Typical Four-year Outline: Natural Resources Management BS

The typical four-year outline for Michigan Tech's natural resources management bachelor's degree provides a semester-by-semester guide to core courses, labs, and requirements.

The Interactive Degree Audit is the official method for tracking the completion of your specific degree requirements. Please be aware that there are multiple ways for students to progress through this major. This is just one sample and adjustments may be required due to curriculum changes. Students should work with their advisor to develop their individual plan. A full list of undergraduate course descriptions is available.

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First Year

Fall Semester
Course Prerequisites Credit
FW 1050 Natural Resource Professional (Essential Education: Seminar)   2
FW 2010 Vegetation of North America   4
FW 2051 Field Techniques   2
BL 1400 Principles of Biology (Essential Education: Science)   3
BL 1410 Principles of Biology Lab   1
UN 1015 Composition (Essential Education)   3
Total   15
Spring Semester
Course Prerequisites Credit
CH 1150 University Chemistry I (Essential Education: Science) Math Placement 3
CH 1151 University Chemistry I Lab CH 1150 (Concurrent) 1
EC 2001 Principles of Economics (Essential Education: Foundations)   3
MA 1135 Calculus for Life Science (Essential Education: Math)   3
Essential Education: Shape   3
Essential Education: Activities   1
Total   15

Second Year

Fall Semester
Course Prerequisites Credit
FW 2030 Natural Resource Conservation   2
FW 3020 Forest Ecology FW 2010 (Concurrent), FW 2051 (Concurrent) 3
FW 3330 Soil Science (Essential Education Stem) CH 1150 and CH 1151 4
MA 2720 Statistical Methods MA 1030 or MA 1032 4
Essential Education: Arts and Culture   3
Total   16
Spring Semester
Course Prerequisites Credit
FW 3110 Natural Resource Policy   3
FW 3200 Biometrics and Data Analysis FW 2051 and MA 2720 4
FW 3540 Intro to Gis MA 2720 (Concurrent) 4
Free Elective   2
Essential Education: Communication Intensive   3
Essential Education: Activities   1
Total   17

Third Year

Fall Semester
Course Prerequisites Credit
FW 3012 Survey of Silviculture FW 2010 and FW 2051 2
FW 3170 Land Measurements and Gps FW 3540 1
FW 3180 Geomorphology, Landscapes, and Ecosystems   2
FW 3190 Multi-Resource Assessment FW 2051 and FW 3020 and FW 3200 3
FW 3600 Wildlife Habitat   3
FW 3800 Insect Ecology   2
FW 3840 Forest Health   3
Total   16
Spring Semester
Course Prerequisites Credit
FW 3510 Outdoor Recreation and Tourism   3
FW 4380 Landscape Ecology and Planning MA 2720 3
FW 4710 Environmental Biogeochemistry CH 1150 3
Essential Education: Intercultural Competency   3
Essential Education: Experience   3
Essential Education: Activities   1
Total   16

Fourth Year

Fall Semester
Course Prerequisites Credit
FW 4150 Forest Resource Mgmt FW 3012 3
FW 4180 Ethics of Conservation and Sustainability   3
FW 4800 Communications for Nat Res   2
FW 4811 Integrated Resources Data Collection (Capstone) FW 3190 2
Natural Resource Directed Elective   3
Business Directed Elective   3
Total   16
Spring Semester
Course Prerequisites Credit
FW 4830 Integrated Nat Res Assessment (Capstone) FW 4811 2
Social Dimensions Directed Elective   3
Natural Resource Directed Elective   3
Natural Resource Directed Elective   3
Business Directed Elective   3
Free Elective   3
Total   17

