2026-2027 Course Catalog
Source: https://catalog.illinois.edu/undergraduate/aces/natural-resources-environmental-sciences-bs/ Parent: https://catalog.illinois.edu/undergraduate/
for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences
Students pursuing this major select one of four concentrations:
- Ecosystem Stewardship & Restoration Ecology
- Environmental Science & Management
- Environmental Social Sciences
- Fish, Wildlife & Conservation Biology
Designed for students interested in careers leading the conservation, protection, and management of natural and environmental resources or in pursuing advanced education in one of its many disciplinary areas, the NRES baccalaureate provides a science-based, application-oriented education. The NRES major is unique in its integration of a comprehensive physical, life, and social sciences background with coursework providing the management, decision-making, and analytical knowledge and skills required to solve the world’s most pressing problems.
Students in the NRES major begin their studies by taking a set of core courses that provides the background for more focused substantive study at the upper level. The NRES core introduces students to the range of physical, life, and social science content most relevant to their future professions and equips them with tools essential for the discovery, analysis, and application of knowledge important for successful environmental management. NRES students then build upon the core by completing one of four upper-level concentrations. Courses in the concentrations involve focused attention to the theories, data, and analytical tools of a particular set of natural resource and environmental science areas, helping students develop the necessary understanding of the complexities underlying resources management. All students in the major are required to complete a combination of field courses and at least one project-oriented capstone course.
All the concentrations prepare students for graduate study as well as for multiple career paths throughout the public and private sectors. Because of its unique orientation toward integrative application of disciplinary knowledge, the NRES major prepares students for a wide range of careers involving the conservation, protection, and management of natural resources. Many occur within business or government agencies that provide services related to environmental and natural resource management. Other careers are found within social, professional, and advocacy institutions that focus on human impacts and environmental sustainability. The major also prepares students for teaching, research, or other professional activities.
Graduates from the NRES major go on to pursue careers in the direction of environmental education centers; ecological management and restoration; enforcement of laws and regulations; environmental advocacy; environmental consulting; forest and environmental economics; land use analysis and management; law; local, state, and federal government; management of parks, forests and rangelands; plant physiology; policy development and implementation; resource planning and policy analysis; social and environmental impact analysis; soil conservation, science, and testing; technical sales; watershed management; and wildlife conservation and management.
for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences
Graduation Requirements
Minimum hours for graduation: 126 hours.
University Requirements
Minimum of 40 hours of upper-division coursework generally at the 300- and 400-level. These hours can be drawn from all elements of the degree. Students should consult their academic advisor for additional guidance in fulfilling this requirement.
The university and residency requirements can be found in the Student Code(§ 3-801) and in the Academic Catalog.
General Education Requirements
Follows the campus General Education (Gen Ed) requirements. Some Gen Ed requirements may be met by courses required and/or electives in the program.
