Natural resource management is the term used to mark the management of natural resources such as land, water, soil, plants, and animals. The objective of this field is to track how the use of these resources affects human lives and everything that surrounds us, including the estimation of the quality and quantity of used resources. Let us take a look at the best natural resource management schools in the world!
Top Natural Resource Management Schools in the World
1. Cornell University
Cornell University is a private and statutory land-grant research university in Ithaca, New York. The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) of Cornell University is in charge of the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment study field, where graduate studies in natural resource management can be found, and that can earn you a master’s and/or PhD degree in that field.
Within their MS and Ph.D. programs, the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment claims to support courses in the disciplines of various ecology fields and emphasizes the importance of developing students’ analytical skills in order to help them pursue their further careers. Besides these programs, this school also offers an MPS program, a 1-year master’s program in Agriculture and Life Sciences, in relation to the Natural Resources field.
2. The University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a public university in Tucson, and the first university in Arizona, founded in the late 19th century. The School of Natural Resources and the Environment of the University of Arizona is known for its top-ranked programs for natural resource management across the globe and is in charge of its natural resource management field of study. They offer both undergraduate and graduate studies in that field, meaning you could earn a bachelor’s, master’s, and/or Ph.D. degree in natural resource management.
Undergraduate natural resource studies at this school claim to provide a broad knowledge of ecology in general, but also in managing natural resources, preparing its students for working in many organizations in this field. Graduate, Natural Resources Studies degree program claims to provide interdisciplinary education for those who wish to involve themselves more with management and decision-making in the world of natural resources.
3. University of Minnesota
The College of Food, Agricultural, and Natural Resource Sciences is one of the seventeen schools at the University of Minnesota. This school is in charge of the university’s natural resource management programs which are divided into various areas of study, such as the management of forests, water, recreation resources, etc.
What makes this college (and its home university) stand out when it comes to studying natural resource management is the above-mentioned diversity of areas, meaning you don’t have to study something that potentially doesn’t interest you, instead, you can choose a specific area and dedicate yourself to it completely.
4. Angelo State University
Angelo State University is a public university in San Angelo, Texas, and is among the most prestigious natural resource management founded in 1928. Although it only offers a bachelor’s degree when it comes to the field of strictly natural resource management, the program is designed so that students, after completing it, can very easily build on any graduate program offered by this university, that is associated with ecology and natural sciences and resources in general.
With its BS in Natural Resource Management, Angelo State University claims that students will be successful in a variety of career fields and will be able to work in many important state institutions. Studies are interdisciplinary and offer studies in various aspects of Natural Resource Management, including Range Management, Wildlife Management, and Agronomy.
5. Oregon State University
The College of Forestry is one of the schools of Oregon State University, a public university in Corvallis, Oregon. College of Forestry delivers an exceptional natural resource management curriculum in the world and offers both undergraduate and graduate natural resource studies, meaning you could earn a bachelor’s and/or master’s degree in this field.
Undergraduate natural resource studies at the College of Forestry are divided into many different fields, depending on the area of one’s interest, and majoring in Policy and Management is the program for you if you’re interested in the managing of natural resources part. The graduate MNR program is also divided into various fields, again, depending on your area of interest and to which resources are you willing to dedicate your time, be it Fisheries management, Forests, Sustainable natural resources, Water, or Wildlife, etc.
6. West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public university in Morgantown, West Virginia. This university is among the top universities for natural resource management across the globe that is divided into various colleges, and those colleges are further divided into specialized schools; in this case, natural resource management studies can be found under the School of Natural Resources that is, further, under Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design. If anything, this University likes to keep its departments and areas of study well organized.
Both undergraduate and graduate natural resource management studies at this school are divided into, again, various fields, so you have a broad spectrum to choose from, depending on your own areas of interest and which specialty you want to focus on. Just to mention some of the many, there are Agribusiness Management, Environmental and Energy Resource Management, Recreation, Parks and Tourism Resources, Wildlife and Fisheries Resources, etc.
7. Montclair State University
Montclair State University is a public research university in Montclair, New Jersey. When it comes to natural resource management studies, the Earth and Environmental Studies Department of Montclair State University delivers a world-class natural resource management curriculum and offers a Ph.D. program (and degree) in Environmental Science and Management, claiming to integrate natural and physical science with sciences such as economics, policy, and project management.
According to the Department, career opportunities after finishing their PhD program are many: you could pursue a career as a Natural Science Manager, Environmental Engineer, Hydrologist, etc. The choices are many, and it is for you to decide which one suits you and your interests best.
We hope that this article on the Best Natural Resource Management Schools in the World was helpful. If you’re looking to study abroad, make sure to check out the Available Programs for International Students.
