Academic Program

B.S. in Natural Resources Management

Green Mountain College offers a comprehensive degree in Natural Resources Management. This degree is designed to prepare students for the challenging responsibilities required of land managers in public agencies, resource specialists in non-governmental organizations, and consultants working in the private sector. Students interested in pursuing professions in forestry, wildlife, and park management will benefit from this degree.

Graduates of this program will meet the requirements for government employment at the GS-5 level in one of the main federal land management agencies: National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Graduates of this degree will also be able to pursue graduate study in fields such as natural resources, forestry, wildlife biology, recreation management, or public policy. Graduates will gain specific skills in conducting forest and wildlife inventories, working with geographic information systems, and developing resource plans. Students will learn how to manage natural resources for multiple values including timber, wildlife, wilderness, recreation, energy production and others. Additional expertise can be gained in conservation biology, forest ecology, and environmental law.

Goals for Natural Resources Management majors

• To provide high quality balanced training and education experiences in theory and practical knowledge.
• To provide for individualized student development in and out of the classroom through projects, electives, practicum, internship and self-designed opportunities.
• To help students develop a land ethic to guide wise stewardship and protection of natural resources.
• To develop student ability to function effectively on interdisciplinary teams.
• To develop student ability to engage in critical thinking and tradeoff analyses for natural resource management issues.
• To assist students in developing a holistic, systems approach to natural resource management.
• To develop project management skills.
• To help students understand the complexity of sustainable development concepts.

The fundamental components of truly effective natural resources management are those skills found at the intersection of the natural and social sciences. This degree is not about producing biologists or environmental scientists. Nor is this degree intended to develop aspiring bureaucrats or government agents. Rather, a degree in natural resources management demands a solid understanding of our natural environment and our dependence upon that environment for a host of amenities. To this end, natural resource managers must be prepared to weigh the consequences of many different options affecting both the natural environment and the people who depend on that environment for their livelihood, their recreation, or their physical well-being.
Download the degree requirements (PDF format)