It emphasizes knowledge and the skills needed to manage rangelands. The program starts with a first-year foundation of basic sciences and humanities. During the second year you will take basic courses that include natural resources, communication, botany and geology. The third year you will take courses in range and wildlife management, hydrology, natural resource administration, statistics, range plants, livestock and forest ecology. The fourth year involves advanced courses in range ecology, surveys, planning and improvement.
Students take extended field trips and develop a management plan on a ranch.
You may elect to take additional courses in related areas, such as watershed management, soils, wildland fire management, remote sensing and wildlife management. Our geographic location provides excellent opportunities for outdoor laboratories and field trips. Students use the resources of Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks, and several national forests and game ranges. Nearby, the National Bison Range, state lands, and private ranches serve as teaching laboratories. You will also use the School of Forestry's Lubrecht Experimental forest and the Bandy Ranch as outdoor classrooms for studying livestock grazing, wildlife, soils and range management.