The Top 19 Online Master’s Degrees in Natural Resources Management for 2021

This list provides 20 of the Best Online Master's degrees in Natural Resource Management. OnlineSchoolsCenter.com has attempted to compile an easy-to-read list of schools that fit the following criteria:

• 100% online availability; offering flexibility and convenience,

• Provides a comprehensive distance learning Master's degree program focused on the many facets of Natural Resource Management,

• Offers Financial Aid Opportunities,

• Prepares students for effective management positions in prominent organizations, such as National Parks, USDA or other Federal or State Agencies,

• Includes training in mining, forestry, water management, land use, and zoning, as well as, natural resources; hones critical-thinking and problem-solving abilities within the field of Natural Resource Management,

• Provides proper Online Degree Accreditation,

• Ease of Credit Transfers, Exceptional Faculty, and Student Center Support.

The below schools are listed in random order, primarily because each one offers unique program options that will be applicable to each student's needs. Each school's website will provide you with an in-depth look at their program. Choose one to fit your busy schedule, your interests, as well as, your personality!

Colorado State University's online Master of Natural Resource Stewardship degree provides a diverse education with the option of further specialization in one of three areas:

• Ecological Restoration

• Forest Sciences

• Rangeland Ecology and Management

Campus Location: Fort Collins, Colorado

Accreditation: Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission

• Acceptance Rate: 78%

• Graduation Rate: 67%

• Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution

• 3.0 GPA on all undergraduate coursework

Exceptions are made on a case-by-case basis

• Some natural resource experience is required. All types of experience over any length of time are considered

Graduates have become effective managers for some of the nation's largest and most prominent natural resource management organizations including:

• USDA

• Forest Service

• Bureau of Land Management

• National Park Service

• Other state and federal agencies

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UNIVERSITY OF DENVER

ONLINE MASTER OF NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Accreditation: North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, The Higher Learning Commission

Types of Aid: As of 2017, financial aid includes: federal loans; institutional and outside scholarship opportunities. Not all students qualify for financial aid.

• Acceptance: 73%

• Graduation: 77%

• Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited school or university

• Minimum GPA of 2.5

• Transcripts

• References

• Personal Statement

• Resume

• Environmental Protection Law

• Endangered Species and Wildlife

• Impacts of Recreational Use

This program prepares students to "develop and demonstrate a higher awareness of environmental ethics including the responsible exercise of individual judgment and civic responsibility and honesty in dealing with environmental issues."

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UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE-MARTIN

ONLINE MS IN AGRICULTURE & NATURAL RESOURCES

Program Standouts: The Department of Agriculture, Geosciences, and Natural Resources at the University of Tennessee-Martin offers a Master of Science degree in Agriculture and Natural Resources. The degree program is comprised of 36 hours of graduate course work and features three concentrations of 18 hours each:

• Agribusiness & Risk Management Concentration

• Natural Resources Systems Management Concentration

• System Science in Agriculture Concentration

Campus Location: Martin, Tennessee

Accreditation: Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

• 67% Admission Rate

• 50% Graduation Rate

Types of Aid: As of 2018, financial aid includes: federal and private loans; federal and state grants; institutional and external scholarship opportunities; military and veterans' benefits. Not all students qualify for financial aid and/or grants.

• Cumulative GPA of 2.75

• GRE score of at least 290

• B.S. degree in agriculture, natural resources management, park and recreation administration, wildlife science, or business from a regionally accredited institution

• A positive review from the Master of Science in Agriculture and Natural Resources Graduate Admission Committee

• Agribusiness and Risk Management

• Natural Resources Systems Management

• System Science in Agriculture Connection

Learning outcomes include:

• Applying appropriate statistical & quantitative techniques to solve problems

• Communicating information from research projects

• Identifying current issues emerging in the industry

• Developing research strategies

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VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE AND STATE UNIVERSITY (VIRGINIA TECH)

ONLINE MASTER'S IN AGRICULTURAL AND LIFE SCIENCES

Virginia Polytechnic Institute offers a Masters in Agricultural and Life Sciences Degree. The degree program provides scientific-based courses for those who are already professionals in agriculture, life sciences, and related fields. Students are required to take a set of core courses and may select from the following areas of concentration:

• Education

• Environmental Science

• Food Safety and Biosecurity

• Leadership Studies

• Plant Science and Pest Management

• Applied Nutrition and Health Sciences

Accreditation: Accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools

• Acceptance Rate: 71%

• Graduation Rate: 84%

Types of Aid: As of 2018, financial aid includes: federal and private loans; federal and state grants; institutional and external scholarship opportunities; military and veterans' benefits. Not all students qualify for financial aid and/or grants.

Applicants should have completed or been near completion of a B.S. degree in agricultural and life sciences with an overall GPA of at least 3.0. Applicants with a GPA below 2.75 should apply to the Commonwealth Campus which is a non-degree seeking option that allows individuals to improve their GPA and transfer credits to the degree program.

