Ecology & Natural Resources & Ecology Combined Bachelor’s & Master’s Program
With the Adirondack Park and Lake Champlain Basin as your living laboratory, SUNY Plattsburgh’s combined B.S./M.S. program in Ecology and Natural Resources & Ecology offers an immersive, hands-on science education — beginning in your first year. In just 5 years, you’ll earn both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree, gaining the advanced skills and experience needed to lead in today’s growing environmental and ecological job market.
What Will I Learn?
In this combined B.S./M.S. program, you’ll explore how living organisms interact with their environments. Beginning with foundational biology and ecology courses, you’ll progress into advanced topics in environmental science, natural resource management and ecological research.
Throughout the program, you’ll gain:
- A strong grounding in population, community and ecosystem ecology.
- Experience in ecological data collection, field methods and geospatial analysis.
- Practice applying ecological theory to real-world environmental problems.
- Advanced skills in research design, scientific communication and interdisciplinary inquiry.
- An understanding of environmental ethics, policy and the social dimensions of natural resource issues.
Plus, you’ll learn by doing — whether conducting research in the Adirondacks, interning with conservation organizations or collecting data from Lake Champlain’s wetlands and shorelines. By your fifth year, you’ll be ready to contribute professionally as a skilled ecologist with a master’s degree.
What is Unique About Our Program?
This accelerated program allows you to earn both a Bachelor of Science in Ecology and a Master of Science in Natural Resources & Ecology in just five years, saving both time and tuition, while increasing your marketability.
What sets our program apart:
- A Natural Laboratory at your Doorstep — SUNY Plattsburgh’s location near the 6-million-acre Adirondack Park and 490-square-mile Lake Champlain Basin offers one of the most ecologically diverse settings in the country for hands-on study.
- Flexible Graduate Options — Choose between a thesis-based research track or a practice-based internship option for your M.S., depending on your career goals.
- Cross-disciplinary Faculty — Learn from experts in wildlife ecology, aquatic science, biogeochemistry, environmental planning, and more from multiple departments across campus.
- Affordability and Access — For students who might not otherwise be able to afford two full years of graduate school, this program makes an advanced degree attainable.
What Are My Career Opportunities?
Graduates of the combined B.S./M.S. program are prepared for advanced positions in the ecological and environmental sciences field. This program is also an excellent launchpad if you plan to pursue a Ph.D. With the added depth of a master’s degree and meaningful field experience, you’ll be equipped for both leadership and impact in a rapidly evolving job market.
Pursue a variety of careers and fields including:
- Natural resources
- Environmental science/ecology
- Environmental planning
- Environmental conservation
- Park naturalist
- Forest biologist
- Aquatic/fisheries biologist
- Wildlife biologist