Students Name
Expected Date of Graduation
Students Advisor
CHECKLIST OF EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS FOR
CORNELL UNIVERSITY AND THE NATURAL RESOURCES MAJOR
120 Academic Credits are required for graduation
REQUIRED COURSES within CALS DISTRIBUTION REQUIREMENTS
APPLIED ECOLOGY OR RESOURCE POLICY MANAGEMENT CONCENTRATION
(14 courses; 47 credits)
Course
Title
Physical and Life Sciences (6 courses; 21-22 credits)
BIOEE 1780
Evolutionary Biology and Diversity (or recommended equivalent)
BIOG 1500
Investigative Biology Laboratory
CHEM 1560 or
Introduction to General Chemistry
CHEM 2070 or
General Chemistry I
AP credit
AP Chemistry, score 5
CHEM 1570 or
Introduction to Organic and Biological Chemistry
CHEM 2080
General Chemistry II
MATH 1106 or
Calculus for the Life and Social Sciences
MATH 1110 or
Calculus I
AP credit
AP Calculus, score 4 or 5
One course in Statistics: NTRES 3130 Biological Statistics I or AEM 2100, STSCI 2100,
ILRST 2100: Introductory Statistics or AP Statistics (score 4 or 5)
Social Sciences and Humanities (5 courses, 16 credits; AP credit accepted)
One course in category SBA or KCM (elective of your choice)
One course from category CA, HA, LA, or FL (elective of your choice)
One course in Diversity (category D)
One course in Economics (choices listed below)
One course in Ethics (see choices below)
Economics choices
AEM 2500: Environmental and Resource Economics (recommended for NTRES majors)
ECON 1110: Introductory Microeconomics
ECON 1120: Introductory Macroeconomics
Semester
Credits
F/S
F/S
F
4
2
4
S
3-4
S
F/S
3-4
F/S
4
Ethics choices
NTRES 3320: Introduction to Ethics and Environment
BSOC 2061/PHIL 2460/ or STS 2061: Ethics and the Environment
Written and Oral Expression (3 courses, 9 credits; AP credit accepted, score of 4 or 5)
Two writing courses -- Choose from: First Year Writing Seminars, or COMM 2310, 3020, 3030, 3040;
ENGL 2800, 2810, 2880, 2890, 3820-3850, 3880; SOC 3620
One course in oral expression -- Choose from the following:
COMM 2010: Oral Communication; ENTOM 3350: Naturalist Outreach Practicum;
ILRLR 2300: Argumentation and Debate; THETR 3300: Acting in Public: Performance in Everyday Life;
BIOAP 6100: By Scientific Design: Skill Building for a Career in the Life Sciences
3
3
3
4
4
6
3
REQUIRED CORE COURSES within MAJOR for
Applied Ecology or Resource Policy Management Concentrations
(10 courses; 32-34 credits)
Course
Title
Semester Credits
YEAR 1: two courses (6 credits)
NTRES 1101
Intro to the Science and Management of Environmental and Natural
F
3
Resources (for first-year students only; all others exempt)
NTRES 2010
Environmental Conservation (or Environmental Science AP score: 5)
S
3
YEAR 2: three courses (11 credits)
NTRES 2100
Introductory Field Biology
F
4
NTRES 2201
Society and Natural Resources
S
3
NTRES 2830
DNA, Genes and Genetic Diversity
S
4
YEAR 3 and 4: Three core courses (9 credits)
NTRES 3100
Applied Population Ecology
F
3
NTRES 3300
Natural Resources Planning and Management
F
3
BIOEE 3610
Advanced Ecology [transfer students may need intro ecology to take]
F
3
Two additional courses from the electives or advanced courses in Natural Resources, at least one of which must be
an advanced course (4000-level). Electives and advanced courses may also be taken in other relevant departments (e.g., BIO
units – especially BIOEE, BIOPL; AEM, CRP, EAS, SES, STS, etc.) to complete requirements. Students cannot double count courses
here (i.e., from distribution requirements). Consult with your advisor to determine appropriate courses. [Note:  = alt year]
3000-level course elective (list course here: ___________________________________)
NTRES 3030
NTRES 3110
NTRES 3130
NTRES 3220
