Natural Resources Management Bachelor's Degree

A Bachelor of Science in Natural Resource Management at Michigan Tech prepares you to use knowledge-based leadership to solve real-world environmental problems.

There's no better place to study natural resources than the wild Keweenaw Peninsula, bordered by Lake Superior and blanketed with forests and wetlands (and 218+ inches of snow each winter). First-year students have two outdoor field labs and are all eligible to be paid as Earn and Learn students—an experience that gets you involved in research right away, so you can acquire the hands-on knowledge and skills to land a summer job or internship after your first year. Other schools own forests—but our students explore 3,650 acres of woodland right outside the back door at the Ford Center and Forest. In your junior year, you'll spend 14 weeks learning in these woods, covering the elements of forested landscapes in a blend of classroom and field study through our Integrated Field Practicum.

Our graduates spend hundreds of hands-on learning hours in the field, building knowledge and skills on-site for projects ranging from classroom labs to research. This firsthand experience puts our students a step above the rest when it comes to working for government agencies, nonprofits, consulting firms, and others.

What Will I Study?

If you feel a connection with the outdoors and are willing to dig deep into a broad base of sciences and disciplines—including social science, ethics, and business—you will feel at home in our natural resources management program.

Study landscape ecology and planning, forest ecology, natural resource conservation, and conservation ethics. We emphasize professional development, fieldwork, teamwork, leadership, and communication, preparing you to meet contemporary environmental problems and debates—from wetland preservation to forest conservation—head-on. The strong working relationships you build with professors and peers will help you find and focus on your niche, and you will gain the skills and training needed to solve 21st-century natural resource challenges.

Explore the Dimensions of Natural Resources

A degree in natural resources management equips you with the knowledge, expertise, ethics, and perspective to address complex environmental problems that relate to renewable natural resources. What makes this program different from the rest?

  • Dive into the social/human side of natural resources with a sequence in the Department of Social Sciences.
  • Build foundational economics/business knowledge taught by faculty in Michigan Tech’s College of Business.
  • Round off holistic natural resources expertise in a unique capstone class covering biogeochemistry, natural resources ethics and the environment, and a natural resource conservation seminar.
  • Learn how to use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and be proficient in GPS, land measurement, and remote sensing skills.
  • Explore undergraduate research opportunities.
  • Build your resume and finish your first year of classes qualified to find a summer job in your field.
  • Network with forestry professionals visiting the Natural Resource Career Fair, or, in the classroom, connect with faculty leaders in the Society of American Foresters.

arial image of the ford center in the fall

'Camp' at the Ford Center and Forest

Spend a semester outdoors in our 3,500-acre forest, located in Alberta, Michigan, just 40 miles away from our main campus. During each student's junior year, they will live, eat, sleep, and study with peers while living in dorms located right on the Ford Center property. Get out in the field Monday through Friday for classes such as Survey of Silviculture, Forest Health, and Wildlife Habitat. Collect samples, study natural ecosystems, and learn the necessities that will help you in your natural resource career. Learn more about "camp"—formally known as our Integrated Field Practicum.

Be Career Ready

As the climate continues to change, it is increasingly important to understand and manage the ecosystems that are affected by human dimensions in a way that is ethical and sustainable.

The College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science hosts its own Natural Resource Career Fair. Each year, around 20 companies from across the US travel to Michigan Tech in late fall to educate and recruit employees.

Career Opportunities for Natural Resources Management

  • Conservation Scientist
  • GIS Specialist
  • Environmental Consultant
  • Environmental Lawyer
  • Restoration Specialist
  • Natural Resources Communications Specialist
  • Environmental Policy Analyst

Michigan Tech Natural Resources Management Majors Have Been Hired By

  • National Park Service
  • State Departments of Natural Resources
  • Tribal Natural Resource Departments
  • US Bureau of Land Management
  • The Nature Conservancy

What is Natural Resources Management?

Natural resources management is the way in which people and natural landscapes interact. The management of our natural resources directly affects the quality of life for current and future generations.

At the core, natural resources management is about using knowledge-based leadership to solve or prevent environmental problems. Environmental challenges are diverse and complex, and require a firm foundation in natural resources science and ecosystem management. You will learn to understand interdependent ecological and sociopolitical systems—the balance between human interests and environmental health. Planning. Environmental energy. Tribal lands. Public recreation. Private industry. Natural resources management is about working together to protect the environment for generations to come.

Ready to take the next step?

Learn more about studying natural resources management at Michigan's flagship technological university.

