Major in Natural Resources and Environmental Management (BA/BS)
Preserving natural resources. Improving environmental quality. Making the Earth a safer and healthier place to live for everyone. If those objectives align with your values, then Ball State’s major in natural resources and environmental management (NREM) will help you live them out in your career.
Whether you’re the outdoorsy type who loves exploring nature or you’re drawn to hard sciences and want to apply your knowledge to solve environmental problems, our NREM major will set you on the right course. Our program will teach you how to engage communities on behalf of environmental preservation and apply theoretical ideas in practical ways to the real world.
As a graduate, you will be prepared to immediately jump into a fulfilling environmentally related career in corporations, federal, state, and local government, and nonprofits. Our program is also excellent preparation for further study in graduate school.
57-59 credits
Environmental Management (EM) concentration, 59 credits
Common core required courses, 26 credits
One of the following (3 credits)
| NREM 405 | Integrated Resource Management | 3 |
| | or | |
| NREM 369 | Professional Practice/Experiential Learning | 1 TO 3 |
| | or | |
| NREM 490 | Community Engagement in Natural Resources and Environmental Management | 3 |
| | or | |
| | Any Tier 3 course from another department 3 | 3 |
Required courses from EM concentration (8 credits)
One of the following (4 credits)
| BIO 313 | Microbiology | 4 |
| | or | |
| CHEM 230 | Organic Chemistry for the Life Sciences | 3 |
| | and | |
| CHEM 241 | Organic Chemistry Laboratory 1: Fundamental Techniques | 1 |
| | or | |
| CHEM 231 | Organic Chemistry for Molecular-Based Sciences: Part 1 | 3 |
| | and | |
| CHEM 241 | Organic Chemistry Laboratory 1: Fundamental Techniques | 1 |
Electives, 18 credits from EM concentration
Other relevant courses may substitute. See chairperson regarding approval.
Natural Resources (NR) concentration, 57 credits
Common core required courses, 26 credits
Choose one of the following (3 credits)
| NREM 405 | Integrated Resource Management | 3 |
| | or | |
| NREM 369 | Professional Practice/Experiential Learning | 1 TO 3 |
| | or | |
| NREM 490 | Community Engagement in Natural Resources and Environmental Management | 3 |
| | or | |
| | Any Tier 3 course from another department 3 | 3 |
Required courses from NR concentration (7 credits)
| BIO 112 | Principles of Biology 2 | 4 |
| GEOG 265 | Introduction to Geographic Information Systems | 3 |
Choose one of the following (3 credits)
Electives for NR concentration, 18 credits
| HIST 204 | American Environmental History | 3 |
| | or | |
| NREM 204 | American Environmental History | 3 |
| NREM 205 | International Natural Resources: Development and Conservation | 3 |
| NREM 304 | Sustainable Agriculture | 3 |
| NREM 309 | Human Dimensions of Global Change | 3 |
| NREM 320 | Wetland Characterization | 3 |
| NREM 324 | Soil Classification and Interpretation | 3 |
| NREM 335 | Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology | 3 |
| NREM 371 | Outdoor Recreation and Society | 3 |
| NREM 385 | Wastewater Management | 3 |
| NREM 392 | Environmental Interpretation | 3 |
| NREM 395 | Teaching Environmental Education | 3 |
| NREM 401 | Forest Planning and Stewardship | 3 |
| NREM 415 | Water Quality Management | 3 |
| NREM 422 | Soil Quality | 3 |
| NREM 427 | Soil Conservation and Management | 3 |
| NREM 473 | Outdoor Recreation Planning and Administration | 3 |
| NREM 477 | Wilderness and Society | 3 |
Other relevant courses may substitute. See chairperson regarding approval.
Before enrolling in NREM 211, NREM 221, NREM 241, or NREM 286, students must have credit in MATH 108 or MATH 111 or MATH 112 or MATH 132 or MATH 161 or MATH 165 or have taken the math placement test and received permission from the instructor.
Core foundation courses (CHEM 111, NREM 101, NREM 201) must be completed before enrolling in NREM 221 or higher courses.
Students in environmental management are encouraged to take CHEM 112 immediately following CHEM 111.