NTRES 3240
NTRES 3250
NTRES 3260
NTRES 3311
NTRES 3320
NTRES 3330
Introduction to Biogeochemistry
Fish Ecology, Conservation & Management (lecture)
Biological Statistics I (cannot double count for statistics)
Global Ecology and Management
Ecological Management of Water Resources
Forest Management and Maple Syrup Production 
Applied Conservation Ecology
Environmental Governance
Introduction to Environmental Ethics
Ways of Knowing: Indigenous & Local Ecological Knowledge
F
S
F
F
S
S
S
F
F
F
3
3
4
4
3
3
3
3
4
3
4000-level advanced course (list course(s) here: _________________________________)
NTRES 4100
NTRES 4110
NTRES 4120
NTRES 4130
NTRES 4200
NTRES 4220
NTRES 4240
NTRES 4260
NTRES 4280
NTRES 4300
NTRES 4320
NTRES 4330
NTRES 4340
NTRES 4440
NTRES 4560
NTRES 4800
NTRES 4850
Conservation Biology: Concepts & Techniques
Quantitative Ecology & Management of Fisheries Resources 
Wildlife Population Analysis: Techniques and Models 
Biological Statistics II
Forest Ecology
Wetland Ecology
Landscape Impact Analysis 
Practicum: Forest Farming Agroforestry
Principles and Practices of Applied Wildlife Science 
Environmental & Natural Resources Policy Processes
Human Dimensions of Coupled Social-Ecological Systems
Applied Environmental Philosophy
International Conservation: Communities & Mgmt of World’s Natural Res.
Resource Management and Environmental Law
Stream Ecology 
Global Seminar: Building Sustainable Environments & Secure Food Systems
Case Studies in International Ecoagriculture and Environmental Conservation
F
S
S
S
F
F
S
F
S
S
S
S
F
S
F
S
S
4
4
3
4
3
3
3
2
3
3
3
3
4
3
4
3
3
Students Name
Students Advisor
Expected Date of Graduation
CHECKLIST OF EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS FOR
CORNELL UNIVERSITY AND THE NATURAL RESOURCES MAJOR
120 Academic Credits are required for graduation
REQUIRED COURSES within CALS DISTRIBUTION REQUIREMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES CONCENTRATION
(15 courses; 49 credits)
Course
Physical and Life Sciences (5 courses, 18 credits)
Title
BIOEE 1780
Evolutionary Biology and Diversity (or recommended equivalent)
BIOG 1500
Investigative Biology Laboratory
CHEM 1560 or
Introduction to General Chemistry
CHEM 2070 or
General Chemistry
AP/Transfer credit
AP Chemistry with score of 5
MATH 1110 or
Calculus I
MATH 1106 or
Calculus for the Life and Social Sciences
AP/Transfer credit
AP Calculus with score of 4 or 5
One course in Statistics (options listed below)
NTRES 3130 Biological Statistics I
or AEM 2100, STSCI 2100, ILRST 2100: Introductory Statistics
or AP Statistics (score 4 or 5)
Semester
Credits
F/S
F/S
F
4
2
4
F/S
3-4
F/S
4
Social Sciences and Humanities (5 courses, minimum of 16 credits; AP credit accepted)
NTRES 3311 – Environmental Governance (SBA)
Economics: AEM 2500 (Environmental Resource Economics OR ECON 1110 (Intro Microeconomics) (SBA)
One course from category CA, HA, LA, or FL (elective of your choice)
One course in Diversity (category D)
One course in Ethics (options listed below)
NTRES 3320 (Intro to Ethics and Environment)
or BSOC 2061/PHIL 2460/STS 2061 (Ethics and the Environment)
Written and Oral Expression (3 courses, 15 credits; AP credit accepted, score of 4 or 5)
Two writing courses -- Choose from: First Year Writing Seminars or COMM 2310, 3020, 3030, 3040;
ENGL 2800, 2810, 2880, 2890, 3820-3850, 3880; SOC 3620
6
Course 1: ______________________________ Course 2: ______________________________
One course in oral expression -- Choose from the following:
COMM 2010; ENTOM 3350; ILRLR 2300; THETR 3300; BIOAP 6100: By Scientific Design: Skill Building
for a Career in the Life Sciences
3
Course: ________________________________
