Students majoring in the Conservation Science and Management program will learn a broad range of skills including environmental and ecological problem solving, natural resource management and professional networking. Students will learn to develop and implement conservation plans, conduct natural resource surveys and inventories, manage habitats and work with our local community (campus included) to generate solutions to environmental and natural resource problems. This skillset will help graduates of this program be effective conservation professionals in a wide range of fields including conservation organizations, government agencies, academic or educational professions and private consulting firms.

1. Students will explain fundamental principles (scientific, philosophical, sociopolitical, economic, historic and technological) that underlie environmental issues in our society.
2. Students will identify and analyze environmental problems in society and community.
3. Students will analyze, document, and report research both in writing and orally.

Students and faculty roll up their sleeves and collaborate at Shenandoah’s 195-acre River Campus at Cool Spring Battlefield. This historic property, located along the Shenandoah River in Virginia, was integral to the July 18, 1864, Battle of Cool Spring, and it serves as not only a living laboratory for history and the environmental studies programs, but also a recreational space for students and the general public. 

Explore the Cool Spring River Campus

Students interested in this program should also look into these other majors, graduate degrees, minors, and certificates.

Complementary Majors:

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Public Health
• Data Science and Applied Mathematics 

Some students in this program choose to continue their education by earning a graduate degree: 

• Ecology
• Entomology
• Forest Science 
• Wildlife Conservation
• Geography, GIS, and Remote Sensing

Curriculum

For a Bachelor of Science in Conservation Science and Management, students need to compete 44 credits of Core Courses and 6 credits of Elective Courses with a C- or above.

BIO 121	General Biology I
BIO 122	General Biology II
BIO 321	Ecology
BIO 325	Animal Behavior
BIO 330	Parasitology
BIO 344	Plant Morphology
BIO 351	Vertebrate Zoology
CHEM 121	General Chemistry I
CHEM 122	General Chemistry II
CHEM 301	Organic Chemistry I
CHEM 302	Organic Chemistry II
CHEM 331	Biochemistry I
CHEM 332	Biochemistry II
ES 101	Introduction to Environmental Studies
ES 105	Field Natural History
ES 290	Environmental Issues Seminar
ES 295	Wildlife Ecology and Habitat Management
ES 300	Geographic Information Systems and Mapping
ES 319	Environmental Policy and Programs
ES 340	Environmental Education
ES 390	Environmental Research Seminar
ES 395	Topics in Environmental Studies
ES 399	Directed Study
ES 401	Environmental Studies Internship
ES 419	Community and Regional Studies
ES 421	Environmental Sampling and Analysis
ES 452	Applied Conservation Ecology
ES 492	Environmental Research Project
GEO 454	Our Eastern Forests: History, Ecology and Change
GEOL 201	Physical Geology
GEOL 450	Stream Assessment and Restoration
MATH 207	Introduction to Statistics
MATH  208	Applied Statistics Concepts and Methods
MCOM   318	Environmental Communication

 

This program requires a minor/these minors complement this program well: 

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Public Health
• Computer Science
• Data Science
• Virtual Reality Design

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