• Agricultural Nonsource Point Pollution

• Water Quality for Professionals

• Advanced Wetland Soils and Mitigation

• Reclamation of Disturbed Lands

Students will learn skills such as:

• Successfully evaluating research literature in the field

• Positively impacting the role that human interaction has on agriculture and the life sciences

• Developing and implementing theoretically sound programs that promote the advancement of agricultural and life science among industry professionals

UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY

ONLINE MASTER OF NATURAL RESOURCES

Utah State University offers an online Master of Natural Resources degree. The College of Natural Resources at Utah State offers courses from each of its departments for this degree since it is interdisciplinary. There are seven core areas in which students are required to take coursework:

• Ecology

• Human Dimensions

• Economics

• Policy

• Spatial Technology

• Administration

• Quantitative Methods

Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

Retention Rate: 47%

Acceptance Rate: 90%

• Online application

• $55 application fee

• Score at or above the 40th percentile on the GRE or MAT

• 3.0 or higher GPA on the last 60 semester credits

• Transcripts of all college/university credits

• 3 contacts for letters of recommendation

• Ecological Foundations

• Human Dimensions

• NR Policy

• NR Economics

• Quantitative Methods

SCHOOL OF FOREST RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION

ONLINE MS IN NATURAL RESOURCE POLICY & ADMINISTRATION, FOREST RESOURCES & CONSERVATION

Accreditation: Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology

Retention Rate: 15%

Acceptance Rate: Open Admission

• $30 application fee

• Transcripts of all previous academic work with a cumulative GPA of 3.0

• GRE scores are taken within five years

• 3 letters of recommendation from relevant academic or employment colleagues

• Letter of intent/statement of purpose

• Curriculum Vitae or Resume

• Conservation Behavior

• Natural Resource Economics & Valuation

• Policy and Economics of Natural Resources

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UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN

ONLINE MASTER'S IN NATURAL RESOURCES & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign offers a Master's Degree in Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences. The program is very flexible allowing students to enroll for individual courses for professional and/or academic advancement or apply for admission to the M.S. degree program. Topics covered throughout the degree include soil science, wildlife conservation, forest ecology. Faculty and advisers will help students to align their individual interests with work-related goals.

Campus Location: Champaign, Illinois

Accreditation: Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission

• Must have at least a 3.0 GPA for the last 60 hours of their undergraduate coursework

• Must have a bachelor's degree

• Prerequisite coursework should include:

  • 2-3 classes in biological or physical sciences

  • 1 course in mathematics

  • routine communication courses

• Acceptance Rate: 60%

• Graduation Rate: 75%

• Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences

• Agricultural Education

• Crop Sciences

• Civil and Environmental Engineering

• Horticulture

• Plant Pathology

Students who have graduated with the master's degree in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have gone on to become:

• Urban Gardening Experts

• Senior Environmental Experts

• High School Instructors

• City Park Designers

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE MASTER'S DEGREE IN NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS URBANA-CHAMPAIGN

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UNITY COLLEGE

ONLINE MASTER'S IN SUSTAINABLE NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Program Standouts:

The 100% online master's degree in Sustainable Natural Resource Management at Unity College has these unique aspects:

• Students who take a full course load can complete the degree requirements in as few as 12 months

• World-class faculty experienced in online teaching

• Small class sizes

• Affordable and flexible: five start dates per year

• No GRE required

According to the website of Unity College, the central distinguishing feature of the Master's in Sustainable Natural Resource Management is its focus on understanding the environment in the context of sustainability science. Unity expects students to be highly inquisitive about the "ramifications, motivations, and cost of global responses to environmental issues while exploring their own ideas.

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DUKE UNIVERSITY

ONLINE MASTER OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

Duke University, through its Nicholas Institute, offers a Master of Environmental Management program. The degree program is offered completely online allowing working professionals the opportunity to continue their education and advance their careers. The master's degree is a four-semester program and can be completed in two years. The program allows students to tackle real-life case studies related to their current jobs. Duke allows students to utilize its resources in environmental science, engineering, policy, and business.

Campus Location: Durham, North Carolina

Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges

Retention Rate: 95%

Acceptance Rate: 11%

• Application

• Application fee

• Supplemental materials (unofficial transcripts, essays, resume, etc.)

• Ecosystem Science and Management

• Environmental Law and Policy

• Green Development

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MASTER OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT DEGREE AT DUKE UNIVERSITY

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ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY

ONLINE MASTER'S IN ENVIRONMENTAL & RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Program Standouts:

Classes in the master's degree program in Environmental and Resource Management at Arizona State University are offered both traditionally and online. All classes can be completed at a distance through the program is categorized as campus-based. Online classes are completed at the ASU Polytechnic campus. The master's degree has three options: a thesis, an applied project, or coursework only with a comprehensive written exam at the end of the program. Students come into the program at ASU with a variety of undergraduate degrees ranging from the sciences to engineering, industrial hygiene, or public policy among others.

LEARN MORE ABOUT ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY'S MASTER'S DEGREE IN ENVIRONMENTAL AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT DEGREE

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JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY

ONLINE MS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES & POLICY

The Masters of Science in Environmental Science and Policy at Johns Hopkins University was designed by academic leaders in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Johns Hopkins. The program gives students an understanding of where the sciences meet and inform policy while also providing insight into how the policy is implemented and affects environmental outcomes. The degree at Johns Hopkins focuses on the environmental effects of current use on the creation, updating, regulating, communicating, and enforcing of environmental policy.

Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Retention Rate: 92%

Acceptance Rate: 13%

• Bachelor's degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0

• One semester of undergraduate calculus, statistics and general chemistry (provisional admission may be acquired without these courses if other credentials are strong)

• Application and fee

• Official transcripts

• Principles and Methods of Ecology

• Environmental Restoration

• Ecotoxicology

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MASTERS OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES AND POLICY AT JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY

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UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI

ONLINE MS IN AGRICULTURAL LEADERSHIP, COMMUNICATION & EDUCATION

The Master's Degree in Agricultural Leadership, Communication, and Education at the University of Missouri is offered 100% online. It's the perfect degree to advance a career in agricultural or extension education, communication, or informal adult education. Though it is more of an education-based degree than the others on this list, the subject matter overlaps with leadership and management in the natural resources world. Courses in this degree are semester-based and offered by multiple universities taking part in the Great Plains Interactive Distance Education Alliance. Courses may have different start and finish dates depending on which university is offering the course during a given semester. Students typically finish the program in less than three years.

Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission

Retention Rate: 86%

Acceptance Rate: 75%

• Completed Bachelor's Degree

• Minimum GPA of 3.0

• GRE score required if GPA is below 3.2

• Transcripts

• Two letters of recommendation

• Philosophical foundations of agricultural communications

• College teaching of agriculture, food, and natural resources

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WEBSTER UNIVERSITY

ONLINE MS IN ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

The Master of Science Degree in Environmental Management at Webster University provides students with the tools and techniques to manage the business aspects of natural resources in the environment. Decisions are made that shape the way that our natural resources and environment flourish, and students at Webster will learn to assess and convey the business, ethical, and legal information of those that make these decisions. The program is offered both online and on campus.

Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission

Retention Rate: 59%

Acceptance Rate: 47%

• Bachelor's Degree

• 6 hours of undergraduate statistics or BUSN 5760 Applied Statistics

• General Admission Requirements

• Management of Land and Water Resources

• Waste Management and Pollution Control

• Management of Air Quality

• Environmental Law

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MASTER'S DEGREE IN ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT AT WEBSTER UNIVERSITY

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UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND UNIVERSITY COLLEGE

ONLINE MASTER'S IN ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

Program Standouts:

University of Maryland – Maryland College offers a Master of Science in Environmental Management. The program is designed for students to learn:

• business management skills

• industry-standard technology needed to assume high-level management

• environmental science

• responsibilities for environmental programs in a wide range of organizations

The degree helps students gain expert decision-making skills and practical experience that can boost their professional value and give them the confidence to lead in the environmental decision-making business world.

Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Retention Rate: 10%

Acceptance Rate: Open Admission

• Undergraduate degree in Chemistry or Biology recommended

• Prior experience in the environmental field recommended

• General admission requirements

• Emerging Environmental Technologies

• Environmental and Natural Resources Economics

• Water Resources Management

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT MASTER'S DEGREE AT UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND UNIVERSITY COLLEGE

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SLIPPERY ROCK UNIVERSITY

ONLINE MS IN PARK AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Program Standouts:

Slippery Rock University in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania offers a 100% online Master of Science in Park and Resource Management at SRU. The master's degree coursework includes subjects such as environmental education, natural and cultural resources, and practical solutions to the problems that come up in these fields. Students also study solutions to issues associated with social, economic, and political factors. Other skills that are honed in this degree program are organization management, communication, and computer skills.

Campus Location: Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania

• Environmental Educators

• Park Rangers

• Park Interpreters

• Resource Management Specialists

• Outdoor Recreation Planners

The goal of the program is to provide students with a foundation of skills and competencies to achieve their career goals.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MASTER'S DEGREE IN PARK AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AT SLIPPERY ROCK UNIVERSITY

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UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN

ONLINE MS IN SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT

Program Standouts:

The online Master of Science in Sustainable Management at the University of Wisconsin is designed for working adults with some experience in environmental issues. The online program gives them the flexibility to advance in their field while remaining at their places of employment. The degree prepares them for high-level leadership at top companies around the world. The core curriculum, specialty track courses, and a capstone experience cover topics including:

• The relationship between natural, social, and economic environments

• Effective communication techniques

• Waste management

• Law and ethics of sustainability

• sustainable design of products and communities

All courses are developed and taught by faculty from each of the five partnering campuses bringing diverse experience from the top experts in the state.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MASTER OF SCIENCE IN SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN

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MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY

ONLINE MS IN LAND RESOURCES & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Program Standouts:

The Master of Science degree program in Land Resources and Environmental Sciences at Montana State University, located in the beautiful city of Bozeman, Montana, is an online program that is designed to give outstanding graduate training opportunities in a variety of disciplinary interests. Students are directed toward improving their understanding of the principles and processes vital to land resources and environmental sciences as well as how to manage them.

Campus Location: Bozeman, Montana

• Insect Ecology

• Environmental Biophysics

• Wetland Ecology and Management