All content © 2013 - 2021 Arizona Board of Regents.
The School of Natural Resources and the Environment is concerned with the management and conservation of natural ecosystems with emphasis on the desert, rangeland, and forest ecosystems of arid and semi-arid environments. Graduate programs leading to the degrees of Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy prepare students for (1) research and teaching in the areas of natural resource science, conservation, management, and planning; and (2) positions in natural resource management agencies and organizations. All students are urged to gain a broad understanding of social and political institutions as they affect fundamental relations of humans and their environment, particularly those involving plants, animals, soil and water resources, and climate. Students pursuing the M.S. or Ph.D. degree may elect one of four disciplinary emphasis areas: Ecology, Management, and Restortation of Rangelands; Natural Resources Studies; Watershed Management and Ecohydrology; and Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation and Management. Students also may choose from a wide variety of minor subjects, including soil science, watershed management, animal science, wildlife ecology, plant science, ecology, anthropology, public administration, and global change.
Career opportunities for M.S. and Ph.D. graduates exist in federal and state natural resource agencies and legislative policy and budget offices; in non-governmental organizations; in offices of corporations and trade associations concerned with natural resource policy and administration; and in international development agencies, consulting firms, universities, and private research organizations.
Students working toward the M.S. degree, thesis track, shall complete a minimum of 30 units including a thesis for which as many as 6 units may be earned. Students working towards the M.S. degree, non-thesis track, shall complete a minimum of 36 units.
The Ph.D. requires a minimum of 63 units distributed as follows: 36 units in the major, 9 units from the minor, and 18 units of dissertation. For information concerning requirements for the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees see Requirements for Master's Degrees and Requirements for Doctoral Degrees (https://grad.arizona.edu/gsas/degree-requirements).
Applicants for the Master of Science or Doctor of Philosophy degree programs are required to submit 1) a well-crafted letter of intent, 2) three letters of recommendation, 3) a summary of coursework (available through the School), and 4) a resume. Additionally, applicants are strongly encouraged to communicate with prospective faculty advisors prior to applying. Applicants are expected to have completed an undergraduate major in a natural resources or closely related field with strong training in biological, physical, and social sciences comparable to that required for the bachelor's degree at The University of Arizona. Applicants lacking these prerequisites will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Wildlife Conservation and Management: Graduate studies are designed to provide training in ecological principles, field research, and application of these tools to conservation and management of wildlife population, communities, and their habitat resources. The program responds to the research needs of the State of Arizona, the Southwest region of the United States, the United States, and international governments and organizations. The Arizona Game and Fish Department, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Forest Service assist frequently with development and support of research projects. Within the School, the U.S. Geological Survey maintains the Arizona Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit and the Sonoran Desert Field Station. Graduate degrees qualify students for professional careers with state agencies, such as state wildlife departments; federal agencies, such as U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Bureau of Land Management; colleges and universities; conservation organizations; private industry; and consulting firms.
School of Natural Resources and the Environment
The School of Natural Resources and the Environment is a world leader in pursuing science that informs how environmental change impacts arid and semi-arid systems and how best to adapt to environmental challenges. We are a cohort of students, faculty, and staff who take great pride in our focus on problem-driven research, teaching, and extension encompassing all aspects of environmental stewardship. Our research answers important questions about how ecosystems respond under environmental or human pressures. We develop strategies to help mitigate the effects of these pressures, helping to create and maintain healthy and sustainable ecological systems.
College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
University of Arizona - Main - Tucson
GPA 3.0
Proof of English proficiency is required for any international applicant born in a country where English is not the official language. Please click the link below for more information.
https://grad.arizona.edu/admissions/requirements/international-applicants#english-proficiency
THE GRE IS NO LONGER REQUIRED FOR ADMISSION
3 letters of recommendation
Letter of intent
Summary of course work
(http://snre.arizona.edu/academics/prospective-students/graduate-degrees under "How to Apply")
Proof of English proficiency is required for any international applicant born in a country where English is not the official language. Please click the link below for more information.
https://grad.arizona.edu/admissions/requirements/international-applicants#english-proficiency
Research Assistantships
Some Teaching Assistantships
Some Tuition and registration scholarships
Some graduate fellowships (for incoming students only)
Domestic Applicants:
Applications are accepted on a year-round basis (rolling admissions), but should be at least 2 months in advance of your intended start date.
International Applicants:
March 1st for Fall international applicants.
August 1st deadline for Spring international applicants.
International applicants may be considered for conditional admission to this program at the department's discretion.
4832
ETS Major Field Code(s) for this program: 0106 (Fisheries), 0108 (Forestry), 0111 (Range), 0113 (RNR) and 0115 (Wildlife)
30
Minumum credits: 30 for MS, 63 for PhD
Coursework: 24 for MS, 45 for PhD
Language requirements: NA
Entrance and Degree Requirements
Required: 2 semesters of RNR 696A Department Seminar (1 unit)
Students develop a tailored program specific to their needs and interests. Students are required to take WFSC 544 Wildlife Ecology, Conservation and Management unless they’ve taken an equivalent course.
Additional coursework can include but is not limited to the following:
WFSC 530 Conservation Genetics (3 units)
WFSC 545 Population Ecology (3 units)
WFSC 547 Wildlife Conservation Behavior (3 units)
WFSC 549 Diseases of Wildlife (3 units)
WFSC 571 Stream Ecology (3 units)
WFSC 595C Wildlife Habitat Analysis (2 units)
WFSC 595G Biogeography and Conservation of the Sky Islands (2 units)
WFSC 595S Management and Conservation of Small Mammals (2 units)
RNR 546 Principles of Research (3 units)
RNR 595A Communication in Conservation (3 units)
RNR 620 Working with R (2 units)
MATH 509C Statistics For Research (3 units)
ECOL 506R Conservation Biology (3 units)
ECOL 518 Spatio-Temporal Ecology (3 units)
ECOL 553 Functional and Evolutionary Genomics (4 units)
ECOL 565 Phylogenetic Biology (3 units)
ECOL 583 Herpetology (4 units)
ECOL 584 Ornithology (4 units)
ECOL 585 Mammalogy (4 units)
ECOL 587R Animal Behavior (3 units)
ECOL 596R Species Diversity (2 units)
ECOL 596W Special Topics Ecology and Evolution (1-3 units)
ECOL 600B Fundamentals Of Ecology (3 units)
BE 513 Biostatistics (3 units)
Minimum GPA in all coursework must be ≥ 3.0
Qualifying Meeting: During your first semester you and your advisor will need to coordinate a meeting with the chair of the departmental option, another faculty member in SNRE, your advisor, and yourself. The purpose of this qualifying meeting is to orient you to the program, go over degree requirements, and provide initial guidance regarding your first few semesters. During the meeting, the attendees will review your background, research interests, and course needs. You will outline a preliminary master’s plan of study with the courses listed semester by semester, however, your final Plan of Study will be determined by your MS committee.
Annual reports are required and due by April 15th each year.
Please refer to the Graduate Student Handbook for students who are pursuing this program of study.