Degree Overview

ESRM trains future environmental science and natural resource professionals who couple rigorous analysis with ethical foundations to steward terrestrial ecosystems—now and for generations to come.

Our graduates:

• Integrate science & society – Analyze ecological, economic, and social data to design sustainable solutions for forests and linked human systems, in the Pacific Northwest and worldwide.
• Apply cutting‑edge tools –Map, measure, model, and manage ecosystems with drones & LiDAR, satellite & hyperspectral imagery, in‑situ sensor networks, eDNA labs, code and AI-driven analytics and decision‑support simulators.
• Practice ethical stewardship – Weave environmental justice, traditional ecological knowledge, and sustainability into every management choice.
• Think critically, act decisively – Synthesize quantitative and qualitative evidence, weigh trade‑offs, and productively navigate uncertainty.
• Communicate & lead – Craft clear narratives and compelling visuals for scientists, policymakers, and the public; guide interdisciplinary teams toward shared goals.
• Embrace diversity & inclusion – Engage respectfully with communities near and far, ensuring benefits and burdens of resource use are shared equitably.
• Learn for life – Reflect on theory and practice, nurture curiosity, and continually renew skills to meet emergent environmental challenges.

Students complete the general ESRM degree or one of four ESRM degree Options: 

• ESRM degree: General 
• ESRM degree: Option in Natural Resources and Environmental Management 
• ESRM degree: Option in Restoration Ecology and Environmental Horticulture
• ESRM degree: Option in Sustainable Forest Management 
• ESRM degree: Option in Wildlife Conservation 

The only difference between the pathways are the final 45 credits of the degree. ESRM General students can choose flexible ESRM electives in the 300 and 400 levels, all of the other four options have a fixed set of ESRM courses to complete for the final 45 credits. All options are Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees.

ESRM Undergraduate Degree Learning Objectives 

Knowledge Sets 

Students completing the Bachelor of Science degree in ESRM will understand the following: 

• Social, ecological and economic theory, concepts and processes at a variety of spatial, temporal and institutional levels. 
• Biological, physical and chemical processes. 
• Professional and environmental ethics. 
• Application of ecosystem and social concepts along the urban to wildland gradient. 
• The process of science, design and management; the process models used to describe and communicate them and their role in contemporary environmental issues. 
• Interactions among plant, animal and abiotic features of the ecosystem. 
• Business, ecological and social tradeoffs in natural resource management and use. 
• Policy in context with cultural and historical heritage. 
• The expected consequences of implementing a research, design or management plan and be able to explain them. 

Skill Sets 

Students completing the Bachelor of Science degree in ESRM will have the skills to: 

• Work in interdisciplinary teams. 
• Communicate to a diversity of audiences using written, oral and graphic methods. 
• Recognize research methods used by the social, natural and design sciences 
• Apply analytical skills, including basic measurement and monitoring skills. 
• Complete at least one of the following:
  • Devise and conduct a scientifically sound inquiry
  • Design a management plan, including plans for its implementation. 

ESRM Goals and Objectives