Rangeland Sciences Undergraduate Major (BS, HBS)
This major offers the following option(s):
- Habitat Management
- Pastoral Systems of the World
- Sustainable Livestock Ranching
- Sustainable Rangeland Ecosystem Stewardship
Also available at LaGrande and via Ecampus.
Rangeland sciences is about the study and sustainable management of rangelands across a variety of biomes, from arid deserts, to mesic grasslands, to tropical savannahs. The program takes an interdisciplinary approach to provide advanced scientific knowledge regarding multiple ecological processes and social drivers influencing rangeland ecosystems around the globe. Students gain the skills and knowledge needed to deeply understand and effectively manage rangelands for improved productivity and enhanced ecosystem resilience. The end goal is that students graduating from the program will be able to integrate contemporary rangeland ecology and management principles into a systems-based decision-making framework that promotes ecological resilience, sustainable societies, and thriving economies in socioecological rangeland ecosystems.
Major Code: 292
- Identify a subset of up to 100 rangeland plants. Correctly spell both common and scientific names. Describe plant species ecological characteristics.
- Students will demonstrate knowledge of appropriate use and competency using common Rangeland Analysis methods.
- Design a sustainable grazing management plan, a wildlife habitat restoration plan, or address a specific related issue using a systems approach.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the hydrologic cycle and describe the factors that influence hydrology in arid/semi-arid environments.
- Students will demonstrate understanding of ecological processes responsible for ecosystem function in arid/semi-arid environments.
Departmental requirements may be utilized to satisfy baccalaureate core and non-departmental minor requirements.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Baccalaureate Core 1 | ||
| Select 51 credits | 51 | |
| Skills Courses | ||
Fitness | ||
| *LIFETIME FITNESS FOR HEALTH | ||
| *LIFETIME FITNESS (or PAC course) | ||
Mathematics | ||
Met with Rangeland Sciences General Sciences, Math and Statistics | ||
Speech | ||
| *PUBLIC SPEAKING | ||
or COMM 114 | *ARGUMENT AND CRITICAL DISCOURSE | |
or COMM 218 | *INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION | |
Writing I | ||
| *ENGLISH COMPOSITION (Must be taken in first 45 credits) | ||
Writing II | ||
| *TECHNICAL WRITING | ||
| Perspective Courses 2 | ||
Biological Science (Lecture/Lab) | ||
Cultural Diversity (CD) | ||
Literature and the Arts (LA) | ||
Physical Science (Lecture/Lab or Lab) | ||
Social Processes and Institutions (SPI) | ||
Western Culture (WC) | ||
Difference, Power, and Discrimination Courses (DPD) | ||
| Synthesis Courses 4 | ||
Contemporary Global Issues (CGI) | ||
Science, Technology, and Society (STS) | ||
Writing Intensive Course (WIC) | ||
Select one course from the following: | ||
| ^WRITING IN AGRICULTURE | ||
| ^ETHICAL ISSUES IN ANIMAL AGRICULTURE | ||
| ^ENVIRONMENTAL CASE STUDIES | ||
| ^WILDLIFE IN AGRICULTURAL ECOSYSTEMS | ||
| Rangeland Science Base Program | ||
| Fundamentals of Rangeland Ecology | ||
| RNG 121 | *INTRODUCTION TO WILDLAND ECOLOGY | 4 |
| RNG 341 | RANGELAND ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT | 3 |
| RNG 351 | RANGE ECOLOGY I-GRASSLANDS | 3 |
| RNG 352 | RANGE ECOLOGY II-SHRUBLANDS | 3 |
| Methods and Management | ||
| RNG 421 | WILDLAND RESTORATION AND ECOLOGY | 4 |
| RNG 441 | RANGELAND ANALYSIS | 4 |
| RNG 442 | RANGELAND-ANIMAL RELATIONS | 4 |
| RNG 490 | RANGELAND MANAGEMENT PLANNING | 4 |
| Plants | ||
| BOT 331 | PLANT PHYSIOLOGY | 4 |
| BOT 341 | PLANT ECOLOGY | 4 |
| RNG 353 | WILDLAND PLANT IDENTIFICATION | 4 |
| Soil | ||
| Select one of the following options: | 4 | |
| SOIL SCIENCE and *SOIL SCIENCE LABORATORY FOR SOIL 205 | ||
| *SOIL SCIENCE | ||
| Select one course from the following: | ||
| ECOSYSTEMS OF WILDLAND SOILS | ||
| SOIL MORPHOLOGY AND CLASSIFICATION | ||
| Water | ||
| RNG 355 | DESERT WATERSHED MANAGEMENT | 4 |
| RNG 455 | RIPARIAN ECOHYDROLOGY AND MANAGEMENT | 4 |
| Socio-Economic | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 3 | |
| *NATURAL RESOURCE ECONOMICS AND POLICY | ||
| *ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS AND POLICY | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 4 | |
