Program: Conservation Planning and Park Management (B.S.) - South Dakota State University

2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Apr 07, 2025

Students standing with an instructor on a walking trail.

Program Coordinator/Contact

Jennifer Zavaleta Cheek, Assistant Professor
Department of Natural Resource Management
Edgar S. McFadden Biostress Laboratory, Room 139C
605-688-4912

Program Information

Conservation Planning and Park Management is an interdisciplinary science that trains students to develop conservation strategies at landscape scales. This program will prepare students for careers in Park Management, Landscape Conservation Planning, Natural Areas Management, Land Use Planning, and as a Park Ranger, and Interpretive/Naturalist.

Course Delivery Format

Conservation Planning and Park Management coursework is delivered on-campus in lecture, discussion, and laboratory settings, and off-campus in numerous field-based settings.

Requirements for Conservation Planning and Park Management Major: 120 Credits

Bachelor of Science

System General Education Requirements

Goal #1 Written Communication: SGR #1 Elective Credits: 6
Goal #2 Oral Communication: SGR #2 Elective Credits: 3
Goal #3 Social Sciences: SGR #3 Elective Credits: 6
Goal #4 Arts and Humanities:
SGR #4 Electives Credits: 6
Goal #5 Mathematics:
MATH 114 - College Algebra (COM) [SGR #5, HSDC] Credits: 3
Goal #6 Natural Sciences:
BIOL 151 - General Biology I (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 3
, BIOL 151L - General Biology I Lab (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 1 , CHEM 106 - Chemistry Survey (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 3 , and CHEM 106L - Chemistry Survey Lab (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 1

Major Requirements

ABS 475 - Integrated Natural Resource Management Credits: 3
GEOG 131 - Physical Geography: Weather and Climate (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 4
and GEOG 131L - Physical Geography: Weather and Climate Lab (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 0
or GEOG 132 - Physical Geography: Natural Landscapes (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 4
and GEOG 132L - Physical Geography: Natural Landscapes Lab (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 0
GEOG 365 - Land Use and Planning Credits: 3
GEOG 372 - Introduction to GIS (COM) Credits: 2
GEOG 372L - Introduction to GIS Lab (COM) Credits: 1
HO 339 - Arboriculture and Urban Forestry Credits: 3
or BOT 303 - Forest Ecology and Management Credits: 2
and BOT 303L - Forest Ecology and Management Lab Credits: 1
LDR 435 - Organizational Leadership and Team Development Credits: 3
NRM 119 - Orientation to Natural Resource Management Credits: 2
NRM 221 - Introduction to Conservation Planning and Management Credits: 3
NRM 230 - Natural Resource Management Techniques Credits: 2
NRM 276 - Scientific Communications Credits: 1
NRM 282 - Natural Resource Statistics Credits: 2
and NRM 282L - Natural Resource Statistics Lab Credits: 1
or STAT 281 - Introduction to Statistics (COM) [SGR #5, HSDC] Credits: 3
NRM 300 - Laws and Policies in Natural Resource Management Credits: 3
NRM 311 - Principles of Ecology (COM) Credits: 3
NRM 321 - Park Interpretation Credits: 3
PS 213 - Soils [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 2
PS 213L - Soils Lab [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 1
RANG 321 - Wildland Ecosystems Credits: 3
RANG 374 - Habitat Conservation and Management Credits: 3
RANG 374L - Habitat Conservation and Management Lab Credits: 1
WL 430 - Human Dimensions in Natural Resource Management Credits: 3

