Earn your degree in Natural Resource Management

The Natural Resources Management Department recognizes, cultivates, and engages the skills of a diverse cohort of students and delivers a superior learning experience through dedicated teaching, hands-on learning, and research engagement.

Our vision is to be one of the leading programs for the study of natural resources management with a geology emphasis and for the placement of students in natural resources management graduate programs and careers.

Graduates from the Natural Resource Management Department have gone on to exciting careers with NASA, NM Environment Department, NM Office of the State Engineer, Barrick Gold Mining, US Forest Service, Los Alamos National Labs, among many others.

Get in touch with us to find out more about what your future could be.

M.S. Natural Sciences at Highlands

The Department of Natural Resources Management (NRM) Department offers an M.S. Natural Science degree with concentrations in Environmental Science & Management and Geology. The concentrations share a core set of foundational courses after which students develop individualized programs of study (course work plus independent research) that incorporate each student’s distinctive background, educational goals, and career objectives. The M.S. Natural Science degree provides a unique opportunity for students to broaden their educational experience to include courses from fields they are less likely to encounter at traditional graduate programs as they prepare for employment in industry, government, or education or entry into doctoral programs. The NRM Department also offers a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) graduate certificate that provides students GIS science and technology proficiency that can immediately be applied in the workplace. GIS Certification prepares students to map data for decision-making in business, environmental protection, risk assessment, utility planning and management, emergency response, land use planning, transportation planning, delivery route planning, real estate, crime prevention, and other areas.

Working with our dedicated faculty, students can develop individualized programs of study to develop their academic interests and meet their career goals. Faculty have research projects in environmental science, geomorphology, water resources, paleoclimate, geochemistry, soil resources, hydrologic budgeting of northern New Mexico catchments, and aquifer mapping.

Environmental Geology B.S. at Highlands

The environmental geology B.S. – geology concentration is an interdisciplinary major concerned with the practical application of the principles of geology in the solving of environmental problems. Courses provide students with scientific knowledge, mathematical proficiency, research skills, technical abilities, and writing competencies to launch exciting and rewarding career in the geosciences.

Geographic Information Systems Minor and Certificate

The GIS minor and certificate program at New Mexico Highlands University provides hands-on experience with the latest geographic information system technology that can immediately be applied in the workplace, provide a highly marketable skill-base when seeking employment or pursuing an advanced degree in GIS. Students who complete either program will be highly prepared to use map data for decision-making in business, environmental protection, risk assessment, utility planning and management, emergency response, land use planning, transportation planning, delivery route planning, real estate, crime prevention, and many more.