Two additional writing or oral communication courses (i.e., COMM 2760, 2850, 3020, 3030, 3040,
3100; ENG 2880-2890, 3810, 3880, ENTOM 3350)
6
Course 1: ______________________________ Course 2: ______________________________
REQUIRED CORE COURSES within MAJOR for
Environmental Studies (ES) Concentration
(11 courses; 35-41 credits)
Course
YEAR 1: two courses
NTRES 1101
NTRES 2010
YEAR 2: three courses
NTRES 2100
NTRES 2201
NTRES 2830
Title
Semester Credits
Intro to the Science and Management of Environmental and Natural
Resources (for first-year students only; all others exempt)
Environmental Conservation (or Environmental Science AP score: 5)
F
3
S
3
Introductory Field Biology
Society and Natural Resources
DNA, Genes and Genetic Diversity
F
S
S
4
3
4
YEAR 3 and 4: Students must take a minimum of six upper-division courses comprising a self-defined theme related to
conservation (details below). The theme should speak to a general intellectual interest or social problem and be developed, in
writing, with the guidance of the student’s faculty advisor. In addition to articulating their academic interests, students are
required to identify, in writing, potential courses at the time their theme goes on file with their advisor. Courses count toward
student’s theme if they relate to this overarching question or interest. Definition and rationale of students theme can and should
be updated over time. Students cannot double count courses required courses for the major here (i.e., ethics, economics, etc.).
The six-course theme should be comprised of at least two 3000-level or above courses (3-4 credits each) in each of
the following categories:
Natural Science: biological and physical sciences (e.g., NTRES 4200, NTRES 4220, NTRES 4560, and many other courses
meeting "Distribution Requirements" for graduation under the "Other Physical/Life Sciences" category in the Courses of
Study)
Course 1: _____________________________
Course 2: _________________________________
Social Science and Analytical Skills: economics, political economy, policy sciences, logic, computer programming, GIS,
statistics (i.e., courses meeting Social Sciences distribution, identified in the Courses of Study as SBA, e.g., NTRES 3311; and
courses requiring extensive use of mathematical or statistical skills, computing skills, and higher-level reasoning and logic, e.g.,
NTRES 3100, NTRES 3130, CSS 4110, CSS 4200)
Course 1: _____________________________
Course 2: _________________________________
Humanities: history, literature, philosophy, ethics, arts, foreign languages (i.e., courses identified in the Courses
of Study as CA, HA, KCM, LA, or FL)
Course 1: _____________________________
Course 2: _________________________________
Examples of areas within which themes might be developed include environmental law, environmental education, environmental
journalism/communication, environmental advocacy, and green business. Appropriate courses for themes can be drawn from a
wide variety of departments, including Natural Resources, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Neurobiology and Behavior, Crop and
Soil Sciences, Applied Economics and Management, Development Sociology, Communications, Anthropology, Philosophy, History,
Psychology, Government, and City and Regional Planning.
Students should work with their advisors to develop a theme that intrigues them and to identify potential courses that will
stimulate and challenge them while addressing an overarching question or issue. Start by exploring the Courses of Study under
the departments listed above. This process itself will open student’s minds to the many perspectives from which problems in
environment and conservation can be approached.