate ecology, principles of fishery population dynamics, or related course work in the field of fishery biology)
    • Z 477: Aquatic Entomology (4 Cr) 
    • FW 323: Management of Pacific Salmon in NW (3 Cr)
    • FW 255: Field Sampling of Fish and Wildlife (3 Cr)
    • FW 251: Principles of Fish & Wildlife Conservation (3 Cr)
  • At least 15 semester hours of training in any combination of two or more of the following: chemistry, physics, mathematics, or statistics.
    • MTH 112Z: Elementary Functions (4 Cr) 
    • MTH 241: Calculus for Mgmt, Life & Social Sci (4 Cr) 
    • MTH 245: Math for Mgmt, Life and Social Sci (4 Cr)
    • MTH 251: Differential Calculus (4 Cr)
    • ST 243Z: Principles of Statistics (4 Cr)
    • ST 351:  Intro. to Statistical Methods (4 Cr) 
    • CH 121: General Chemistry (5 Cr)
    • CH 231/CH 261: General Chemistry (5 Cr)

U.S. Office of Personnel Management website

Ecology Series 0408

Degree

Biology, or a related field of science underlying ecological research that included at least 30 semester hours in basic and applied biological sciences. Must have included at least 9 semester hours in ecology, and 12 semester hours in physical and mathematical sciences.

Ecology
  • BI 370: General Ecology (3 Cr)
  • RNG 341: Rangeland Ecology and Mgmt (3 Cr) 
  • BI 375: Field Methods in Ecological Restoration (4 Cr) 
  • FES 440: Wildland Fire Ecology (3 Cr) 
  • FW 481: Wildlife Ecology (3 Cr) 
  • FES 445: Ecological Restoration (4 Cr) 
Physical and Mathematical Sciences
  • MTH 112Z: Elementary Functions (4 Cr) 
  • MTH 241: Calculus for Mgmt, Life & Social Sci (4 Cr) 
  • MTH 245: Math for Mgmt, Life and Social Sci (4 Cr) 
  • MTH 251: Differential Calculus (4 Cr)
  • ST 243Z: Principles of Statistics (4 Cr)
  • ST 351:  Intro. to Statistical Methods (4 Cr)
  • CH 121: General Chemistry (5 Cr)
  • CH 231/CH 261: General Chemistry (5 Cr) 

U.S. Office of Personnel Management Website

Botany Series 0430

Degree

Botany; or basic plant science that included at least 24 semester hours in botany. 

Evaluation of Education: Courses in basic botany, plant anatomy or morphology, cytology, histology, genetics, taxonomy or systematics, algology, mycology, ethnobotany, and those dealing with specific problems of a botanical nature or with specific groups of plants are qualifying.

Basic Botany
  • RNG 353: Wildland Plant Identification (4 Cr)
Or:

Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in botany or basic plant science that included at least 24 semester hours in botany, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

For specific positions: 
  • Dealing with the study of fungi, or with basic mycological relationships, the course work in botany must have included at least 6 semester hours in mycology.
  • The courses required for mycologists are specific and must have been in mycology.

U.S. Office of Personnel Management website 

Soil Science Series 0470

Degree

Soil science or a closely related discipline that included 30 semester hours or equivalent in biological, physical, or earth science, with a minimum of 15 semester hours in such subjects as soil genesis, pedology, soil chemistry, soil physics, and soil fertility.

Or: combination of education and experience
  • courses equivalent to a major in soil science or a related discipline that included at least 30 semester hours in the biological, physical, or earth sciences. 
  • At least 15 of these semester hours must have been in the areas specified above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

U.S. Office of Personnel Management website

Soil Conservation Series 0457

Degree

Soil conservation or related agricultural or natural resource discipline such as agronomy, soil science, forestry, agricultural education, or agricultural engineering. 

