www.cnr.vt.edu/ J. Michael Kelly, Dean Associate Dean, Undergraduate Programs: Richard G. Oderwald Associate Dean, Research and Graduate Programs: Robert J. Bush Associate Dean, Outreach: James E. Johnson Assistant Dean for Administration and Finance: Thomas E. Olson Academic Counselor: Susan S. Leslie
Overview Area of Study Accreditation The Honors Program Cooperative Education Exchange Programs First Year Program Required Academic Progress Graduate Programs NR Course Descriptions Course Descriptions and Programs of Study Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences Forestry Geography Wood Science and Forest Products

Overview

• The College of Natural Resources, through offerings in the Departments of Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences, Forestry, Geography, and Wood Science and Forest Products, provides an integrated education in renewable natural resource management, conservation, and utilization as well as a valuable perspective for understanding and solving critical contemporary environmental problems at local, regional, and global scales.
• All undergraduate programs of the College of Natural Resources are designed to provide a professional education that starts with core courses emphasizing physical, biological, and social sciences, along with concepts of renewable natural resource management. More advanced courses teach the principles and practices of individual disciplines, along with advanced skills in communications and computer use. Students prepare for professional careers with public agencies responsible for managing forest, water, wildlife, fish, and recreation resources; with private firms concerned with producing, manufacturing, and marketing wood products; with planning agencies and private firms utilizing skills in environmental and land-use analysis and geospatial techniques; or for graduate studies.
• Students develop a specialization. These majors with options are described below and are administered by departments:

Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences

• Fisheries Science
• Wildlife Science

Department of Forestry

• Forestry
  • Environmental Resource Management option
  • Forest Resource Management option
  • Industrial Forestry Operations option
  • Urban Forestry option
• Natural Resource Conservation
  • Natural Resources Recreation option
  • Natural Resources Education (K-6) option
  • Natural Resources Science (6-12) option

Department of Geography

• Geography
  • Culture, Regions and International Development option
  • Geospatial and Environmental Analysis option

Department of Wood Science and Forest Products

Wood Science and Forest Products

• Adhesion Science option
• Forest Products Marketing and Management option
• Manufacturing Systems option
• Non-timber Forest Products option
• Packaging Science option

The college offers minors in Forestry, Natural Resource Recreation, and Wood Science and Forest Products. Contact the respective department for more information on minors.

Area of Study

Fisheries Science

• The Fisheries Science program is for students interested in research and management of aquatic animals and ecosystems, including wild fish and shellfish, endangered species, and hatchery-raised fish. Most graduates work for state or federal fisheries agencies, environmental consulting firms, or public utilities. Because the more challenging and rewarding jobs require a master's degree, the program emphasizes preparation for graduate study.

Wildlife Science

• The Wildlife Science program is for students interested in research and management of terrestrial animals and ecosystems, including game birds and mammals, non-game animals, and endangered species. Many students also qualify for a minor in biology. Most graduates work for state or federal wildlife agencies, environmental consulting firms, or private land management companies. Because the more challenging and rewarding jobs require a master's degree, the program emphasizes preparation for graduate study.

Forest Resource Management

• The Forest Resource Management option emphasizes the biology, policy, and management skills needed to ensure the sustainability of the many renewable forest resources on which society depends. Graduates manage the forested landscape to provide society a renewable supply of wood and paper products along with clean water, recreation opportunity, wildlife habitat, and environmental quality.

Industrial Forestry Operations

• Industrial Forestry Operations graduates are well prepared for careers in private industry emphasizing harvesting and reforestation operations. Industrial Forestry Operations specializes beyond the Forest Resource Management option by emphasizing the operations side of forestry along with landowner assistance and management skills for people and business.

Environmental Resource Management

• The Environmental Resource Management option develops professionals who tackle a variety of environmental issues in the forested landscape. The foundation of this area of study is the same as the Forest Resource Management option with additional emphasis placed on water resources, forest soils, environmental policy, and wildlife management.

Urban Forestry

• The Urban Forestry option produces graduates who can deal with the ecological and biological characteristics of the forest in an urban environment, as well as the managerial and political context within which forest management takes place. Special education, training, and experience are necessary to address the many and complex biological, social, economic, and political issues that are part of the urban forest setting.

