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Natural Resources Masters Program

Natural Resources Masters Program

NC State’s Natural Resources Masters Program is a unique, intercollegiate, multidisciplinary program that focuses on several aspects of natural resource policy, management, and assessment. A selection of technical options couple Natural Resources core courses in resource issues and management with a series of related courses in a variety of technical disciplines. Many positions in federal and state agencies, private companies, and environmental organizations require individuals with expertise in a technical area coupled with a broad knowledge of policy and management.

The Natural Resources Core Curriculum prepares professionals who are well versed in policy and regulation and skilled in quantitative assessment. The Technical Options are designed to enhance students’ understanding of the processes within an individual option.

Courses within the various technical options are taught in several different departments and provide a broad background with rigorous technical emphases. These departments are: Forestry and Environmental Resources, Landscape Architecture, and  Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management.   Applicants generally have an undergraduate degree in natural resources or a related field, though experience will be considered during the admission process. See How to Apply for specific requirements.

Mission

Our mission is to prepare students for management positions in public and private agencies and contribute to improving resolution of increasingly complex resource management problems through education, research, and applied projects.

Degree Types

Graduate students in Natural Resources may choose to pursue a Master of Science in Natural Resources or a non-thesis Master of Natural Resources degree.

Masters of Natural Resources

Graduate students in the Masters of Natural Resources (MNR) program are required to conduct a project and present a report on the work accomplished. These students generally take up to 3 credits in supervised project work and an additional 15 to 18 credit hours in courses from their chosen technical option.

Our Objectives for the Master of Natural Resources degree are:

  1. To prepare graduate students for successful professional careers in natural resource related disciplines
  2. To prepare students professional practice and for effective stewardship of natural resources at local, regional, national or international scales
  3. To maintain and improve the program’s leadership position nationally and internationally

View examples of and download required documents for Master of Natural Resourses final papers.

Masters of Science in Natural Resources

The Masters of Science in Natural Resources (MS-NR) degree requires that a student develop and conduct a research project and present methodologies and results of the test or experiment as a thesis. The MS-NR degree is the preferred track for students who are interested in pursuing a Ph.D. or who anticipate conducting or reviewing research in their future work.

Our Objectives for the Master of Science in Natural Resources degree are:

  1. To prepare graduate students for successful professional careers in natural resource related disciplines and for further graduate studies
  2. To prepare students to be effective researchers and to contribute to improving knowledge in natural resource disciplines at local, regional, national or international scales
  3. To maintain and improve the program’s leadership position nationally and internationally

Curriculum

Both the MNR and MS-NR degree programs feature a core curriculum consisting of 10 credit hours, including a seminar, and both require graduate students to choose a technical option, then present the results of their thesis or project in that option to the department at large.
A minimum of 30 hours is required for either the MNR or the MS degrees. Depending upon the Technical Option selected, the minimum number of hours required for the degree may vary between 30 and 40 hours. Please refer directly to the appropriate technical option for details and specific requirements.