  • 8:1
    student-to-faculty ratio
  • 25
    typical lab size
  • 3.5K
    acres to explore at our residential field camp

Huskies Go To The Woods

Study how the changing climate will affect our future forests at the Ford Center and Forest—our 5,000-acre classroom.

Diverse Ecosystem of Environmental Stewardship

If you have a love for the woods and a desire to sustain resources for the future, you will feel at home in Michigan Tech's College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science (CFRES). Our College is a community on a first-name basis, connected by a shared passion for study, research, and work centered on forest health and ecosystem integrity.

Similar to the Keweenaw Peninsula’s biodiverse ecosystems, CFRES is a community of undergraduates, graduates, faculty, staff, and alumni who learn, lead, and thrive in the College's unique environment. You’ll notice flags from countries around the world when you step through the doors of our atrium. We are a safe space for all who love natural resources, with a strong commitment to a sense of community.

5,850+ Acres of University Forestland

Our forests are your living lab—and playground. The University owns 5,866 acres of forestland. Undergraduate students in forestry, wildlife, ecology, and soils perform a minimum of 714 hours of outdoor coursework to fulfill degree requirements.

Learn how to navigate among the trees, count board feet, identify forest pests and diseases, and explore ways to mitigate them. Take a swim in the Sturgeon River while taking water samples, quantify woody and herbaceous plants, design maps, and learn to mark timber. Work closely with your peers and professors to create management plans that best suit the environment for the changing climate. Tap maple trees, learn the history of syrup-making, and process your own maple syrup at the Nara Family Maple Center.

Integrated Field Practicum at the Ford Center

The Integrated Field Practicum (IFP) is the cornerstone of natural resource management at Michigan Tech, and stands out as the only off-campus, semester-long field practicum in the United States. Offered in the fall and summer, students in their junior year get to live, learn, and play in our 3,700-acre research forest for a whole semester. Spend a few hours in the classroom and the rest of the day outdoors at Michigan Tech’s Ford Center, just over 40 miles from our main campus.

Take waypoints and design maps. Get your hands dirty and your feet wet exploring soil, geology, and climate. Collect fungi or insects for a specimen collection. Hug trees as you measure stand basal area. Learn to determine canopy health. Collect photos from camera traps. Mental and physical challenges prepare students for careers in our four land management degree programs.

4+1 Accelerated Master of Forestry

Earn an accelerated master’s degree with just one additional year of study beyond your bachelor’s degree in forestry. Start your Master of Forestry degree your senior year, saving time and money on the graduate degree. This professional degree expands your qualifications and experience in mapping, analyzing, managing, and communicating forest and environmental resources issues. A master’s degree provides greater opportunity for career advancement and a higher starting salary.

Tomorrow Needs Sustainable Forest Management

Healthy, intact, functioning ecosystems support both human health and the health and well-being of other species, from trees to birds, fish and insects. Join a community that believes in renewable resources, sustainability, and multiple-use forests in a sustainably driven society at an R1 flagship public research university powered by science, technology, sustainability, and passion. Graduate with a foundation of knowledge and real-world experience in natural resource management.


Undergraduate Majors

Documenting knapweed in dunes. Analyzing northern peatlands. Growing woody mass for biofuels. Conserving the California condor. As the largest forestry program in Michigan, we offer students access to far-reaching ecological programs with global impact (like the longest-running predator-prey study in the world).

Or, start with our General Forestry option and give yourself time to decide.

Student Learning Goals

Students in the College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science can expect to achieve the following learning goals—which also align with the University's Undergraduate Student Learning Goals:

  1. Develop an in-depth knowledge of the field of natural resources management.

  2. Develop a strong set of field skills related to the management of natural resources.

  3. Effectively identify and evaluate sources of information relating to natural resources management.

  4. Provide alternative solutions to situations or problems in natural resources management.

  5. Develop behavioral skills that support a high level of professional conduct.

  6. Develop the ability to work effectively in teams.

Why Research Matters

Researcher holding a fish in a lab.

Our strong passion for research creates professionals who have the hands-on experience needed to sustainably manage our ecosystems. From tribal land agreements to environmental policies, to recreation and human activities—there is a research topic that is sure to help you find your passions.

"The forests we have now are only getting smaller due to the negative impacts of human interaction and I personally believe that protecting and managing these forests and the species that rely on them will allow future generations to enjoy the beauty we all enjoy currently."Kendra Podgregar, wildlife ecology and conservation