Course List
| Code | Title | Hours |
| --- | --- | --- | | Composition I | | 4-6 | | Advanced Composition | | 3 | | Humanities & the Arts (6 hours) | | 6 | | Natural Sciences & Technology (6 hours) | | 6 | | fulfilled by CHEM 102, CHEM 104, IB 103; and IB 104 or IB 150; and ABE 152 or ACES 102 or ATMS 140 or CPSC 113 or GEOL 107 or GEOL 118 or GGIS 103 or MCB 100 or MCB 150 or NPRE 101 or PHYS 101 or PHYS 211 | | | | Social & Behavioral Sciences (6 hours) | | 6 | | fulfilled by ACE 100 or ECON 102; and NRES 287 | | | | Cultural Studies: Non-Western Cultures (1 course) | | 3 | | Cultural Studies: Western/Comparative Cultures (1 course) | | 3 | | fulfilled by NRES 287 | | | | Cultural Studies: US Minority Cultures (1 course) | | 3 | | Quantitative Reasoning (6-10 hours; at least one course must be Quantitative Reasoning I) | | 6-10 | | fulfilled by MATH 220 or MATH 221 or MATH 234; and ACE 262 or CPSC 241 or ECON 202 or PSYC 235 or SOC 280 or STAT 100 or STAT 107 | | | | Language Requirement (0-15 hours; completion of the third semester or equivalent of a language other than English is required) | | 0-15 |
Course List
| Code | Title | Hours |
| --- | --- | --- | | Major Requirements | | | | Communications Requirement | | 3 or 6 | | Select from the following: | | | | CMN 101 | Public Speaking | | | CMN 111 & CMN 112 | Oral & Written Comm I and Oral & Written Comm II | | | ALEC 115 | Let’s Talk about Food, Agriculture, and the Environment | | | Economics Requirement | | 3-4 | | Select from the following: | | | | ACE 100 | Introduction to Applied Microeconomics | | | ECON 102 | Microeconomic Principles | | | Math Requirement | | 4-5 | | Select from the following: | | | | MATH 220 | Calculus | | | MATH 221 | Calculus I | | | MATH 234 | Calculus for Business I | | | Statistics Requirement | | 3-4 | | Select from the following: | | | | ACE 262 | Applied Statistical Methods and Data Analytics I | | | CPSC 241 | Intro to Applied Statistics | | | ECON 202 | Economic Statistics I | | | PSYC 235 | Intro to Statistics | | | SOC 280 | Intro to Social Statistics | | | STAT 100 | Statistics | | | STAT 107 | Data Science Discovery | | | Science Requirements | | 19-22 | | CHEM 102 & CHEM 103 | General Chemistry I and General Chemistry Lab I | | | CHEM 104 & CHEM 105 | General Chemistry II and General Chemistry Lab II | | | IB 103 | Introduction to Plant Biology | | | IB 104 | Animal Biology | | | or IB 150 & IB 151 | Organismal & Evolutionary Biol and Organismal & Evol Biol Lab | | | Select one additional course from the following: | | | | ABE 152 | Water in the Global Environment | | | ACES 102 | Intro Sustainable Food Systems | | | ATMS 140 | Climate and Global Change | | | CPSC 113 | Environment, Agriculture, and Society | | | GEOL 107 | Physical Geology | | | GEOL 118 | Natural Disasters | | | GGIS 103 | Earth's Physical Systems | | | MCB 100 | Introductory Microbiology | | | MCB 150 | Molecular & Cellular Basis of Life | | | NPRE 101 | Introduction to Energy Sources | | | PHYS 101 | College Physics: Mech & Heat | | | PHYS 211 | University Physics: Mechanics | | | College of ACES Requirements (Core) | | 2 | | NRES 123 | NRES Orientation to Illinois | | | Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences Requirements (Core) | | 31-33 | | NRES 102 | Introduction to NRES | | | NRES 201 | Introductory Soils | | | NRES 219 | Applied Ecology | | | NRES 287 | Environment and Society | | | NRES 325 | Natural Resource Policy Mgmt | | | NRES 348 | Fish and Wildlife Ecology | | | NRES 385 | Field Experience | | | NRES 421 | Quantitative Methods in NRES | | | NRES 454 | GIS in Natural Resource Mgmt | | | NRES 456 | Integrative Ecosystem Management | | | Select one additional field experience course from the following: | | | | NRES 293 | Professional Internship | | | NRES 294 | Resident Internship | | | NRES 295 | Undergrad Research or Thesis | | | NRES 385 | Field Experience | | | NRES 396 | UG Honors Research or Thesis | | | Required Concentration | | | | Concentration prescribed courses. See specific requirements for each concentration listed below. | | 18-22 | | Ecosystem Stewardship & Restoration Ecology | | | | Environmental Science & Management | | | | Environmental Social Sciences | | | | Fish Wildlife & Conservation Biology | | | | Total Hours | | 126 |
for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences
Sample Sequence
This sample sequence is intended to be used only as a guide for degree completion. All students should work individually with their academic advisors to decide the actual course selection and sequence that works best for them based on their academic preparation and goals. Enrichment programming such as study abroad, minors, internships, and so on may impact the structure of this four-year plan. Course availability is not guaranteed during the semester indicated in the sample sequence.