  • Must have included 30 semester hours in a natural resource or agricultural field, including at least 12 semester hours in a combination of soils and crops or plant science. 
    • Of the 12 semester hours, a minimum of 3 semester hours must have been in soils and 3 semester hours in crops or plant science.
Or: combination of education and experience 
  • At least 30 semester hours in one or more of the disciplines as shown above including: 
    • at least 12 semester hours in a combination of soils and crops or plant science, plus appropriate experience or additional education 
      • Of the 12 semester hours, a minimum of 3 semester hours must have been in soils and 3 semester hours in crops or plant science.

U.S. Office of Personnel Management website

Hydrology Series 1315

Degree

Physical or natural science, or engineering 

  • included at least 30 semester hours in any combination of courses in: hydrology, the physical sciences, geophysics, chemistry, engineering science, soils, mathematics, aquatic biology, atmospheric science, meteorology, geology, oceanography, or the management or conservation of water resources.
Hydrology
  • RNG 455: Riparian Ecohydrology & Mgmt (4 Cr)
  • Z 477: Aquatic Entomology (4 Cr) 
Mathematics
  • MTH 112Z: Elementary Functions (4 Cr)
  • MTH 245: Math for Mgmt, Life and Social Sci (4 Cr)
  • ST 243Z: Principles of Statistics (4 Cr)
  • ST 351: Intro. to Statistical Methods (4 Cr)
Management or conservation of water resources
  • SUS 350: Sustainable Communities (4 Cr)
  • FW 323: Management of Pacific Salmon in NW (3 Cr)
  • GEOG 340: Intro. to Water Science (3 Cr)
  • FW 255: Field Sampling of Fish and Wildlife (3 Cr)
  • FW 251: Principles of Fish & Wildlife Conservation (3 Cr)
  • FW 326: Integrated Watershed Management (3 Cr)
  • FES 445: Ecological Restoration (4 Cr)

The course work must have included at least 6 semester hours in calculus (including both differential and integral calculus), and at least 6 semester hours in physics. (Calculus and physics, as described above, are requirements for all grade levels.)

  • MTH 241: Calculus for Mgmt, Life & Social Sci (4 Cr)
  • MTH 251: Differential Calculus (4 Cr)
Or: combination of education and experience — coursework as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
  • Evaluation of Experience: Acceptable experience must have included performance of scientific functions related to the study of water resources, based on and requiring a professional knowledge of related sciences and the consistent application of basic scientific principles to the solution of theoretical and practical hydrologic problems. 
    • The following is illustrative of acceptable experience: field or laboratory work that would require application of hydrologic theory and related sciences such as geology, geo-chemistry, geophysics, or civil engineering to making observations, taking samples, operating instruments, assembling data from source materials, analyzing and interpreting data, and reporting findings orally and in writing. In some cases, professional scientific experience that is not clearly water resource experience may be acceptable if such experience was preceded by appropriate education in hydrology or by professional hydrology experience. 
  • Applicants with related experience in hydrology gained through earlier Federal Government employment might have gained that experience in one or more occupational series. Such series include Soil Conservation, GS-457; Forestry, GS-460; Soil Science, GS-470; Civil Engineering, GS-810; Chemistry, GS-1320; Meteorology, GS-1340; and Geology, GS-1350. Comparable non-Federal experience may be given similar credit.

U.S. Office of Personnel Management website

Rangeland Management Series 0454

Degree

Range management

  • Alternatively: a related discipline that included at least 42 semester hours in a combination of the plant, animal, and soil sciences, and natural resources management
Range Management: 
  • At least 18 semester hours of course work in range management, including courses in such areas as basic principles of range management, range plants, range ecology, range inventories and studies, range improvements, and ranch or rangeland planning.

