Master of Forestry

at Northern Arizona University - Flagstaff Campus USA

The Environmental Science program at NAU constructs an interdisciplinary base of knowledge and skills to explore and develop real-world solutions to environmental problems.

Our program provides a firm grounding in the natural and social sciences to ensure all students understand how chemical, physical and biological processes maintain life, and the complex relationships among humans and the environment. Students work together and individually in the classroom, field and laboratory to practice applying the scientific method to address environmental problems and explore creative solutions that apply cutting-edge technologies.

The broad range of emphases available within our program allows students to delve deeper into a specific knowledge base, then work individually and often together in Environmental Science courses to solve problems by applying the perspectives and knowledge they developed in their emphasis with students from other emphasis areas. To culminate the learning in the program, students develop an individually designed research project or internship addressing an environmental issue of importance to them, which in turn, is expected to further prepare students for a range of professional or graduate opportunities.

Applied Statistics Emphasis

• Apply statistical techniques to find innovative ways of understanding environmental problems.
• Explore advanced math, computer programming, bioinformatics, and geographic information systems, and through collaborations with those of other disciplines and viewpoints, apply this information to generate solutions to environmental problems.

Through this Bachelor of Science degree in Parks and Recreation Management, recreation resource professionals are prepared for diverse careers in the field of parks and recreation. The PRM Program focuses on small class size, high student-teacher interaction, on-site field experiences, and experiential learning opportunities. The faculty are are dedicated to expanding the scholarly knowledge base of people and organizations to enhance the quality of leisure experiences and places.

Outdoor Education & Leadership Emphasis
Students within this emphasis will have the ability to:

• Make critical decisions related to injury and illness prevention, assessment, treatment and evacuation of patient(s), through application of wilderness first responder training, in response to medical and outdoor emergencies, while in wilderness and other remote backcountry settings.
• Implement the basic hard and soft skills necessary to competently lead others in outdoor environments of the Southwest with a focus on canyon terrain.
• Develop experiential curriculum lesson plans and effectively deliver to a pre-determined audience in a wilderness environment.
• Lead Leave No Trace Trainer Courses and Awareness Workshops within the standards of the Leave No Trace Master Educator certification
• Analyze an in-depth case study of an outdoor non-profit organization and/or for-profit company of their choosing.

The Bachelor of Science in Geographic Science and Community Planning integrates geographic knowledge and GIS mapping technologies with the problem-solving fields of community planning and urban design. This educational framework prepares students for careers in creating more livable and sustainable communities, while contributing to a better world.
 
Coursework for this degree provides a strong foundation in geography and an option to select one of three available emphases. Geospatial Technologies engages students in the analysis of spatial data through geographic information systems and remote sensing. The Community Planning and Development emphasis introduces students to the professional field of land use planning including the development review process, comprehensive plans and ordinances, environmental impact studies and law and ethics. Human-Environmental Systems explores the interrelationships between natural and social systems to solve pressing societal-environmental issues.

Geospatial Technologies Emphasis
With the successful completion of this emphasis, students will be able to:

• Conduct geospatial analysis through applied project research using primary and secondary sources.  
• Apply geospatial data and technology including GIS to collect, analyze, and present spatial information for diverse audiences.
• Demonstrate competence with, and understanding of, the fundamental principles and processes associated within the primary sub-disciplines of physical geography and human-land interactions

The Bachelor of Science in Multidisciplinary Engineering provides students learning opportunities in multiple engineering disciplines and complemented by other disciplines across campus. The program supports a customizable curriculum that includes a capstone experience focused on multi- and inter-disciplinary teamwork. Specific combinations of coursework are formulated in several named emphases that provide unique opportunities and inspires students to build their own unique engineering pathways.

The core of the program is a design sequence with loose commonality across most of NAU’s engineering programs.  All students, regardless of emphasis, engage in contextualized engineering design and project management courses. This core is supported by foundational math, computer science, and physics coursework.  The design sequence also becomes the scaffolding for integrating and synthesizing coursework across several disciplines and content areas.

Students who do not select an emphasis area may work with either an advisor or a faculty mentor to select course work in the plan that supports their own personal engineering aspirations and interests. Students who get an MDE degree have many general engineering career opportunities.  This includes areas such as engineering sales, engineering management, engineering communication, or an engineering technician.

Students who select the Audio Engineering emphasis take specialized coursework in electrical engineering, computer science, and media production that prepares them to work as an audio engineer or a broadcast engineer. These students learn the foundation broadcast communication theory and engage in actual media production practice that builds on an engineering foundation.  This curriculum is intended to support certification preparation for the society of broadcast engineers.

The BS in Biological and Natural Resource Sciences (B&NRS) provides applied, cross-disciplinary training to prepare students to take part in scientific research and discovery using the scientific method and core knowledge in biology and the natural sciences. Students gain this knowledge through their individual research or internship experiences and coursework in ecology, evolution, genetics, molecular biology, and the physical sciences.  The BS in B&NRS program's rigorous training in the biological and natural sciences prepares graduates for successful careers in industry, government agencies, and research institutions. Our graduates can successfully communicate science at different levels of engagement from research scientists to the general public on a wide range of currently relevant biological topics. The B&NRS curriculum trains students how to describe and perform empirical research and analysis. The research and practical skills gained by B&NRS students help them continue to expand their knowledge long after they graduate from the program. This training and experience helps our graduates assume leadership roles in biological and natural science fields. Finally, the BS in B&NRS program prepares students for entry into graduate and professional programs in the biological sciences, medicine, veterinary science, pharmacy, dentistry, and other related fields if they choose to continue in an academic track.

