Natural Resource Conservation and Management, BS

The Natural Resource Conservation and Management Program, in the College of Arts and Sciences at Western Carolina University, offers students an interdisciplinary education that promotes the understanding, conservation, and sustainable use of natural resources. Because of WCU’s role as a regional comprehensive university, we view western North Carolina and the Southern Appalachians as our primary areas of focus. However, our broad goal is to serve society through our students and through involvement in our community, region, state, nation, and beyond. The Program offers the Bachelor of Science Degree with concentrations in Forest Resources or Soil and Water Conservation. The program emphasizes high quality undergraduate instruction in preparation for entry level natural resources management positions or for further graduate study. The Forest Resources concentration prepares students for careers in the conservation and sustainable management of forested lands and the resources they support. The Soil and Water Conservation concentration focuses on preparing students to evaluate soil and water conditions and to apply techniques used in the protection and restoration of soil and aquatic systems.

Total number of hours for the program: 120.

Liberal Studies Hours (42 hours)

Liberal Studies Program Requirements

Major Requirements

The major requires 72 hours, including 54 hours in core courses and a 18-hour concentration:

BIOL 141 - Principles of Biology II Credits: 4
BIOL 241 - Introduction to Ecology and Evolution Credits: 4
CHEM 139 - General Chemistry I Credits: 4
or
CHEM 140 - General Chemistry II Credits: 4
ECON 310 - Natural Resource Economics Credits: 3
GEOG 221 - Introduction to Geospatial Analysis Credits: 3
GEOG 324 - Introduction to Remote Sensing Credits: 4
GEOL 305 - Soils and Hydrology Credits: 4
MATH 146 - Precalculus II Credits: 4
NRM 210 - Methods in Natural Resources Management Credits: 4
NRM 330 - Introduction to Wildlife Ecology and Management Credits: 3
NRM 344 - Applied Geographic Information Systems Credits: 4
NRM 371 - Landscape Ecology Credits: 3
NRM 440 - Integrated Resources Management Credits: 4
NRM 442 - Natural Resources Policy and Administration Credits: 3

Plus

BIOL 304 - General Ecology Credits: 3
or
NRM 351 - Forest Ecology Credits: 3
(required for the forest resources concentration)

Concentrations

Concentration, 18 hours, selected from the following options:

Forest Resources Concentration

Students should take all of the following:

NRM 255 - Dendrology Credits: 2
NRM 256 - Dendrology Lab Credits: 2
NRM 352 - Forest Resource Measurements Credits: 3
NRM 451 - Foundations of Silviculture Credits: 4
NRM 452 - Forest Management Credits: 4

Concentration Electives

Students should take three hours from the following:

NRM 460 - Watershed Management Credits: 3
NRM 483 - Applications in Forest Management Credits: 1-3, R6
NRM 472 - Geospatial Analysis Credits: 4
BIOL 438 - Ecological Restoration Credits: 3

Soil and Water Resources Conservation Concentration

Students should take all of the following:

GEOG 300 - Weather and Climate Credits: 3
NRM 320 - Soil Conservation Credits: 3
NRM 420 - Soil Genesis and Classification Credits: 3
NRM 460 - Watershed Management Credits: 3

Concentration Electives

Students should select six hours from the following:

GEOL 302 - Geomorphology Credits: 4
GEOL 405 - Hydrogeology Credits: 4
GEOL 423 - Contaminated Rivers: Assessment, Remediation, and Restoration Credits: 3
GEOL 455 - Wetlands Credits: 3
NRM 472 - Geospatial Analysis Credits: 4

General Electives

General electives (6-15 hours) are required to complete the program depending on the number of hours taken in the major that are also used to fulfill Liberal Studies requirements.

Additional Requirements

To meet one of the general university degree requirements, at least 30 hours of the courses taken at WCU must be at the junior-senior level.

Visit the NRCM program’s website at https://www.wcu.edu/learn/departments-schools-colleges/cas/science-and-math/gnr/nrcm.aspx .