Minor in Natural Resource Management

Professional & Continuing Education
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Protect the Planet

If you care about the environment, climate, and the future of our planet, the Natural Resource Management minor can help you turn that passion into action. This program integrates earth science, conservation, and planning so you can understand—and tackle—the real challenges facing our natural resources.

You’ll study everything from climate and weather to geographic information systems (GIS) and environmental policy. You can also choose electives that match your interests, such as wildfire mapping, oceanography, wetland science, or soil and water resources.

Through hands-on labs, fieldwork, and spatial analysis tools, you’ll learn how to:

  • Understand the core principles of natural resource management
  • Apply geoscience techniques to solve environmental challenges
  • Develop strategies for using and conserving resources responsibly

Whether you see yourself in environmental planning, conservation, or sustainability, this minor will give you the skills to make a positive impact—locally, regionally, and beyond.

Curriculum & Requirements

What You'll Learn

The following information comes from the official EWU catalog, which outlines all degree requirements and serves as the guide to earning a degree. Courses are designed to provide a well-rounded and versatile degree, covering a wide range of subject areas.

Natural Resource Management Minor

The Natural Resources Management minor provides regional and local community members the opportunity to complete the training locally.

Required Core Courses
GEOS 113THE EARTH'S CLIMATE AND WEATHER5
or GEOS 100
& 100L		 DISCOVERING GEOLOGY
and DISCOVERING GEOLOGY LAB
GEOS 317RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION5
GEOS 323GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS I: SPATIAL ANALYSIS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES5
GEOS 450RESOURCES AND MANAGEMENT5
PLAN 431ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENTS3
Electives–choose three from the following in consultation with a faculty advisor.8-10
FUNDAMENTALS OF SURFACE HYDROLOGY
HOT EARTH: PEOPLE AND CLIMATE CHANGE
CRITICAL CARTOGRAPHIES
INTRODUCTION TO OCEANOGRAPHY
WILDFIRE ACTIVITY MAPPING
FUNDAMENTALS OF SOIL SCIENCE
and FUNDAMENTALS OF SOIL SCIENCE LAB
FUNDAMENTALS OF SOIL SCIENCE
and FUNDAMENTALS OF SOIL SCIENCE LAB
WEATHER FORECASTING
WATER RESOURCES
and WATER RESOURCES LAB
WETLAND SCIENCE I
and WETLAND SCIENCE I LAB
DENDROCHRONOLOGY
SENIOR CAPSTONE: WATER AND THE WEST, WATER RESOURCES IN ARID LANDS
and SENIOR CAPSTONE: WATER AND THE WEST, WATER RESOURCES IN ARID LANDS LAB
LAND USE PLANNING
Total Credits31-33

Students who earn a Natural Resource Management Minor from EWU should be able to:

  • demonstrate foundational knowledge of natural resource management principles;
  • use geoscience techniques to address challenges in natural resource management;
  • explain the challenges and strategies related to the use and conservation of natural resources.