Master of Natural Resources

The College of Natural Resources offers a professional, non-thesis Master of Natural Resources (MNR) degree in Northern Virginia. The MNR program is 33-credit-hour professional degree open to students from a wide variety of undergraduate fields. The focus of the Natural Resources Program in Northern Virginia is urban ecology and sustainability of natural resources, with special emphasis on sustainable use of fishery, wildlife and forest resources in the rapidly changing rural-urban environment. The MNR degrees is usually a terminal, non-research degree, intended to give the candidate additional post-baccalaureate education in natural resources. This interdisciplinary program has a dual objective of training graduates for professional employment in natural resources and instilling conceptual and critical thinking necessary for lifelong learning and career development. Graduates are able to assume professional responsibilities in a wide variety of positions in public service or in the private sector.

Students will be admitted on a part-time basis, although some opportunities for full-time study may exist. Students will be expected to take one to two classes per semester to progress toward the 33-credit-hour degree requirements. Some of the required credit hours may be transferred from graduate work completed at another accredited institution in accordance with policies and procedures of the Virginia Tech Graduate School. For each MNR candidate, a graduate advisory committee based on the student's background, goals, and area of desired specialization determines a program of study. While the required core (12 credits) provides "generalist" theories and skills, more than one-half of the overall curricula (15-18 credits) is in the student's area of concentration and provides substantive skills in a specific area of interest. Although candidates do not complete a thesis, they must do a capstone paper, which counts for three to six hours of credit.