Natural Resources & Wildlife Technology
Associate of Applied Science degree
Career advancement program
Turn your passion for hiking, hunting, fishing and the outdoors into a career with a degree program that capitalizes on a love of the natural environment.
Garrett College's Natural Resources & Wildlife Technology program, or NRWT, is a program that expands a love of the outdoors and nature into advanced knowledge to grow into a unique and fulfilling career.
NRWT strives to graduate technicians who are well prepared for employment in the field of natural resources management, who understand and appreciate the interrelationships among all components of an ecosystem, and who recognize the socioeconomic and political forces affecting resource management decisions. While taking a holistic approach to resource management, the program emphasizes wildlife, fisheries, and forest management, and soil and water conservation.
NRWT majors gain real-world experience on class trips to the Chesapeake Bay and other regional environments, and have the opportunity to travel to southeast Arizona for a spring break learning experience. Students may also choose to participate in a short-term study abroad experience in a neotropical region such as Costa Rica.
Career Opportunities
Garrett's NRWT program prepares you for a career in any of the following areas of interest:
- Parks and Recreation
- Water quality monitoring
- Wildlife habitat management
- Fisheries management
- Wetlands management
- Forestry
- Environmental and ecological restoration
- Environmental consulting
- Soil and water conservation
- Nature education and interpretation
Coursework
Program Learning Outcomes
- Students will demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, particularly in settings involving issues related to natural resources management.
- Students will use GPS and GIS technology to accurately collect, manage, analyze, and present geospatial data.
- Students will use biological knowledge and identification skills to correctly identify important plant and wildlife species of the Central Appalachian/Mid-Atlantic region.
- Students will apply quantitative reasoning, computational skills, and the scientific method to natural resources management and critically analyze multifaceted natural resources and environmental problems/issues to develop and evaluate potential options and proposed solutions.
- Students will, safely and ethically, perform various sampling techniques, survey methods, and data collection and analysis procedures associated with the management of natural resources in the field and laboratory.
- Students will use tools, operate equipment, and apply other practical skills required for natural resources technicians in adherence with occupational health and safety standards.
Program Highlights
- Garrett College's location in Garrett County, Maryland provides scenic year-round opportunities for outdoor field-based instruction.
- The Wildlife Club lets NRWT majors share their passion for the outdoors with others, and helps students develop connections with professionals working in their field of interest.
- The NRWT program has received Statewide Designation status from the State of Maryland. Verifiable Maryland residents who meet enrollment criteria will receive the in-county tuition rate.
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