The rangeland ecology and management area of specialization focuses on linking bio-physical and human systems to ensure sustainable practices.
Students in the program learn how to classify and manage rangelands based on:
- community type
- animal habitat needs
- feeding ecologies
- ecosystem potential
Concepts covered pertain to both domestic and wild grazing animals, include a variety of grassland and shrubland types, and emphasize adaptive management techniques.
Curriculum
The natural resource stewardship degree requires completion of 30 credits, including 11 credits of required core coursework, 9 credits in the focus area (rangeland ecology and management), and 10 credits of electives. This is a coursework-intensive degree and does not require completion of a thesis.
Required Courses
Specialization Courses: Rangeland Ecology and Management
Electives
To further diversify your curriculum, choose a minimum of 10 elective credits. These courses can be from any of the specialization areas or from other credit courses that pertain to your professional and education goals. Electives must be above the 300 level and be approved by an academic advisor.
The following courses are also available as electives:
- NR 565 – Principles of Natural Resource Ecology (3 cr.)
NR 565 is a required course for students who have not taken a college-level ecology course.
- NR 678 – Advanced Ecological Restoration (4 cr.)