Major Electives

Select 21 credits from the following. Credits: 21

BIOL 373 - Evolution (COM) Credits: 3
BOT 301 - Plant Systematics (COM) Credits: 3
BOT 301L - Plant Systematics Lab (COM) Credits: 0
BOT 303 - Forest Ecology and Management Credits: 2
BOT 303L - Forest Ecology and Management Lab Credits: 1
BOT 405 - Grasses and Grasslike Plants Credits: 1
BOT 405L - Grasses and Grasslike Plants Lab Credits: 2
BOT / RANG 419 - Plant Ecology (COM) Credits: 2
BOT / RANG 419L - Plant Ecology Lab (COM) Credits: 1
CEE 434 - Hydrology Credits: 3
EES 430 - Biological Invasions Credits: 3
GEOG 473 - GIS: Data Creation and Integration (COM) Credits: 2
GEOG 473L - GIS: Data Creation and Integration Lab (COM) Credits: 1
GEOG 474 - GIS: Vector and Raster Modeling Credits: 2
GEOG 474L - GIS: Vector and Raster Modeling Lab Credits: 1
GEOG 475 - GIS Applications Credits: 2
GEOG 475L - GIS Applications Lab Credits: 1
GEOG 483 - UAS Remote Sensing Credits: 2
GEOG 483L - UAS Remote Sensing Lab Credits: 1
HO 339 - Arboriculture and Urban Forestry Credits: 3
HRM 460 - Human Resource Management (COM) Credits: 3
LA 331 - Landscape Architecture Site Engineering Credits: 3
LA 341 - Public and Social Place Design Credits: 3
LA 352 - Planting and Ecological Design Credits: 4
MGMT 360 - Organization and Management (COM) Credits: 3
MICR 310 - Environmental Microbiology Credits: 3
MICR 310L - Environmental Microbiology Lab Credits: 1
MICR 421 - Soil Microbiology Credits: 2
MICR 421L - Soil Microbiology Lab Credits: 1
NRM 200 - Animal Diversity Credits: 2
NRM 200L - Animal Diversity Lab Credits: 1
NRM 350 - Conservation and Management of Endangered and Nongame Wildlife Credits: 3
NRM 410 - Conservation Biology (COM) Credits: 3
NRM 450 - Freshwater Monitoring and Assessment Credits: 2
NRM 450L - Freshwater Monitoring and Assessment Lab Credits: 1
NRM 464 - Ecosystem Ecology Credits: 3
NRM 466 - Environmental Toxicology and Contaminants (COM) Credits: 3
NRM 482 - Natural Resource Management Biometry Credits: 2
NRM 482L - Natural Resource Management Biometry Lab Credits: 1
NRM 494 - Internship (COM) Credits: 1-12 (1 credit required)
PRAG 340 - Climate Risk Management with Precision Agriculture Credits: 3
PS 210 - Turf and Weed Management in Horticulture Credits: 2
PS 210L - Turf and Weed Management in Horticulture Lab Credits: 1
RANG 205 - Introduction to Range Management [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 2
RANG 205L - Introduction to Range Management Lab [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 1
RANG 210L - Range Plant Identification Lab Credits: 2
RANG 421 - Grassland Fire Ecology Credits: 3
RANG 425 - Rangeland Assessment and Monitoring Credits: 2
RANG 425L - Rangeland Assessment and Monitoring Lab Credits: 1
RECR 415 - Sport and Recreation Facility Management Credits: 3
WL 220 - Introduction to Wildlife and Fisheries Management Credits: 3
WL 355 - Mammalogy (COM) Credits: 3
WL 355L - Mammalogy Lab (COM) Credits: 0
WL 363 - Ornithology (COM) Credits: 4
WL 363L - Ornithology Lab (COM) Credits: 0
WL 367 - Ichthyology Credits: 2
WL 367L - Ichthyology Lab Credits: 1
WL 411 - Principles of Wildlife Management Credits: 2
WL 411L - Principles of Wildlife Management Lab Credits: 1
WL 412 - Principles of Fisheries Management Credits: 2
WL 412L - Principles of Fisheries Management Lab Credits: 1
WL 415 - Upland Game Ecology and Management Credits: 2
WL 415L - Upland Game Ecology and Management Lab Credits: 1
WL 417 - Large Mammal Ecology and Management Credits: 2
WL 417L - Large Mammal Ecology and Management Lab Credits: 1
WL 419 - Waterfowl Ecology and Management Credits: 2
WL 419L - Waterfowl Ecology and Management Lab Credits: 1
WL 425 - Wildlife Disease Credits: 2
WL 425L - Wildlife Disease Lab Credits: 1
WL 427 - Limnology and Stream Ecology Credits: 2
WL 427L - Limnology and Stream Ecology Lab Credits: 1
WL 431 - Advanced Fisheries Management Credits: 2
WL 431L - Advanced Fisheries Management Lab Credits: 1
WL 434 - Herpetology (COM) Credits: 3
WL 434L - Herpetology Lab (COM) Credits: 0

Electives

Taken as needed to complete any additional degree requirements.

Total Required Credits: 120

Summary of Program Requirements

Bachelor of Science
System General Education Requirements*	32 Credit Hours
Major Requirements	73 Credit Hours
Electives**	15 Credit Hours

*System General Education Requirements for students pursuing a baccalaureate degree shall include a minimum of 30 credit hours. Some general education coursework may be counted for Major Requirements and Supporting Coursework.
**Taken as needed to complete any additional degree requirements.

Academic Advising Guide Sheet

The goal of the academic advising guide sheets and sample plans of study is to promote undergraduate student success by guiding all students to timely completion of an undergraduate degree. Students are not limited to the course sequence provided for their academic program. Instead, the sample plan of study is one possible path to completing your degree and is meant to be used as a guide for planning purposes in consultation with an academic advisor. The plans also help students prepare for meetings with their academic advisor and track their progress in their selected academic program.

Conservation Planning and Park Management (B.S.)

Conservation Planning and Park Management (B.S.)

Location(s): Brookings Main CampusClose