Natural resource management is the study and practice of using, conserving, and managing resources such as land, water, soil, plants, and animals. The field looks at how resource use affects people, ecosystems, and long-term environmental sustainability. Let us take a look at some notable natural resource management schools in the world!
Top Natural Resource Management Schools in the World
1. Cornell University
Cornell University is a private Ivy League research university in Ithaca, New York, and New York State’s land-grant university. Within Cornell CALS, graduate study in Natural Resources and the Environment is available through research-focused M.S. and Ph.D. programs and a professional M.P.S. option.
The M.S. and Ph.D. programs emphasize research and require a thesis or dissertation, while the M.P.S. focuses on coursework and a professional project. Graduate students can pursue areas such as applied ecology, conservation biology, fisheries and aquatic science, forest science, human dimensions of natural resources management, and policy and institutional analysis. The M.P.S. in Natural Resources and the Environment is a one-year, course-based, STEM-designated master’s degree program.
2. University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a public land-grant university in Tucson. Established in 1885, it is Arizona’s first university. The School of Natural Resources and the Environment offers an undergraduate B.S. in Natural Resources and graduate M.S. and Ph.D. programs in Natural Resources.
Undergraduate study introduces students to ecological systems and the management of natural resources. At the graduate level, students can choose from five emphases: Ecology, Management, and Restoration of Rangelands; Fisheries Conservation and Management; Natural Resource Studies; Watershed Management and Ecohydrology; and Wildlife Conservation and Management. The Natural Resource Studies emphasis includes coursework in areas such as natural resources management, policy, wildlife conservation, range management, ecology, GIS, and statistics.
3. University of Minnesota
- Study Program
- Location: USA | Degrees Offered: Master’s and Ph.D.
The College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) is a college at the University of Minnesota. The Natural Resources Science and Management graduate program is offered through CFANS in conjunction with the Graduate School and provides M.S. and Ph.D. degree options.
What makes this program stand out is the range of areas that students can choose from. The program offers eight areas of study, including Assessment, Monitoring, and Geospatial Analysis; Economics, Policy, Management, and Society; Forest Hydrology and Watershed Management; Forest Products; Forests: Biology, Ecology, Conservation, and Management; Paper Science and Engineering; Recreation Resources, Tourism, and Environmental Education; and Tribal Natural Resources.
4. Angelo State University
Angelo State University is a public university in San Angelo, Texas, founded in 1928 and affiliated with the Texas Tech University System. Its Department of Agriculture offers an in-person B.S. in Natural Resource Management.
The B.S. in Natural Resource Management is a 120-credit interdisciplinary program designed to cover Natural Resource Management, including Range Management, Wildlife Management, and Agronomy. The program includes topics such as forage production, soil science, plant taxonomy, big game ecology, range improvement, and wildlife management, and it prepares students for careers in range management, resource conservation, wildlife biology, and related fields.
5. Oregon State University
The College of Forestry is one of the schools of Oregon State University, a public university based in Corvallis, Oregon. Oregon State offers a B.S. in Natural Resources through the College of Forestry and a Master of Natural Resources (MNR) graduate degree.
The undergraduate Natural Resources major is interdisciplinary and is available at Corvallis, OSU-Cascades, and through Ecampus. Students choose a specialty option, such as Policy and Management, Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Forest Ecosystems, Human Dimensions in Natural Resources, or Natural Resource Education. The MNR is a 45-credit online program organized around core coursework, an area of emphasis, and a capstone project rather than a thesis.
6. West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public land-grant institution founded in 1867 in Morgantown, West Virginia. Its natural-resource-related programs are offered through the School of Natural Resources and the Environment in the Davis College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
The school provides undergraduate programs, graduate programs, and minors connected to the stewardship and sustainability of renewable natural resources. Students can choose from related areas such as Agribusiness Management and Applied Economics; Environmental, Energy, and Land Management; Environmental, Soil, and Water Sciences; Forest Resources and Conservation; Wildlife and Fisheries Resources; and graduate study in fields such as Natural Resources Science.
7. Montclair State University
Montclair State University is a public research university in Montclair, New Jersey. Its Ph.D. in Environmental Science and Management is a STEM-designated, in-person doctoral program in the College of Science and Mathematics.
The program integrates natural and physical sciences with social science, economics, policy, and project management. Students work with faculty in areas such as climate change, ecosystem management, hydrology, environmental toxicology, and sustainability policy. Graduates are prepared for academic careers, high-level environmental management positions, and research leadership roles in government agencies, nonprofits, and private industry.
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.
