Natural Resources Technology A.A.S. Degree
Program Description
For more than fifty years, the CLC Natural Resources Program has been providing students with a well-rounded background in natural resources, preparing them for work in a variety of fields. Courses in the natural resources program at Central Lakes College include a strong outdoor laboratory component, reinforcing classroom learning through application of these skills and knowledge in the field. Many of the first-year courses are blocked together to allow additional time for outdoor laboratories and opportunities to work on multidiscipline projects. Students also have the opportunity to experience additional extracurricular opportunities through paid summer internships offered by a variety of natural resources agencies, and participation in the Natural Resources Club that provides students with outdoor-based activities throughout the year, such as radio-tracking collared animals, administering deer check stations, and hosting interpretive programs. The relatively small size of the Natural Resource Program allows students the opportunity to know their instructors personally and to develop friendships with other students that last a lifetime.
Program Outcomes
By completing this program, students will achieve the following learning outcomes:
- Demonstrate field identification of regionally important plants, mammals, birds and fish and their communities;
- Use a broad range of technological tools to research, document, map, measure, record and analyze data relevant to natural resources;
- Interpret how ecological relationships influence plants, mammals, birds and fish distribution, succession and biodiversity in ecosystems;
- Analyze land characteristics and create land management plans;
- Communicate in oral and written forms with supervisors, peers, area visitors and natural resource agencies;
- Navigate and safely function in an outdoor workplace.
Career Opportunities
People in the natural resources work with environmental systems and human needs to manage a variety of resources in a sustainable fashion. Natural resources professionals regularly deal with issues such as biodiversity, economics, population trends, and the future quality of human life. The best opportunities for full-time work will require a bachelor’s degree from a four-year university in one of the natural resource disciplines or from a more holistic natural resource management degree. Some agencies (e.g., MN DNR Forestry) are beginning to hire students with two-year degrees for permanent, full-time work. Potential careers include forestry technician, wildlife manager, fisheries manager, fisheries technician, parks manager, park naturalist, hydrologist, soils scientist, and botanist.
Transfer Opportunities
The Central Lakes College Natural Resources Program offers an affordable alternative to a four-year institution. Through formal agreements, graduates of the program have the opportunity to transfer to Bemidji State University, the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point, WI and the University of Minnesota at Crookston, MN, to complete baccalaureate degrees.
Graduation Requirements
In addition to the program requirements, students must meet the following conditions in order to graduate:
- College Cumulative GPA Requirement: cumulative grade point average (GPA) of credits attempted and completed at CLC must be at least 2.0;
- College Technical Core GPA Requirement: cumulative GPA of credits attempted and completed towards the technical core of the diploma or degree must be at least 2.0;
- Residency Requirement: students must complete 25% of their credits at Central Lakes College.
Employment Statistics
For more information regarding employment statistics, career salary information and estimated job growth, follow the resource links below:
https://apps.deed.state.mn.us/lmi/ces/
http://www.bls.gov/ooh/home.htm
http://www.iseek.org/jobs/jobmarket.html