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Advance Your Skills

Explore the environment and train for a career in natural science.

Natural Resources & Ecology Master’s

In the M.S. natural resources and ecology program you will explore environmental science with a focus on natural resource issues. Current program strengths are in ecology and field biology and environmental policy and planning. The program offers both a research thesis option or an internship option.

What Will I Learn?

You will have the support and guidance of our exceptional faculty working at the top of their fields. Experiential learning opportunities are never far with easy access to the Adirondack Park and Lake Champlain Basin. In addition, you will gain mastery in:

  • Ecological concepts and methods, experimental design, spatial analysis, taxonomy, statistical methods and applied issues
  • Ecological data collection and sampling techniques
  • Scientific research questions and methodology

What is Unique About Our Program?

Step into a field all your own and become a professional scientist with our natural resources and ecology program. With the 6-million-acre Adirondack Park and 490-square-mile Lake Champlain as your laboratory, you’ll immerse yourself in a science career.

What Are My Career Opportunities?

Develop the knowledge, skills, experience and credentials to pursue a successful career in natural resources such as park naturalist; environmental scientist; environmental planner; field ecologist; agency fisheries, forest or wildlife scientist and many others.

Graduates of our program are pursuing 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

Natural Resources & Ecology Graduate Student Profiles

Griffin Archambault, Class of ’27

“At a broad ecological scale, the two subjects that interest me the most are population dynamics — how and why wildlife populations change over time — and habitat selection — why species occupy the areas that they do. Narrowly, I am deeply fascinated by common loon site fidelity — returning to the same breeding territory year after year. I work as the research biologist at the Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation and came to Plattsburgh with the goal of developing into a more well-rounded wildlife biologist. When not studying, my other passions include fitness, hiking, camping, snowboarding, kayaking and everything else that comes with the outdoors.”

Lydia Harvey, Class of ’25

“My interest is in wetlands; I hope to pursue a career as a wetland scientist. To gain more experience in this field, I decided to go the internship route and become a certified wetland scientist. My favorite type of wetland is bogs — they have carnivorous plants, lots of sphagnum moss and other unique species. Outside of class I love to hike and spend time outdoors. I also love all things plants and have a growing collection of houseplants.”

Miranda Rummell, Class of ’26

“I chose to pursue my master’s degree in natural resources and ecology through working for the Lake Champlain Research Institute. My love for the water began very young and now I get to study how climate change is affecting a large lake system. My thesis is focused primarily on how storm events disturb the distribution of the biota in Lake Champlain. I aim to study population and community dynamics shifting with climate change on large lakes or oceans. In my free time, I enjoy hiking with my dog, being on the boat, fishing and baking!”

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