Range Management

  • RNG 341: Rangeland Ecology and Mgmt (3 Cr)
  • RNG 455: Riparian Ecohydrology & Mgmt (4 Cr)

Range Plants

  • RNG 353: Wildland Plant Identification (4 Cr)
Directly Related Plant, Animal, and Soil Sciences: 
  • At least 15 semester hours of directly related courses in the plant, animal, and soil sciences, including at least one course in each of these three scientific areas, i.e., plant, animal, and soil sciences. Courses in such areas as plant taxonomy, plant physiology, plant ecology, animal nutrition, livestock production, and soil morphology or soil classification are acceptable.
Animal
  • FW 312: Systematics of Birds (3 Cr) 
  • FW 318: Systematics of Mammals (3 Cr)
  • FW 323: Management of Pacific Salmon in NW (3 Cr)
  • FW 311: Ornithology (3 Cr)
  • FW 317: Mammalogy (3 Cr) 
  • FW 481: Wildlife Ecology (3 Cr) 
Plant
  • RNG 353: Wildland Plant Identification (4 Cr)
  • FES 341: Forest Ecology (3 Cr)
Related Resource Management Studies: 
  • At least 9 semester hours of course work in related resource management subjects, including courses in such areas as wildlife management, watershed management, natural resource or agricultural economics, forestry, agronomy, forages, and outdoor recreation management.
Wildlife Management
  • FW 350: Endangered Species, Society and Sustainability (3 Cr)
  • FES 445: Ecological Restoration (4 Cr)
  • RNG 341: Rangeland Ecology and Mgmt (3 Cr)
Watershed Management
  • FW 326: Integrated Watershed Management (3 Cr)
  • RNG 455: Riparian Ecohydrology & Mgmt (4 Cr) 
Natural Resource or Agricultural Economics
  • ECON 201: Intro to Microeconomics (4 Cr) 
  • PS 475: Environmental Politics and Policy (4 Cr)
Outdoor Recreation Management
  •  TRAL 353: Nature, Eco and Adventure Tourism (3 Cr)

U.S. Office of Personnel Management website

Forestry Series 0460

Degree

Forestry; or a related subject-matter field that included a total of at least 30 semester hours in any combination of biological, physical, or mathematical sciences or engineering, of which at least 24 semester hours of course work were in forestry. The curriculum must have been sufficiently diversified to include courses in management of renewable resources, forest biology, and forest resource measurements and inventory:

Biological, Physical
  • BI 221: Principles of Bio: Cells (4)
  • BI 222: Principles of Bio: Organisms (4)
  • BI 223: Principles of Bio Populations (4)
  • CH 121: General Chemistry (5)
  • CH 231/CH 261: General Chemistry (5)
  • GEO 221: Physical Geology
  • BI 370: General Ecology (3)
  • FW 312: Systematics of Birds (3)
  • FW 318: Systematics of Mammals (3)
  • Z 477: Aquatic Entomology (4)
  • FW 320: Intro Population Dynamics (4)
  • GEOG 340: Intro. to Water Science (3)
  • FW 370: Conservation Genetics (4)
  • FW 311: Ornithology (3)
  • FW 317: Mammalogy (3)
  • FW 481: Wildlife Ecology (3)
Mathematical
  • MTH 112Z: Elementary Functions (4)
  • MTH 241: Calculus for Mgmt, Life & Social Sci (4)
  • MTH 245: Math for Mgmt, Life and Social Sci (4);
  • MTH 251: Differential Calculus (4)
  • ST 243Z: Principles of Statistics (4)
  • ST 351: Intro. to Statistical Methods (4)
Management of Renewable Resources 

Examples of creditable courses in this area include silviculture, forest management operations, timber management, wildland fire science or fire management, utilization of forest resources, forest regulation, recreational land management, watershed management, and wildlife or range habitat management.

Forest Management Operations
  • BI 375: Field Methods in Ecological Restoration (4)
  • NR 201: Managing NR for the Future (3)
  • NR 202: NR Problems and Solutions (3)
  • NR 455: NR Decision Making (4)
  • FES 445: Ecological Restoration (4)
Utilization of Forest Resources
  • SUS 304: Sustainability Assessment (4)
  • SUS 350: Sustainable Communities (4)
  • FES 440: Wildland Fire Ecology (3)
  • FW 251: Principles of Fish & Wildlife Conservation (3)
  • FW 350: Endangered Species, Society and Sustainability (3)
Recreational Land Management
  • TRAL 353: Nature, Eco and Adventure Tourism
Watershed Management and Wildlife or Range Habitat Management  
  • FW 323: Management of Pacific Salmon in NW (3)
  • RNG 455: Riparian Ecohydrology & Mgmt (4)
  • RNG 341: Rangeland Ecology and Mgmt (3)
  • FW 326: Integrated Watershed Management (3)
Forest Biology  

Examples of creditable courses in this area include dendrology, forest ecology, silvics, forest genetics, wood structure and properties, forest soils, forest entomology, and forest pathology.

