Natural Resource Management

Admitted students are directly enrolled into this major. Students can bring some course requirements with them from high school when they enroll, such as:  

• Biology 1113 or 1114: Biological Sciences (AP Biology - 5 score)
• Chemistry 1110: Elementary Chemistry  (AP Chemistry - 3+ score)
• ENR 2100 and 2101: Intro to Environmental Science (AP Environmental Science - 3+ score)
• Economics 2001.01: Microeconomics (AP Economics: Microeconomics - 3+ score)

Additionally, students will take introductory courses in communicating environmental information, society and natural resources and soil science.

Through immersive coursework in the classroom or in collaboration with community partners, you’ll build skills in environmental education and understandings of the natural world. Courses include:

• Management of Recreation Lands
• Foundations for Environmental Communications, Education and Interpretation
• Natural Resources Program Planning
• Environmental Interpretation and Visitor Services
• Zoo Science and Management

Students customize their academic journey by focusing on one of these areas in the natural resource management major:

• Natural Resources Administration and Management: Learn how to make strategic decisions that balance environmental sustainability with community needs. Whether you're coordinating conservation programs, managing public lands or guiding policy development, you'll be prepared to lead conservation efforts.
• Parks and Recreation: Take courses where you design and lead environmental education programs that inspire stewardship in parks, zoos and schools. From planning public engagement initiatives to managing recreational spaces, you’ll help communities build meaningful relationships with the natural world.

You can explore the curriculum more here.

Students are encouraged to participate in programs led by the School of Environment and Natural Resources. Specifically, natural resource management students may benefit from the Australia: Human Impacts on the Natural Environment program. For this program, students spend the month of May in North Queensland, Australia, surveying environmental issues including water scarcity and quality, the impacts of rising ocean temperatures, wildlife conservation and more. 

Students also learn about conservation and restoration efforts on the Great Barrier Reef, hike in the Wet Tropics Rainforest, learn about agriculture and mining and learn about the history of Aboriginal Australians pre- and post-colonization. 

Natural resource management students are not required to complete internships; however, they are strongly encouraged, as students who graduate with internship or research experiences are more likely to gain employment upon graduation. It is common for natural resource management students to intern with local, state or national parks or with environmental nonprofits.  

The School of Environment and Natural Resources career services office provides 1:1 support and organizes career development events for students.

The Environment and Natural Resources Honors program challenges high-ability students by providing a program in greater breadth and depth and provides special recognition and scholarships for outstanding scholastic achievement. Students are able to design their own study plan that guides their course selection and honors research. Freshmen with University Honors standing may be accepted directly as a candidate for the Environment and Natural Resources Honors program.

Environment and Natural Resources Scholars share an interest and passion for the environment and being outdoors. Students live together in Morrill Tower and participate in service learning projects, educational trips, and seminars and workshops with leading environmental researchers.

Learn more about Honors and Scholars.

There are many opportunities across campus for students to participate in research. Whether your passions lie in wildlife conservation, habitat management or environmental education, there are plenty of labs across campus pursuing work in fields relevant to these areas. Relevant labs include:

• Terrestrial Wildlife Ecology Lab
• Learning Ecologies Lab
• Lake Erie's Stone Laboratory
• Williams Fire Laboratory

There are 40+ organizations on campus related to the environment or outdoor recreation! Popular organizations among natural resource management students include:

• Parks and Recreation Society
• Society for Ecological Restoration
• Ornithology Club

93.4% of our graduates take their skills to the public, private and nonprofit sectors. Alternatively, they enroll in graduate school within six months of graduation. Recent job outcomes include:

• Park ranger: Cleveland Metroparks, National Park Service, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and Columbus Recreation and Parks
• Environmental consultant: August Mack
• Environmental educator: Connected Pathways Early Learning Center
• Wildlife communications specialist: Ohio Division of Wildlife
• Biological field station assistant: Stone Laboratory

New natural resource management OSU graduates report an average starting salary of $41,000. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the 2024 median annual salary for a mid-level conservation worker or naturalist was $69,060.