Undergraduate Programs

The seven specializations within the major reflect the broad career opportunities available to our graduates, ranging from conservation and restoration work on government owned lands to the practice of environmental law, and from working with the forest resources in and around cities and towns, to those privately owned lands managed by consulting firms. These specializations are accredited by the Society of American Foresters:

• Forest Resource Management is for students seeking a comprehensive education in forest resource science and management.
• Urban Forestry is the art and science of managing trees, vegetation, forests, and natural areas in and around human settlements for the health and well-being of people.
• Protected Areas Management is for students interested in managing lands for conservation and restoration purposes, usually on lands owned by the government or by private conservation organizations.
• Business Management gives students a sound background in natural resource management and a broad introduction to business as appropriate for students interested in consulting, real estate or working for forest industry.
• Watershed Science and Management prepares students to address the many management issues associated with water resources, including soils, policy and water quality.
• Recreation Resources Management focuses on the sustainable management of recreation for our natural resources and understanding human dimensions as related to their use.
• Environmental Pre-Law provides a solid undergraduate basis of forest and natural resources science and management upon which is built a broad introduction to the policies and processes affecting the use of natural resources.

These specializations are intended for students seeking careers as professional forest resource managers who apply science-based strategies to managing publicly and privately-owned forest lands. Six of the seven specializations in the major are accredited by the Society of American Foresters. We offer the only accredited forestry programs in Florida.

Geomatics refers to the integrated approach of measurement, analysis, and management of the descriptions and locations of geo-spatial data. These data come from many sources, including earth-orbiting satellites, air and sea-borne sensors and ground based instruments. It is processed and manipulated with state-of-the-art information technology. Go to the UF Undergraduate Catalog >

• Surveying & Mapping Curriculum
• Geospatial Analysis Curriculum

The Geomatics Program within the School is the oldest program of its kind in the southeastern United States. Students have the opportunity to pursue a BS in Geomatics, an MS with a concentration in Geomatics or a PhD. The Bachelor of Science in Geomatics is accredited by the Applied and Natural Science Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org.

Our Geomatics undergraduate degree is available at three locations throughout the state of Florida: on the main campus in Gainesville, at the Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center (FLREC) or at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC) in Plant City. Students interested in pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Geomatics may attend at any of the locations.

The Marine Sciences curriculum is built upon the following required courses:

• STA2023 Introduction to Statistics
• GLY3083C Fundamentals of Marine Sciences
• FAS4175 Biology and Ecology of Algae
• FAS4202C Biology of Fishes
• FNR3410C Natural Resource Sampling (or other approved statistics course)
• FAS4270 Marine Ecological Processes or ZOO4926 Marine Ecology
• FNR4660 Natural Resource Policy and Economics
• ZOO4205C Invertebrate biodiversity

These courses are designed to give students a broad understanding of marine ecosystems, quantitative research methods, and the policies that influence marine resource management. Students work closely with a Faculty Adviser to create an individualized curriculum plan of at least 18 credits of Approved Electives. These can include courses on resource management, human dimensions, conservation, quantitative population assessment and other areas. Students must complete a Curriculum Plan and have it approved by the program undergraduate coordinator before they reach 70 credits.

• Professional Seminar
• Ecology
• Quantitative Analysis and Assessment
• Natural History
• Human Dimensions
• Policy and Economics
• Field Applications
• Spatial Analysis
• Capstone Experience

These categories are designed to give students a broad understanding of natural resources, their management, and the policies that influence management activities. Students should follow the instructions outlined in the Curriculum Plan form to develop their individual plans of study.

All NRC majors are required to complete nine core courses, as well as planned courses from the natural resource academic units on campus (School of Forest Resources & Conservation and the Department of Wildlife Ecology). Additional courses can be selected from any other unit on campus, with guidance from the faculty adviser. Students must complete a curriculum plan and have it approved by the undergraduate coordinator by the time they reach 70 credits. Electives Students in the NRC major may choose courses from any program or department at the University of Florida as electives. These must be chosen and included in your Curriculum Plan, which is approved by your advisor. The goal is to have flexibility in your focus while still maintaining a coherent program that will serve your future goals.

This major is also offered at the West Florida Research and Education Center in Milton, FL. Ideal for place-bound students, this version of the NRC major provides a broad ecology/environmental management curriculum.