Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences: Ecosystem Stewardship & Restoration Ecology, BS

for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences, Ecosystem Stewardship & Restoration Ecology Concentration

Ecosystem Stewardship and Restoration Ecology emphasizes the ecology, structure, and function of ecosystems, with a particular focus on plant communities and their interactions with the living and non-living parts of ecosystems. It is designed for students interested in the fundamental properties and practices underlying the restoration and management of soil, watershed, wetland, forest, and grassland ecosystems. The concentration includes coursework in the areas of restoration, landscape, and plant ecology, as well as courses focused on specific ecosystems (e.g. streams, wetlands, agroecosystems), invasive species, community ecology, and ecosystem science.

for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences, Ecosystem Stewardship & Restoration Ecology Concentration

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

Course List
Code	Title	Hours
Concentration Core Requirements
NRES 419	Env and Plant Ecosystems	3
NRES 420	Restoration Ecology	4
NRES 465	Landscape Ecology	3
Concentration Elective Requirements
Two Ecology Courses		6-8
NRES 302	Dendrology
NRES 362	Ecology of Invasive Species
NRES 407	Wildlife Population Ecology
NRES 415	Native Plant ID and Floristics
CPSC 431	Plants and Global Change
IB 329	Animal Behavior
IB 439	Biogeography
IB 444	Insect Ecology
IB 452	Ecosystem Ecology
IB 453	Community Ecology
One Ecosystem or Management Course		3-4
NRES 401	Watershed Hydrology
NRES 409	Fishery Ecol and Conservation
NRES 418	Wetland Ecology & Management
NRES 427	Modeling Natural Resources
NRES 429	Aquatic Ecosystem Conservation
NRES 434	Environment, Policy, and Conflict
NRES 455	Advanced GIS for Environmental Management
NRES 480	Human-Wildlife Interactions
NRES 482	Aquatic Biogeochemistry
NRES 485	Stream Ecology
CPSC 437	Principles of Agroecology
GGIS 476	Environmental Remote Sensing
IB 361	Ecology and Human Health
IB 451	Conservation Biology
UP 406	Urban Ecology
Total Concentration Hours		19-22
Total Hours		126

for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences, Ecosystem Stewardship & Restoration Ecology Concentration

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. For guidance on creating your own degree sequence, consult the Graduation Plan Handout.

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 Semester
Requirements	Hours
NRES 102 - Introduction to NRES	3
NRES 123 - NRES Orientation to Illinois	2
Composition I or Communications Requirement	4
IB 104 - Animal Biology or IB 150 - Organismal & Evolutionary Biol and IB 151 - Organismal & Evol Biol Lab	4
Language Other Than English (3rd level)	4
Semester Hours	17

Second Semester
Requirements	Hours
CHEM 102 - General Chemistry I	3
CHEM 103 - General Chemistry Lab I	1
Communications Requirement or Composition I	3
Math Requirement	4
IB 103 - Introduction to Plant Biology	4
Semester Hours	15

First Semester
Requirements	Hours
NRES 219 - Applied Ecology	3
CHEM 104 - General Chemistry II	3
CHEM 105 - General Chemistry Lab II	1
ACE 100 - Introduction to Applied Microeconomics or ECON 102 - Microeconomic Principles	4
Choose additional course from Science Requirement list	3
General Education course	3
Semester Hours	17

Second Semester
Requirements	Hours
NRES 287 - Environment and Society	3
NRES 201 - Introductory Soils	4
Statistics Requirement	3
General Education course	3
Free Elective course	3
Semester Hours	16

First Semester
Requirements	Hours
NRES 454 - GIS in Natural Resource Mgmt	4
NRES 348 - Fish and Wildlife Ecology	3
NRES 325 - Natural Resource Policy Mgmt	3
Field Experience course	2
Free Elective course	3
Semester Hours	15

Second Semester
Requirements	Hours
NRES 420 - Restoration Ecology	4
Ecosystem or Management course	3
Ecology course	3
General Education course	3
Free Elective course	3
Semester Hours	16

First Semester
Requirements	Hours
NRES 385 - Field Experience	2
NRES 419 - Env and Plant Ecosystems	3
NRES 465 - Landscape Ecology	3
General Education course	4
Free Elective course	3
Semester Hours	15

Second Semester
Requirements	Hours
NRES 456 - Integrative Ecosystem Management	3
NRES 421 - Quantitative Methods in NRES	3
Ecology course	3
General Education course	3
Free Elective course	3
Semester Hours	15

Total Hours: 126

for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences, Ecosystem Stewardship & Restoration Ecology Concentration

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, Ecosystem Stewardship & Restoration Ecology Concentration