The program, started in 1939, has a national reputation for excellence. There are many career opportunities available to male and female graduates. The Department has a rich history in natural resource education, research, and service. There are over 1,200 undergraduate and 325 graduate alumni of the program. Currently, there are approximately 160 undergraduate and 45 graduate students enrolled in the program.
Faculty are active members of a wide variety of natural resource professional organizations.
The Department is housed within the Northern Plains Biostress Laboratory at SDSU, which was constructed in 1993.