| *RURAL ANTHROPOLOGY | ||
| SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF SUSTAINABILITY | ||
| RURAL SOCIOLOGY | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIOLOGY | ||
| *SOCIETY AND NATURAL RESOURCES | ||
| Animals | ||
| ANS 313 | APPLIED ANIMAL NUTRITION: FEEDS AND RATION FORMULATION | 0,4 |
| Select one course from the following: | ||
| SHEEP PRODUCTION SYSTEMS | ||
| BEEF PRODUCTION SYSTEMS | ||
| GRAZING LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION | ||
| LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION ON PASTURE | ||
| Other Animals | ||
| FW 255 | FIELD SAMPLING OF FISH AND WILDLIFE | 3 |
| RNG 457 | HABITAT ANALYSIS 1: HABITAT USE AND MOVEMENT | 3 |
| General Science, Math and Statistics | ||
| Select one of the following biology series: | 12 | |
| Series 1 | ||
| *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: CELLS and *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: ORGANISMS and *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: POPULATIONS | ||
| Series 2 | ||
| *INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY I and *INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY II and *INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY III | ||
| CH 121 & CH 122 & CH 123 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *GENERAL CHEMISTRY | 15 |
| MTH 241 | *CALCULUS FOR MANAGEMENT AND SOCIAL SCIENCE | 4 |
| ST 201 | PRINCIPLES OF STATISTICS | 4 |
| or ST 351 | INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL METHODS | |
| Option or Minor | ||
| Select one of four Rangeland Sciences options or a minor of your choice | 27-32 | |
| Total credits required for graduation is 180 | ||
| * | Baccalaureate Core Course (BCC) |
| ^ | Writing Intensive Course (WIC) |
| 1 | Certain classes may be used to satisfy both the baccalaureate core and the rangeland ecology and management core |
| 2 | No more than two courses (or lecture/lab combinations) from any one department may be used by a student to satisfy the Perspectives category of the core |
| 3 | Please reference the baccalaureate core course catalog for a list of approved courses |
| 4 | The two courses used to fulfill the Synthesis requirement may not be in the same department |
Major Code: 292
Sample On-Campus 4 Year Plan
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| WR 121 | *ENGLISH COMPOSITION | 3 |
| CH 121 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY | 5 |
| HHS 231 or HHS 241 | *LIFETIME FITNESS FOR HEALTH or *LIFETIME FITNESS | 2 |
| RNG 121 | *INTRODUCTION TO WILDLAND ECOLOGY | 4 |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Winter | ||
| COMM 111 | *PUBLIC SPEAKING (Bacc Core) or *ARGUMENT AND CRITICAL DISCOURSE or *INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION | 3 |
| CH 122 | *GENERAL CHEMISTRY | 5 |
| MTH 111 | *COLLEGE ALGEBRA | 4 |
| Bacc Core: Lit. & Arts | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Bacc Core: Western Cult ure | 3 | |
| AEC 250 | *INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS AND POLICY (Bacc Core SPI) | 3 |
| CH 123 | *GENERAL CHEMISTRY | 5 |
| SOIL 205 & SOIL 206 | SOIL SCIENCE and *SOIL SCIENCE LABORATORY FOR SOIL 205 | 4 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| BI 221 | *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: CELLS | 4 |
| Bacc Core: Cultural Diversity | 3 | |
| MTH 241 | *CALCULUS FOR MANAGEMENT AND SOCIAL SCIENCE | 4 |
| RNG 341 | RANGELAND ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT | 3 |
| Elective/Option/Minor | 2 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Winter | ||
| BI 222 | *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: ORGANISMS | 4 |
| WR 327 | *TECHNICAL WRITING (Bacc Core) | 3 |
| BOT 331 | PLANT PHYSIOLOGY | 4 |
| ST 201 or ST 351 | PRINCIPLES OF STATISTICS or INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL METHODS | 4 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| BI 223 | *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: POPULATIONS | 4 |
| Bacc Core DPD | 3 | |
| BOT 341 | PLANT ECOLOGY | 4 |
| RNG 353 | WILDLAND PLANT IDENTIFICATION | 4 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| ANS 445 | BEEF PRODUCTION SYSTEMS | 4 |
| AEC 351 | *NATURAL RESOURCE ECONOMICS AND POLICY (Bacc Core Global) | 3 |
| FW 251 | PRINCIPLES OF FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION | 3 |