Students must fulfill their Language Other Than English requirement by successfully completing a third level of a language other than English. For more information, see the corresponding section on the Degree and General Education Requirements page.
| First Year | |
|---|---|
| First Semester | Hours |
| NRES 102 | 3 |
| NRES 123 | 2 |
| IB 104 or 150 and 151 | 4 |
| Communications Requirement or Composition I | 3 |
| Language Other Than English (3rd level) | 4 |
| 16 | |
| Total Hours 16 |
| First Year | |
|---|---|
| Second Semester | Hours |
| CHEM 102 | 3 |
| CHEM 103 | 1 |
| Composition I or Communications Requirement | 4 |
| Math Requirement | 4 |
| IB 103 | 4 |
| 16 | |
| Total Hours 16 |
| Second Year | |
|---|---|
| First Semester | Hours |
| NRES 219 | 3 |
| CHEM 104 | 3 |
| CHEM 105 | 1 |
| ACE 100 or ECON 102 | 4 |
| Choose additional course from Science Requirement list | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 |
| 17 | |
| Total Hours 17 |
| Second Year | |
|---|---|
| Second Semester | Hours |
| NRES 287 | 3 |
| NRES 201 | 4 |
| Statistics Requirement | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 |
| Free Elective course | 3 |
| 16 | |
| Total Hours 16 |
| Third Year | |
|---|---|
| First Semester | Hours |
| NRES 454 | 4 |
| NRES 348 | 3 |
| Field Experience Course | 2 |
| Free Elective course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 |
| 15 | |
| Total Hours 15 |
| Third Year | |
|---|---|
| Second Semester | Hours |
| NRES 421 | 3 |
| Concentration course | 4 |
| Concentration course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 |
| Free Elective course | 3 |
| 16 | |
| Total Hours 16 |
| Fourth Year | |
|---|---|
| First Semester | Hours |
| NRES 385 | 2 |
| NRES 325 | 3 |
| Concentration course | 3 |
| Concentration course | 3 |
| Free Elective course | 4 |
| 15 | |
| Total Hours 15 |
| Fourth Year | |
|---|---|
| Second Semester | Hours |
| NRES 456 | 3 |
| Concentration course | 3 |
| Concentration course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 |
| Free Elective course | 3 |
| 15 | |
| Total Hours 15 |
Total Hours: 126
for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences
Students graduating with the B.S. in NRES should be able to:
- Understand the scientific method/ways of knowing and critically evaluate information.
- Integrate principles of biological, chemical, physical, and social sciences and apply them to resource and environmental issues using a systems approach.
- Understand ecological principles underpinning management of resources, populations, communities, and ecosystems.
- Use data collection and analysis tools (such as field methods, GIS, modeling, and statistics) to develop plans for managing resource/environmental challenges and adapt plans in response to rapid change.
- Understand the policies governing resources and the environment and identify social dimensions (stakeholders, interests, trade‐offs, synergies, ethical principles) to consider in the development of management plans.
- Communicate effectively with colleagues, stakeholders, and the public about environmental and resource management issues.
- Recognize how diverse groups understand the environment, experience positive and negative environmental impacts, and perceive just and equitable solutions.
for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences
Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences
Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences website\ W-503 Turner Hall\ 1102 S. Goodwin Ave.\ Urbana, IL 61801\ (217) 333-2770\ nres@illinois.edu
College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences
College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences website
ACES Office of Academic Programs
128 Mumford Hall\ 1301 West Gregory Drive\ Urbana, IL 61801\ 217-333-3380\ aces-academics@illinois.edu
Advising
Advising Website\ 217-333-5824\ nres-ssc@illinois.edu
Admissions
ACES Undergraduate Admissions\ University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Undergrad Admissions\ (217) 333-3380\ visitACES@illinois.edu