Please note:
This minor in natural resources and the following
graduate programs in natural resources
are administered separately from different offices.

Natural Resources Minor

Minor in Natural Resources

For information on more specialized natural resources disciplines, see:

Certificates of Study
Fisheries
Forestry
Natural Resources Planning & Interpretation
Oceanography
Rangeland Resources & Wildland Soils
Soil Science
Wildlife

Department Chair
Steven R. Martin, Ph.D.

Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences Department
Natural Resource Building 200
(707) 826-4147

Requirements for the Minor

BIOL 105 Principles of Biology
NRPI 105 Natural Resource Conservation
SOIL 260 Introduction to Soil Science

At least three courses from the following (at least six units must be 300 or above):

FISH 300 Introduction to Fishery Biology
FOR 315 Forest Management
FOR 374 Wilderness Area Mgmt.
OCN 301 Marine Ecosystems—Human Impact
OCN 304 Resources of the Sea
RRS 306 Rangeland Resource Principles
NRPI 210 Public Land Use Policies & Management
NRPI 215 Natural Resources & Recreation
NRPI 310 Introduction to Natural Resource Planning

WLDF 300 Wildlife Ecology & Management or
WLDF 301 Principles of Wildlife Management

To select another HSU academic program, choose from the list in the frame to the left.

To see the master's program in Natural Resources, keep scrolling down.

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Natural Resources Masters

Master of Science degree with a major in Natural Resources
options in:

Fisheries
Forestry
Natural Resources Planning & Interpretation
Rangeland Resources & Wildland Soils
Wastewater Utilization
Watershed Management
Wildlife

Natural Resources Graduate Program Office
Forestry Building 101
(707) 826-3256

Program Coordinator
Gary Hendrickson, Ph.D.
(707) 826-4233

Admission Requirements

Students must have:

undergraduate preparation equivalent to a Bachelor’s Degree in the selected option;
minimum undergraduate grade-point average of 3.0 for the last 60 units;
combined verbal and quantitative score of 1000 on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE);
GPA or GRE requirements may be excepted by extensive work experience or exceptional GRE score or GPA.

Supporting Materials

Submit the following supporting materials to the Graduate Secretary, College of Natural Resources and Sciences;

Statement of objectives including reasons for desiring a master’s degree, area of interest within the option applied for, and type of research project(s) you might wish to undertake. Since admission depends on approval by the faculty, identification of a specific area of interest or research project is important.
Official transcripts from all accredited colleges or universities you have attended.
At least three letters or recommendation from individuals who can assess your potential as a graduate student.
Results from the verbal and quantitative portions of the GRE should be sent to the University by the testing service. The University will forward them to the Graduate Secretary.
A résumé.

Requirements for the Master's Degree

Fisheries

The Fisheries program is designed primarily to produce graduates who can assess, develop, and manage fish habitats, populations, and commercial and recreational fisheries. The program is broad enough to allow students to prepare themselves for work in additional areas such as water pollution ecology and fish culture.

Required courses: FISH 310, FISH 450, FISH 460, FISH 685, FISH 690, FISH 695 or equivalents.
Approved upper division and graduate electives to bring total units to no fewer than 30 and no more than 60 units. Fifteen of these units must be courses organized and conducted at the graduate level.
During the first four semesters at HSU, all graduate students shall enroll in three units each of FISH 690 and FISH 695. In all subsequent semesters in residence, students shall enroll in at least one unit each of FISH 690 and FISH 695.
A thesis, a public oral presentation, and a closed formal defense are required.

Forestry

Graduate students in Forestry focus on a wide variety of topics including forest ecology, fire ecology and management, tree physiology, remote sensing and geographic information systems, silviculture, forest engineering, forest growth, and administration of forest land for ecosystem management.

Approved upper division and graduate electives to bring total units to no fewer than 30 units. Fifteen of these units must be courses organized and conducted at the graduate level.
A thesis or comprehensive exam is required. Those electing a thesis may apply up to three units each of FOR 690 and FOR 695 toward the degree. Comprehensive exam students must take three units of FOR 699 and take both written and oral exams. A public oral presentation and a closed formal defense are required for all thesis research.

Natural Resources Planning & Interpretation

NRPI graduate studies are oriented toward environmental analysis and land use planning, recreational uses of natural resources, interpretation of natural resources, and application of GIS technology.

Required courses: NRPI 690 and NRPI 695.
Enrollment in NRPI 685 is required during each semester of residence. A maximum of two units is applicable to the 30-unit requirement.
Approved upper division and graduate electives to bring total units to no fewer than 30 units. Fifteen of these units must be courses organized and conducted at the graduate level.
Students must be enrolled in a minimum of three units of NRPI 690 during the semester in which they graduate.
A thesis, a public oral presentation, and a closed formal defense are required.

Rangeland Resources & Wildland Soils

The fundamental aim of Rangeland Resources is to maintain rangeland health for sustainable production of forage for livestock and wildlife, watershed function, outdoor recreation, and aesthetic values. Wildland Soils deals with the maintenance of the quality of the soil for those same values and sustainable timber production.

Approved upper division and graduate electives to bring total units to no fewer than 30 units. Fifteen of these units must be courses organized and conducted at the graduate level.
Enrollment in RRS/SOIL 685 is required during each semester of residence. A maximum of two units is applicable to the 30-unit requirement.
Students must be enrolled in a minimum of three units of RRS/SOIL 690 during the semester in which they graduate.
A thesis, a public oral presentation, and a closed formal defense are required.