| RNG 441 | RANGELAND ANALYSIS | 4 |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Winter | ||
| ANTH 466 | *RURAL ANTHROPOLOGY | 4 |
| RNG 352 | RANGE ECOLOGY II-SHRUBLANDS | 3 |
| RNG 442 | RANGELAND-ANIMAL RELATIONS | 4 |
| SOIL 366 | ECOSYSTEMS OF WILDLAND SOILS | 3 |
| Elective/Option/Minor | 2 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| ANS 313 | APPLIED ANIMAL NUTRITION: FEEDS AND RATION FORMULATION | 4 |
| Bacc Core STS | 4 | |
| RNG 351 | RANGE ECOLOGY I-GRASSLANDS | 3 |
| RNG 355 | DESERT WATERSHED MANAGEMENT | 4 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| RNG 421 | WILDLAND RESTORATION AND ECOLOGY | 4 |
| RNG 455 | RIPARIAN ECOHYDROLOGY AND MANAGEMENT | 4 |
| RNG 457 | HABITAT ANALYSIS 1: HABITAT USE AND MOVEMENT | 3 |
| Elective/Option/Minor | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| AG 421 | ^WRITING IN AGRICULTURE or ^ETHICAL ISSUES IN ANIMAL AGRICULTURE or ^WILDLIFE IN AGRICULTURAL ECOSYSTEMS | 3 |
| Elective/Option/Minor | 12 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| RNG 490 | RANGELAND MANAGEMENT PLANNING | 4 |
| Elective/Option/Minor | 11 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 180 | |
Sample Online 4 Year Plan
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| WR 121 | *ENGLISH COMPOSITION | 3 |
| CH 121 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY | 5 |
| HHS 231 or HHS 241 | *LIFETIME FITNESS FOR HEALTH or *LIFETIME FITNESS | 2 |
| RNG 121 | *INTRODUCTION TO WILDLAND ECOLOGY | 4 |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Winter | ||
| COMM 111 | *PUBLIC SPEAKING (Bacc Core) or *ARGUMENT AND CRITICAL DISCOURSE or *INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION | 3 |
| CH 122 | *GENERAL CHEMISTRY | 5 |
| MTH 111 | *COLLEGE ALGEBRA | 4 |
| Bacc Core: Lit. & Arts | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Bacc Core: Western Culture | 3 | |
| AEC 250 | *INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS AND POLICY (Bacc Core SPI) | 3 |
| CH 123 | *GENERAL CHEMISTRY | 5 |
| CSS 205 | *SOIL SCIENCE | 4 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| BI 204 | *INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY I | 4 |
| Bacc Core: Cultural Diversity | 3 | |
| MTH 241 | *CALCULUS FOR MANAGEMENT AND SOCIAL SCIENCE | 4 |
| RNG 341 | RANGELAND ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT | 3 |
| Elective/Option/Minor | 2 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Winter | ||
| BI 205 | *INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY II | 4 |
| WR 327 | *TECHNICAL WRITING (Bacc Core) | 3 |
| BOT 331 | PLANT PHYSIOLOGY | 4 |
| ST 201 or ST 351 | PRINCIPLES OF STATISTICS or INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL METHODS | 4 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| BI 206 | *INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY III | 4 |
| Bacc Core DPD | 3 | |
| BOT 341 | PLANT ECOLOGY | 4 |
| RNG 353 | WILDLAND PLANT IDENTIFICATION | 4 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| ANTH 466 | *RURAL ANTHROPOLOGY | 4 |
| AEC 351 | *NATURAL RESOURCE ECONOMICS AND POLICY (Bacc Core Global) | 3 |
| FW 251 | PRINCIPLES OF FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION | 3 |
| RNG 441 | RANGELAND ANALYSIS | 4 |
| Elective/Option/Minor | 4 | |
| Credits | 18 | |
| Winter | ||
| ANS 446 | GRAZING LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION | 4 |
| RNG 352 | RANGE ECOLOGY II-SHRUBLANDS | 3 |
| RNG 442 | RANGELAND-ANIMAL RELATIONS | 4 |
| SOIL 366 | ECOSYSTEMS OF WILDLAND SOILS | 3 |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| ANS 313 | APPLIED ANIMAL NUTRITION: FEEDS AND RATION FORMULATION | 4 |
| Bacc Core STS | 3 | |
| RNG 351 | RANGE ECOLOGY I-GRASSLANDS | 3 |
| RNG 355 | DESERT WATERSHED MANAGEMENT | 4 |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| RNG 421 | WILDLAND RESTORATION AND ECOLOGY | 4 |
| RNG 455 | RIPARIAN ECOHYDROLOGY AND MANAGEMENT | 4 |
| RNG 457 | HABITAT ANALYSIS 1: HABITAT USE AND MOVEMENT | 3 |
| Elective/Option/Minor | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| AG 421 | ^WRITING IN AGRICULTURE or ^ETHICAL ISSUES IN ANIMAL AGRICULTURE or ^WILDLIFE IN AGRICULTURAL ECOSYSTEMS | 3 |
| Elective/Option/Minor | 12 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| RNG 490 | RANGELAND MANAGEMENT PLANNING | 4 |
| Elective/Option/Minor | 10 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Total Credits | 180 | |