  • FES 341: Forest Ecology 
Forest Resource Measurements and Inventory

Examples of creditable courses include forest biometrics, forest mensuration, forest valuation, statistical analysis of forest resource data, renewable natural resources inventories and analysis, and photogrammetry or remote sensing.

  • RNG 353: Wildland Plant Identification (4)
  • FW 255: Field Sampling of Fish and Wildlife (3)
  • FES 342: Forest Type of the Northwest (3)
Combination of education and experience

Courses equivalent to a major in forestry, or at least 30 semester hours in any combination of biological, physical, or mathematical sciences or engineering, of which at least 24 semester hours were in forestry. The requirements for diversification of the 24 semester hours in forestry are the same as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

U.S. Office of Personnel Management website

Wildlife Biology Series 0486

Degree

A biological science degree that included at least 9 semester hours in such wildlife subjects as mammalogy, ornithology, animal ecology, wildlife management, or research courses in the field of wildlife biology; and at least 12 semester hours in zoology in such subjects as general zoology, invertebrate zoology, vertebrate zoology, comparative anatomy, physiology, genetics, ecology, cellular biology, parasitology, entomology, or research courses in such subjects (excess courses in wildlife biology may be used to meet the zoology requirements where appropriate.); and at least 9 semester hours in botany or the related plant sciences.

Mammalogy, Ornithology, Animal Ecology, Wildlife Management
  • FW 312: Systematics of Birds (3)
  • FW 318: Systematics of Mammals (3)
  • FW 323: Management of Pacific Salmon in NW (3)
  • FW 255: Field Sampling of Fish and Wildlife (3)
  • FW 251: Principles of Fish & Wildlife Conservation (3)
  • FW 311: Ornithology (3)
  • FW 317: Mammalogy (3)
  • FW 481: Wildlife Ecology (3)
Genetics
  • BI 223: Principles of Bio Populations (4)
  • FW 320: Intro Population Dynamics (4)
  • FW 370: Conservation Genetics (4)
Ecology
  • BI 370: General Ecology (3)
  • FES 341: Forest Ecology
  • RNG 341: Rangeland Ecology and Mgmt (3)
  • FES 440: Wildland Fire Ecology (3)
Entomology
  • Z 477: Aquatic Entomology (4)
Botany or the Related Plant Sciences
  • RNG 353: Wildland Plant Identification (4)
Combination of education and experience:

Equivalent to a major in biological science (i.e., at least 30 semester hours), with at least 9 semester hours in wildlife subjects, 12 semester hours in zoology, and 9 semester hours in botany or related plant science, as above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
 

U.S. Office of Personnel Management website

Degree:

Major in wildlife biology, zoology, or botany that included at least 30 semester hours of course work in biological science and 15 semester hours in the physical, mathematical, and earth sciences. This course work must have included: at least 9 semester hours of training applicable to wildlife biology in such subjects as mammalogy, ornithology, animal ecology, wildlife management, principles of population dynamics, or related course work in the field of wildlife biology; and at least 12 semester hours in zoological subjects such as invertebrate zoology, vertebrate zoology, comparative anatomy of the vertebrates, embryology, animal physiology, entomology, herpetology, parasitology, and genetics; and at least 9 semester hours in the field of botany and related plant science; and at least 15 semester hours of training in any combination of two or more of the following: chemistry, physics, mathematics, statistics, soils, and/or geology.

  • For these research positions they specify you must have a wildlife biology, zoology, or botany degree.

U.S. Office of Personnel Management website