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.
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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.
'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.
