Name change reflects focus of degrees
Undergraduate and Master's Degrees with the School of Natural Resources and Extension have a new name: natural resources and environment. Previously, the school’s degrees were called natural resources management.
Academic Director David Valentine said faculty felt that the new name better reflects what the degrees are about. Many of the school’s classes also relate to the environment, such as air and water quality, forests, wilderness and park management, and environmental decision-making and ethics.
Valentine also believes the name change, which became effective with the fall 2018 semester, will help recruit students. UAF Admissions says a number of students who want to study the environment and use that term in online searches. “More students who are looking for us will find us,” he said.
The name change will not bring any immediate changes to the curriculum. The school’s doctoral degree will continue to be known as natural resources and sustainability.
Another upcoming change is that the degree programs will have a new academic home, beginning July 2019. As part of a UAF reorganization, the degrees and academic department will move to the College of Natural Science and Mathematics. Degree requirements will not change but Valentine said the change will likely lead to more collaborations with faculty from other disciplines and more cross-listed classes.
“Students will have greater options down the road,” he said.
