Natural Resources, Ph.D.

Located in beautiful northern Idaho, surrounded by wildlands and in the heart of the Palouse region, the University of Idaho is among the best places to study natural resources. Through direct interaction and support from our 50 research and teaching faculty members, you will learn what it takes to apply natural resource science to actual programs, policy issues and research and management initiatives.

As a Ph.D. student, you have the unique opportunity to create a highly customized study plan tailored to fit your specific interests and experience. In terms of research, there is no limit to how far your studies can take you. Whether you study forest fire management, ecology and conservation biology, policy analysis or more, the opportunities are vast. 

Ph.D. students will select one of the following areas of emphasis:

• Conservation Social Sciences ─ Resource recreation and tourism
• Fish and Wildlife Resources
  
• Forest Products
• Forest Resources
• Rangeland Ecology and Management

As a Ph.D. student in natural resources you will learn principles for managing and ultimately protecting our land, water, minerals, forests, fish and wildlife. Your studies will be shaped by interaction with renowned faculty in a traditional classroom setting, during field trips and with extensive lab work. With this background, you will be well equipped to contribute to important environmental science and natural resource projects in governmental agencies, academia and in the private sector.

Research opportunities are plentiful at the University of Idaho. In fact, we are home to 15 research units and a remote wilderness research station. In addition, we have one of the largest DNA and genetics laboratories in the nation devoted to collecting critical scientific data for wild populations of plants and animals.

Prepare for Success

To be successful in this program and as a professional in the workforce, you should have a strong desire to ensure natural systems are secure and sustainable for generations to come. Of course, you also need a strong educational foundation in biology, science, ecology and math, with the ability to communicate complex ideas and concepts to others. You should also be an inquisitive person with an analytical mind who is intrigued by the idea of conducting research in the outdoors as well as in a laboratory.

Your First Year

Doctoral Dissertation
The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Natural Resources degree has one designation: the College of Natural Resources. However, dissertation topics must be chosen from disciplinary areas within a department of the college. A dissertation, required of all doctoral students, must display a significant level of originality and creativity using rigorous scientific methods in its conception and design. The doctoral student is responsible for developing, conducting and writing the dissertation according to the highest academic standards.

Appointment of Major Professor and Committee
Formal appointment of the major professor should be made within two semesters of registration. The committee for a doctoral degree must consist of at least four members, and at least one half of the members must belong to the graduate faculty. The major professor chairs the committee.

Credit Requirements
A minimum of 78 credits beyond the bachelor's degree is required; of these, at least 52 credits must be numbered 500 and above, and at least 33 of the 78 credits must be in courses other than 600 (Doctoral Research and Dissertation).

Courses numbered below 300 may not be used to fulfill the requirements for a doctoral degree; courses numbered 300-399 may be used only in supporting areas. Individual departments may require additional course work.

Applicants having a doctoral degree may obtain a second doctoral degree subject to the approval of the Graduate Council. The Graduate Council will establish the requirements for the second degree.

Your course schedule will depend on what area of emphasis you select. However, all Ph.D. students will take:

• Doctoral Research and Dissertation (NR 600)

For more information about your potential study plan, contact: cnr@uidaho.edu.

Apply for Admission

Download the Graduate Admission Application

What You Can Do

With an advanced degree, there are multiple options and career tracks open to you. Here are a few examples:

• A professor and researcher at a university
• Policy and program director for a conservation or wildlife management group
• Research lead or director with an environmental consulting firm
• Manager of sustainable development for an engineering group
• Lobbyist or advisor for government conservation agencies
• Environmental/ecological consultant
• Ecologist

Opportunities

Examples of employers are:

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• Idaho Department of Fish and Game
• The Nature Conservancy
• U.S. Forest Service
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
• Bureau of Land Management
• Bureau of Reclamation
• Avista
• Bonneville Power Administration
• Colleges and various public and private universities
• State Departments of Fish and Game
• Engineering, consulting and project management firms

Current Research

The College of Natural Resources maintains a very active research program in a variety of areas, with annual funding of more than $11,000,000. As a graduate student, you will work with your advisor to conduct and manage a doctoral research project and to develop a dissertation. Below are some of our featured research projects:

• Center for Forest Nursery and Seedling Research
• Center for Research on Invasive Species and Small Populations (CRISSP)
• Ecophysiology
• Fish Ecology Research Lab (FERL)
• Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit

Activities

As a graduate student, much of your time will be spent with others who share your research pursuits. There are several research groups on campus you may get involved with, such as:

• Aquaculture Research Institute
• Center for Forest Nursery and Seedling Research 
• Extension Forestry
• Idaho Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit
• Idaho Stable Isotopes Laboratory
• Inland Empire Tree Improvement Cooperative
• Laboratory for Conservation and Ecological Genetics

For a complete list of organizations you can get involved with, visit our CNR Research page.

Hands-On Experience

Our student research areas are as diverse as the individuals managing the projects. Here is a brief list of descriptions of some of the research projects being conducted by our students:

• Dispersal ecology of greater sage grouse in northwestern Colorado: evidence from genetic and demographic methods
• Conservation of protected areas combining biological and social sciences and focused on tropical highland ecosystems with Andean bear presence
• Age and body condition of goats and the influences of consumption of Redberry Juniper (Juniperus coahuilensis) and the disposition of four monoterpenes

Facilities

Check out our complete list of College of Natural Resources Research and Facilities.

Online & Outreach

You will gain valuable real-world experience and have the chance to learn directly from professionals in the field. The University of Idaho, in collaboration with the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE) in Costa Rica, has established an interdisciplinary, multi-institution graduate research and education program. The program emphasizes conservation biology and sustainability of agricultural and forest systems.

The program also works closely with the U.S. Geological Survey's Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, which is housed in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, and the Aquaculture Research Institute.

Faculty Involvement

Students in the Natural Resources Ph.D. program work closely with a faculty advisor who serves as a mentor throughout the degree program and beyond. Faculty assist students in developing appropriate study plans, finding research funding, developing professional networks, fostering professional skills, honing critical thinking and analytical skills as well as serving as a source of personal and professional support.