The Bachelor of Arts in Modern Languages provides students with a socio-cultural and historical background as well as linguistic abilities to engage with French, German, Japanese, and Spanish speaking populations from around the world in a variety of social and cultural contexts. Through linguistic, literary and cultural approaches to the study of the French, German, Japanese, and Spanish language, our students develop speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills that allow them to understand and interact effectively with diverse cultures. Throughout this process the students develop cognitive skills in critical thinking and analysis and recognize the importance of being able to function in a global society. With their linguistic abilities in French, German, Japanese, and Spanish, they are better able to compete for career opportunities in the domestic and global job markets and are prepared to become productive, responsible members of the local, national and international communities in which they live and work.

Emphasis in Japanese

• Create with language to express meanings orally on concrete topics relating to work, school, home, and leisure activities using all major time frames (present, past, and future). They can interact with native speakers unaccustomed to dealing with non-natives, and handle complicated or unexpected communicative tasks. (Speaking skills)
• Identify and use main ideas and details from connected aural discourse involving description and narration in different timeframes or aspects, and about a variety of topics beyond immediacy of the situation for communicative purposes. (Listening skills)
• Identify and use main ideas and details from authentic, connected, longer, written texts involving description and narration in different formats about a variety of topics for communicative purposes. (Reading skills)
• Create with language to express meanings in written form about familiar topics using the major timeframes with some control of aspect. (Writing skills)
• Think critically and analytically in response to socio-cultural, historical, and linguistic issues and/or classic and contemporary literary texts related to the culture of the target language. (Critical thinking and analytical skills)
• Understand the cultural, political and artistic diversity of perspectives, practices and products of the target language populations including how racial and ethnic diversity relates to those perspectives, practices and products. (Globalization - Diversity)
• Recognize, investigate, and produce written and oral discourse in the target language communicating findings about historical and contemporary issues important to life in countries of the target language.
• Explore how historical, political, religious and economic forces have shaped the current world system with its power inequalities and efforts to address them with a focus on the culture of the target language. (Globalization – Global Engagement)
• Analyze the structure and use of the language at the sound, word, and sentence level.
• Summarize different linguistic features observed in different dialects in terms of historical change, geographical location and social variables.
• Explore and analyze the role of human interactions with the environment and its relation to the root causes of many global problems focusing on those occurring in the culture of the target language. (Globalization - Environmental Sustainability)

The Master of Arts in History prepares students for careers in academia as well as the public and private sectors. Many of our students have continued for the PhD and now serve on university faculties across the country. Others have pursued careers as foundation or government historians.  Still others have used their degree to excel as public historians, including museum curators and cultural interpretation specialists at historic sites and parks.

This advanced program of study offers students a choice between a thesis and an extended coursework option. This advanced degree allows students to explore the discipline of mathematics to meet their personal goals.

The MS Mathematics degree program provides students the content knowledge, as well as abstract reasoning and communication skills, which constitute a broad foundation in graduate-level mathematics.  This foundation illuminates the inter-connection between different branches of mathematics and is the theoretical basis for validating and critically assessing the mathematical principles and methods necessary for continued studies in mathematics beyond the master’s degree or for work that graduates may perform in industry, education or government agencies.

Our goal in offering the B.A.S. degree is to provide you with a general knowledge of management, organizational, and policy issues and to advance your communication, computer, and quantitative skills. This degree also offers you the opportunity to complete a specialization that will broaden your career horizons, promote life-long learning, and enrich your life. Northern Arizona University offers this degree at selected campuses throughout Arizona.

The Personalized Learning Bachelor’s degree in Management is built around workplace competencies and prepares students to pursue management careers in a broad spectrum of opportunities in corporate, non-profit, public service or military settings. The curriculum is designed in consultation with business leaders and competencies identified by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs and the Society for Human Resource Management to ensure students a comprehensive and relevant educational experience.
 
PL Management students are provided with the knowledge, skills and abilities to enter the workforce with foundational skills in managing sustainable, ethical and socially responsible organizations. Students explore theories, concepts and practices through current case studies and literature that apply to managing business operations and personnel in the context of a global enterprise. Students analyze and interpret critical knowledge, skills and abilities required for success in managing innovative and traditional organizations. The program focuses on current issues and theory-to-practice exercises to prepare managers for immediate success in the field.
 
Students in the Human Resource emphasis study broadly from program core topics impacting global enterprise including leadership, ethics, finance, managing human capital, communication, supply chain management, marketing, critical thinking, strategic planning, technology and employment law. In addition, HR emphasis students complete coursework that prepares them to apply concepts and principles of job analyses, HR policy, human performance metrics and compensation.

Human Resources Emphasis

• Evaluate strategic roles in human resource management
• Examine advanced concepts in employment law and regulatory environments
• Assess effective total employee compensation plans
• Review human resource management’s role in organizational training
• Integrate knowledge of strategic human resource management
• Examine statistical methods used to inform management decisions
• Integrate and apply learning through a Capstone project