Natural Resource Recreation

• Natural Resource Recreation blends natural sciences, resource management, and social sciences disciplines and topics. Graduates provide high quality recreation experiences to ever increasing numbers of recreationists while protecting the natural environment on which these experiences depend. Emphasis is on the human dimensions of natural resource management.

Forest Products Marketing and Management

• In this program, students gain a unique combination of business skills and scientific expertise in forest products. Students take courses in forest products and forestry as well as essential courses in management and marketing. Graduates choose from jobs in private companies, federal and state agencies, and trade associations. Typically in this program, more jobs are available than graduates to fill them.

Geography

• GEOSPATIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
  The focus is on providing extensive skills in making and interpreting maps, Geographic Information Systems, and remote sensing. Students also gain competence in physical geography, which examines human-environment interactions and the processes affecting climate, land forms, vegetation, soils and water.
• CULTURE, REGIONS AND INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
  This option is concerned with the geographic dimensions of economic, political, and cultural phenomena--understanding the significance of where people and their activities are located, how people use and perceive space and resources, and how the processes of globalization are transforming regions, countries and localities.

Natural Resources Education (K-6) and Natural Resources Science (6-12)

• Natural Resources Education prepares students to teach in elementary schools, while Natural Resources Science prepares students to teach Earth Science, Life Science or Agricultural Education at middle and high schools. Both options are intended as feeders into the Masters in Education at Virginia Tech, which provides necessary licensure. With proper planning, the Masters degree can be completed in one year.

Accreditation

• The educational programs in Forest Resource Management, Industrial Forestry Operations, Environmental Resource Management, and Natural Resource Recreation qualify graduates as professional foresters and are accredited by the Society of American Foresters, the recognized accrediting body. Graduates in fisheries and wildlife sciences meet certification requirements of the American Fisheries Society and The Wildlife Society, respectively. The Wood Products and the Forest Products Marketing and Management programs are accredited by the Society of Wood Science and Technology, the recognized accrediting body.

The Honors Program

• The University Honors Program is available to students in the College of Natural Resources. The program provides enriched opportunities for highly qualified and motivated undergraduate students. Faculty advisors can provide additional information.

Cooperative Education

• The college encourages students to become involved in the Cooperative Education Program, in which students alternate on-campus academic terms with off-campus employment in their areas of interest. Additional information is provided in "Academics."

Exchange Programs

• The College of Natural Resources participates in reciprocal exchange programs with the University of Melbourne in Australia, the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand, the University of Stellenbosch, Republic of South Africa, and Moi University, Kenya. Where appropriate, students can also participate in the National Student Exchange Program which offers study at colleges and universities in 160 locations in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Guam, and in the International Student Exchange Program.

First Year Program

First-year students in Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences, Forestry, and Wood Science and Forest Products complete a common core of courses*, which provides the opportunity to explore a wide range of career interests before selecting an option of study.

BIOL 1105, 1106: Principles of Biology	6
BIOL 1115, 1116: Principles of Biology Lab	2
CHEM 1035, 10361: General Chemistry	6
CHEM 10452, 10462: General Chemistry Lab	2
ENGL 1105, 1106: Freshman English	6
NR 1114: Intro to Renewable Nat. Resources	2
FOR 2154: Intro to Microcomputing in Forestry	1
MATH 1016, 2015: Elementary Calculus with Trigonometry I and II	6
University Core electives, Area 6	1
Credits	*29 - 32
1 CHEM 1036 is not required in all options. 2 General Chemistry Lab not required in all options.

First-year students in Geography choose from a variety of core-curriculum and geography courses.

Required Academic Progress

Graduate Programs

NR Course Descriptions (NR)

2974: INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course.

2984: SPECIAL STUDY
Variable credit course.

3954: STUDY ABROAD
Variable credit course.

3964: FIELD STUDY
Variable credit course.

4404 (ALS 4404) (UAP 4404): APPROACHES TO INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
An introduction to issues relating to international development. The course will focus on areas to help students better understand the interdependencies between countries and how institutions and organizations can foster effective working relationships on global projects of mutual interest between countries. (1H,1C) I.

4964: FIELD STUDY
Variable credit course.

4974: INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course.

4984: SPECIAL STUDY
Variable credit course.

4994: UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
Variable credit course.

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