Researcher holding a newly hatched fish.

Tomorrow Needs You. Are You Ready?

Receive a graduate education from an accredited institution.

Applied Natural Resource Economics—MS

With access to a unique blend of economics, business, forestry, and geology, plus engineering, social sciences, and technical communication, study real-world topics including environmental issues, public policy analysis, economic theory, and commodity markets. Being in the “Great Lakes State” also facilitates student research closer to campus, such as evaluating natural resource stressors of Lake Michigan. Are you ready?

Program Overview

Start with core courses, then add electives—from finance to forestry. You’ll make the program truly yours. Our students in the master's in applied natural resource economics program not only participate in research, they publish it.

Student research spans across topics and locations and is often inspired by evaluating current issues of developing countries. Recent research areas include petroleum fiscal regimes, global fisheries management, carbon sequestration of forest products, and social and sustainability challenges related to mining and oil production.

Delivery Options
- On-Campus: MS

Applied Natural Resource Economics Program Details

Choose a specific degree option or delivery type to learn more about the applied natural resource economics program at Michigan Tech.

On-Campus Programs

MS, Applied Natural Resource Economics: Thesis Option

This option requires a research thesis prepared under the supervision of the advisor. The thesis describes a research investigation and its results. The scope of the research topic for the thesis should be defined in such a way that a full-time student could complete the requirements for a master’s degree in 12 months or three semesters following the completion of coursework by regularly scheduling graduate research credits.

The minimum requirements are as follows:

Total Credit Requirements
Option Parts	Credits
Coursework (minimum)	20 Credits
Thesis research	6-10 Credits
Total (minimum)	30 Credits

Distribution of Coursework Credit
Distribution	Credits
5000-6000 series (minimum)	12 Credits
3000-4000 (maximum)	12 Credits

Programs may have stricter requirements and may require more than the minimum number of credits listed here.

MS, Applied Natural Resource Economics: Report Option

This option requires a report describing the results of an independent study project. The scope of the research topic should be defined in such a way that a full-time student could complete the requirements for a master’s degree in twelve months or three semesters following the completion of coursework by regularly scheduling graduate research credits.

Of the minimum total of 30 credits, at least 24 must be earned in coursework other than the project:

Total Credit Requirements
Option Parts	Credits
Coursework (minimum)	24 Credits
Report	2-6 Credits
Total (minimum)	30 Credits

Distribution of Coursework Credit
Distribution	Credits
5000-6000 series (minimum)	12 Credits
3000-4000 (maximum)	12 Credits

Programs may have stricter requirements and may require more than the minimum number of credits listed here.

Additional Program Information

Want to learn more about applied natural resource economics at Michigan Tech? Visit the department for more information:

Contact

Graduate Director

Jenny Apriesnig

Graduate Assistant

Laura Shawhan

Sample Areas of Interest

Select areas of interest to help customize your applied natural resource economics MS. Sample areas include:

Energy Economics
Market Failure and the Environment
Mineral Economics
Natural Resource Economics

View full listing for this program

Application Process and Admissions Requirements

Applications are reviewed on an individual basis using a holistic approach. Fill out our free graduate application online to apply to any of our programs. Official transcripts and scores are not required for the initial application, although you will need to upload them later.

Graduate School Admissions Process

Applying to Graduate School is free (no application fees) and fast (no official transcripts or test scores are needed to start). The application process involves three easy steps. International applicants are required to pay a non-refundable $10 processing fee per application.

See Admissions Steps

Graduate School Admissions Options

Michigan Tech offers several admissions options in order to meet the educational needs of students from a variety of backgrounds. Students should review the options available to them and apply for the program that will best help them achieve their personal educational goals.

See Admissions Options

Graduate School Requirements

To be considered for admission to the Graduate School as a degree- or certificate-seeking student, you need to:

have a bachelor's degree or its equivalent from an accredited institution, and
be prepared for advanced study in your chosen field, as demonstrated by your previous degree and your scholastic record.

See additional application requirements, including required materials:

Student Statements

Official Transcripts

Program Specific Requirements

Program Specific

2 Letters of Recommendation
GRE/GMAT not required
Admitted students generally have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale.

International Students

TOEFL: Required Minimum Score of 79 iBT
IELTS: Required Minimum Overall Band Score of 6.5
English Proficiency is required for all applicants who do not come from the US, Canada, UK, Australia, and New Zealand

Michigan Tech requires a minimum 79 overall TOEFL or 6.5 overall IELTS score.

Admissions Decisions

Made on a rolling basis

Recommended Deadline

Apply at least a semester in advance of projected admission to improve your chances of receiving funding.

International Student Requirements

International Students must apply and be accepted into a degree-granting program in order to earn a graduate certificate. A non-refundable $10 processing fee per application is required.

See International Applicants

Accredited by HLC

Michigan Tech has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) since 1928. Our Graduate School offers over 125 certificates, master's, and PhD programs to provide our students and the world with what tomorrow needs.

Who You'll Work With

Work with faculty who are experts in natural resources. With a variety of applied tools, our faculty perform research in environmental damage assessment, metal market economics and policy, community-mining industry conflicts, natural resource management and policy, urban sprawl and natural resources in Michigan, the Great Lakes environment and fisheries, and coupling economic and ecological models. Mineral economics studies are a traditional strength of the applied natural resource economics program.

Research from our faculty has been published in top-tier journals in the fields of environmental and natural resource economics, including Ecological Economics, American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Environmental and Resource Economics, and the Journal of Sustainable Development.

Where You'll Work

Global or local focus—you decide. While you work on your master's in Applied Natural Resource Economics degree at Michigan Tech you’ll be located in the Upper Peninsula; an area that has a rich history of mining and forestry, and Lake Superior is just moments away. Our research centers and institutes, such as the Great Lakes Research Center, offer additional connections to resource-based research.

Through a thesis or independent study project, graduates develop specialized knowledge in the economics of natural resources and the environment, an ability to evaluate resource projects, and a toolkit to perform independent analysis and effectively communicate analytical results. The flexible program is grounded in economic analysis, project evaluation, and statistical analysis. Our graduates are employed around the globe with careers in finance, government, and consulting and several pursued a PhD program to further their graduate education.

Faculty Spotlight

Jenny L. Apriesnig

Jenny Apriesnig
Assistant Professor of Economics, College of Business

"Economics is everywhere."

Natural resource economics is highly interdisciplinary, and understanding how we manage and value resources will only become more important as policy, technology, and markets evolve. Apriesnig works to create models that couple economic and ecological systems so that ecosystem disturbances and policy changes can be more comprehensively evaluated.

Program Faculty