Natural Resources AS Degree (transfer preparation)
The Associate of Science in Natural Resources (NR) program at College of the Desert prepares students for transfer to a four-year college or university. Students will complete the necessary coursework and also attain the practical experience required in their fields of interest. This program is a gateway to many different environmentally focused majors in such fields as: wildlife management, ecosystem management, wildlife ecology, landscape ecology, parks and recreation planning, environmental consulting, GIS (Geographic Information Systems), natural resources law enforcement, forensic entomology, urban planning, alternative energy, and many more. NR programs also serve students who wish to enter directly into an environmentally-related occupation (e.g., park ranger, zookeeper) upon completion of the two-year associate’s degree.
Learning Outcomes
Upon satisfactory completion of this program students will be able to:
- Understand and explain the problems facing wildlife and ecosystem managers.
- Apply GIS technology to solve conservation challenges.
Program Requirements
| Course Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| NR 001 | Conservation of Natural Resources | 3 |
| NR 001L | Conservation of Natural Resources Lab | 1 |
| BI 005 | Molecular and Cell Biology | 5 |
| BI 006 | Biology of Organisms | 5 |
| CH 001A | General Chemistry I | 5 |
| G 001 | Physical Geology | 4 |
| or G 005 | Environmental Geology | |
| or G 010 | The Earth Sciences | |
| Electives (with Advisor approval) | ||
| Select 17 units from the following: | ||
| NR 003 | Introduction to Wildlife Management | 3 |
| NR 004 | Introduction to Ecosystem Management | 3 |
| NR 010 | Wildland Fire Technology | 3 |
| NR 017 | Natural Resources Law Enforcement | 3 |
| NR 020 | GPS and Map Use | 1 |
| NR 021 | Introduction to GIS | 3 |
| NR 041A | Native Plants - Mountain | 1 |
| NR 041B | Native Plants - Desert | 1 |
| NR 050 | Winter Birds | 1 |
| NR 051A | Migrant Birds - Fall | 1 |
| NR 051B | Migrant Birds - Spring | 1 |
| NR 058 | Reptiles of the Coachella Valley | 1 |
| NR 059 | Careers in Natural Res & Agri Sciences | 3 |
| NR 095A | Natural Resources Work Experience (Maximum of 2 units may be used for work experience) | 1-8 |
| AGPS 001 | Soils & Plant Nutrition | 4 |
| AGPS 002 | Entomology - General & Applied | 4 |
| AGPS 032 | Pesticide Laws & Regulations | 2 |
| GEOG 010 | Geography of California | 3 |
| Required Subtotal | 23 | |
| Elective Subtotal | 17 | |
| General Education Requirements (confer with Counselor) | 18 | |
| Kinesiology Activities | 2 | |
| DEGREE TOTAL | 60 | |
Consult catalog of transfer institution for specific requirements.