Wastewater Utilization

Wastewater Utilization explores the re-use of water from wastewater treatment plants, agricultural drainage ditches, and other sources traditionally considered unusable. This option provides training in design and evaluation of advanced biological wastewater treatment systems and in the design of systems that reuse wastewater in natural resource ecosystems.

Required courses: FISH 435; four courses in water quality; two courses each in ecology and physiology, elements or planning and design, and non-technical problems in wastewater reuse/water quality issues.
During the first two semesters at HSU, all graduate students shall enroll in one unit each of FISH 690 and FISH 695. In all subsequent semesters in residence, students shall enroll in at least three units each of FISH 690 and FISH 695.
A thesis, a public oral presentation, and a closed formal defense are required.

Watershed Management

Graduate studies focus on watershed processes and interactions between geophysical, biological, and socioeconomic factors as expressed in bounded geographic regions or drainages at a variety of scales. The interplay between watershed processes and the management of other natural resources is integral to the program.

Prerequisites

A bachelor’s degree in a related field built on a strong science foundation. One year each (at least six semester units) of calculus, physics, and biological science is required. One year of chemistry is recommended and may be required for some individual programs. Additional undergraduate preparation is expected in soils, geology, statistics, wildland resource management, and economics.

Course Requirements

A graduate committee approves a specific graduate curriculum for each student. The approved upper division and graduate curriculum contains a minimum of 30 units beyond satisfactory undergraduate preparation. Fifteen of these units, including statistics, must be courses primarily organized and conducted at the graduate level. No more than four units each of WSHD 690 and WSHD 695/699 may apply toward the degree.
Required prerequisite courses include: WSHD 310 and WSHD 410 or equivalents.
Each graduate program shall contain WSHD 530 (Water Rights and Water Law), and one semester of WSHD 685 (Forest Hydrology Seminar). Also required is one of the following: WSHD 510 (Wildland Water Quality); WSHD 520 (Watershed Analysis) or WSHD 540 (Watershed Modeling in GIS).
All watershed students are expected to enroll in one unit of WSHD 690 (Thesis) and one unit of WSHD 695 (Research Problems) during every semester in which they are a graduate student in residence at HSU.

Culminating Experience

A thesis is required. Students must select a thesis topic before the graduate committee can be finalized and before the graduate curriculum can receive final approval.

Wildlife

Wildlife focuses on the conservation, management, ecology, behavior, and habitat requirements of wildlife species. Research projects emphasize the application of science to addressing issues in wildlife conservation and management.

Required courses: WLDF 585, WLDF 690, WLDF 695
Approved upper division and graduate electives to bring total units to no fewer than 30 units. Fifteen of these units must be courses organized and conducted at the graduate level.
A thesis, a public oral presentation, and a closed formal defense are required.

College Faculty Preparation Program

A Graduate Certificate in College Teaching: Natural Resources

This discipline-specific program is designed to better prepare the graduate student interested in a teaching career at the community college or university level. Participation requires completion of, or current enrollment in, the natural resources master’s program.

The certificate consists of five components (12 units), described below. After consulting with your graduate advisor, and under the advisement of the College Faculty Preparation Program coordinator, develop a plan of study tailored to meet your specific timelines and professional goals. The CFPP coordinator and the dean for Research and Graduate Studies must approve each plan of study.

Notation of certificate completion will appear on your official university transcript.

1) Discipline-Specific Teaching Methods

Introduces undergraduate teaching through a practical presentation of the processes and issues involved in natural resources instruction. Three units, taken first or second semester of the MS program:

FISH 597 Mentoring & Teaching Associate Training or
FOR 597 Mentoring & Teaching Associate Training or
NRPI 597 Mentoring & Teaching Associate Training or
WLDF 597 Mentoring & Teaching Associate Training

2) Higher Education Teaching Methods

Guidance in the skills and knowledge relevant to teaching in higher education. Three units, taken first or second semester of the MS program:

EDUC 583 Teaching in Higher Education

Certificate requirements #3 & #4 come after completion of #1 (Discipline-Specific Teaching Methods) and after or concurrent with #2 (Higher Education Teaching Methods).

3) Professional Development Seminar

Explore the nature and philosophy of post-secondary institutions and their roles and functions in higher education. One unit, concurrent with the fourth requirement, which follows:

SP 684 Orientation to Higher Education

4) Mentored Teaching Internship Experience

Community College Track:
Three units of a mentored teaching experience at College of the Redwoods.

SP 683 College Faculty Preparation Internship
(Note: Students successfully completing this course may apply in later semesters for a paid CR Faculty Internship if positions are available.)

OR
Pre-doctoral College Track
Three units of a mentored teaching experience at HSU.
See Natual Resource Graduate Coordinator for advice on what course number to use.

5) Capstone Experience

Guidance in developing a professional teaching portfolio and job-search support materials. Two units, taken after all previous components have been completed.

SP 685 Instructional Resources for Higher Education

To select another HSU academic program, choose from
the list in the frame to the left. To return to the university's home page, press the button below.

Please note: This minor in natural resources and the following graduate programs in natural resources are administered separately from different offices.