Total credits = 128 credits

Natural Resource Electives

  • Choose a minimum of 9 credits from the following courses:
Course Course Title Credits Prereqs Semester Offered
BL 2160 Botany 3 None Spring
BL 2170 Zoology  3 None Spring
BL 4440 Fish Biology 3 BL 1400 and BL 1410 Fall
BL 4447 Stream Ecology 3 BL 1400 and BL 1410 Fall - even years
FW 1035 Wood Anatomy and Properties 3 None Spring
FW 3320 Forest Genetics and Genomics 3 None Spring
FW 3410 Conservation Science 3 None Fall
FW 3610 Ornithology 4 BL 1400 and BL 1410 Spring
FW 4114 or FW 5115 Restoration Ecology 3 None Spring
FW 4120 Tree Physiology 3 None Spring
FW 4140 Stand and Forest Modeling 2 Fw 3012 Spring
FW 4220 Wetlands 4 BL 1400 and BL 1410 Fall
FW 4240 Mammalogy 4 BL 1400 and BL 1410 Fall
FW 4300 Wildland Fire 3 FW 3020 and (FW 3010 or FW 3012) Spring
FW 4370 Forest and Landscape Hydrology 3 None Spring
FW 4540 Remote Sensing of the Environment 3 None Fall
FW 4545 Map Design w/ GIS 2 None Fall, Spring
FW 4610 Wildlife Ecology 3 FW 3540 Fall
FW 4620 Herpetology 3 BL 1400 and BL 1410 Sping - odd years
GE 2100 Environmental Geology 3 None Spring
GE 4150 Natural Hazards 3 GE 2000 or GE 2100 Fall

Social Dimension Electives

  • Choose 3 credits from the list of courses below
Course Course Title Credits Prereqs Semester Offered
FW 3760 Human Dimensions of Natural Resources 3 None Fall
SS 3315 Population, Health, & Environment 3 UN 1015 Fall - odd years
SS 3520 U.S. Environmental History 3 UN 1015 Fall
SS 3630 Environmental Policy & Politics 3 UN 1015 Spring
SS 3800 Energy Policy & Technology 3 UN 1015 Spring
SS 4010 Applied Statistics for the Social Sciences 3 MA 2720 Fall - odd year
SS 4200 Environmental Anthropology 3 SS 2100 and UN 1015 Fall
SS 4313 Sustainability Science 3 None Fall

Business Electives

  • Choose 6 credits from the list of courses below
Course Course Title Credits Prereqs Semester Offered
ACC 2000 Accounting Principles I 3 None Fall, Spring
BUS 2300 Quantitative Problem Solving 3 BUS 2100 or MA 2720 Fall, Spring
EC 3400 Economic Decision Analysis 3 None Fall, Spring
EC 4500 Public Sector Economics 3 EC 2001 On Demand
EC 4640 Natural Resource Economics 3 EC 2001 or FW 4080 Fall
EC 4650 AMarket Failure & the Environment 3 EC 2001 Spring - odd years
MGT 3000 Organizational Behavior 3 None Fall, Spring
MKT 3000 Principles of Marketing 3 None Fall

Essential Education Requirements (24 total credits)

Required courses are:

  • Essential Ed Seminar (UN 1013 or UN 2013, 1 credit),
  • Composition (UN 1015-3 credits),
  • a Natural and Physical Science course (3 credits),
  • a Communication Intensive course (3 credits),
  • an Arts and Culture course (3 credits),
  • an Intercultural Competency course (3 credits),
  • an Essential Education Experience course (3 credits),
  • and 3 credits of Activities for Well-being and Success.

For specific courses, reference Essential Education on the Registrar's website.

Additional Notes

  • Prerequisite (pre-req) course must be successfully completed PRIOR to taking the subsequent course.
    • Concurrent Prerequisites (concurrent noted by (C) or ©) may be taken at the same time, although it is not necessary if the prerequisite course is completed first.
      • Required Corequisite (co-req) courses that MUST be taken together in the same semester.
      • Class Standing: So (Sophomore Standing earned 30 credits) Jr (Junior Standing earned 60 credits), Sr (Senior Standing earned 90 credits)
      • Semester Offered: Noted under electives with F (Fall), Sp (Spring), Su (Summer) or On Demand (no anticipated offering but may show in the schedule, consult with your advisor)
  • Math: Students are placed into an initial math course based on ACT/SAT math score, the online ALEKS assessment, or a math placement exam score for credit (AP, IB, CLEP).
  • Transfer, Advanced Placement, or study abroad courses are not included in credit hours used for GPA calculations. Transfer credit is awarded for Michigan Tech equivalent coursework only if a grade of ‘C’ or better (2.00/4.00) or equivalent is earned at a transfer institution. Study abroad credit will be awarded based on passing a course according to equivalent international standards. Advanced Placement credit is awarded according to published AP Exam score standards (also IB and CLEP).

This degree plan is not an official list of degree requirements. Adjustments may be required due to curriculum changes.