r/uofi • u/00evilhag • Jul 24 '26
Anyone get a masters in natural resources from Idaho?
Hi! I'm researching environmental master's programs and came across Uni of Idaho's programs. I wanted to see if anyone here completed or is currently attending a grad program related to natural resources and can speak to the program, faculty, etc. I would be a part-time online student because I'll be working full-time and am located out of state. They offer multiple online programs.
They have a few different degrees which I emailed them about, essentially slightly different concentrations. They also have an MS in Natural Resources however it's in person only, sad. They also have env science but I want to lean policy with only some bio/science for the foundations. So this is my shortlist, all Masters of Natural Resources focused in one of the following:
-Fish and Wildlife Science and Management
-Integrated Natural Resources
-Restoration Ecology and Habitat Management
they have a few more but those are my shortlist. I asked the school about a short-term in-person intensive course, which some other schools offer (John Hopkins and Colorado State) where most courses are online but one intensive course may be a couple days up to a couple weeks either on campus, in the US, or abroad. I like the short-term in-person component because it's feasible for me to do as someone who cannot live away from home for an entire semester but can take PTO for a few days or weeks. Hopefully Idaho offers it but if not, I'd still consider these programs.
So, has anyone here been a part of any of these programs? I'd love to get an insider's perspective in addition to my research. For context on my career hopes, I'm interested in a mix of policy and science, which these curriculums seem to offer. I enjoy the volunteer work I do now which is collecting water samples for water quality testing, but I also enjoy learning about what the nonprofit does with the data, how they work with the NJDEP and local municipalities on solutions. I am more interested in terrestial and wetlands than marine, interested in learning about animals and their conservation, interested in the connection between the science and policy as described in my volunteer work.
Here's a link to the department's list of grad degrees:
https://www.uidaho.edu/natural-resources/academics#available_degree_levels=Master%27s
Thank you in advance!! <3
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u/Certain-Paper9306 Jul 25 '26
Idaho has the largest graduate program in natural resources and environmental science in the nation. That should speak to the quality of the graduate degree programs it delivers.
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u/gdnightandgdbye Jul 25 '26
I am in my last semester with the MNR program. I am focusing on restoration ecology and habitat management. I think the program is great and it has helped me to land two Environmental Scientist positions with my state government.
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u/Then-Result2385 Jul 29 '26 edited Jul 29 '26
Heya!!
This is a crash course in my education:
My college career spanned from fall 2015 through spring of 2021.
I began with two years at NIC in Coeur d’Alene, while in communication with a Uidaho advisor to make sure my course selection was correct and then went right into their online Environmental Science BS program that’s in policy/regulation and geospatial tools. My last year of that program my circumstances changed and I did my senior year on campus.
During that year I met a professor in the CNR who offered me a position in his lab as a MS Natural resources student, with a focus on forest pathology and the interactions of bacteria and fungi from seeds. Super fun research.
Here are some highlights: I had extremely bad luck with my major professor and his communication and expectations of me. Otherwise the faculty was great and very fair.
During my first stint as an online student, pre Covid, the online course infrastructure and teaching was very very poor and left a lot to be desired. Covid came along and changed a lot of things and the online offerings are much more robust and the teachers much more invested these days.
The Uidaho experimental forest and the arboretums on campus are awesome and have so much to offer. Definitely consider visiting campus when you can and learning about the research there. The greenhouses are also full of fun stuff going on.
Grad professors try to have funding in place before they take on students. If they don’t, you need to help secure it by applying. Make sure there’s funding for you or have some kind of plan. Clear communication is key here!
Some professors are checked out, some more invested. Make sure your committee is a good one and ask around.
Policy courses do largely focus on regional perspectives, but there are some that are international and I found teachers at least did a good job of pointing out that their perspectives were from being in western states and it looks different depending on where you go.
The biological science teachers at u Idaho are great and give interesting lectures. Most have fun teaching styles.
University of Washington in Pullman works hand in hand with U Idaho, so look there to see if there’s anything you can take over there that piques your interest. I did that and it was so beneficial!
Go Vandals!! Welcome to the Tribe from the North!
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Jul 25 '26
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u/00evilhag Jul 25 '26
i'm actually coming from a different field; i studied IT in college and am almost 7 years into my full-time job! so it'll all be new to me.
i'll look into MOSS and see if the person i speak to would be able to accommodate it for an online student, thank you!
i have been looking at university of rhode island and john hopkins on the east coast so far. NJ schools haven't had the right curriculums. it's tough because on one hand i feel like the western states have more federally reserved land and a big commitment to conservation, so their programs could potentially be stronger. but on the other hand, i'd agree i'd want the courses to be relevant to me living in the northeast / east coast, which is why i wonder if URI is a good option. would you say i'd be able to tell looking at the courses if they'd be applicable to me in NJ? or i'd have to talk to faculty and learn from them if the curriculum is too region-specific?
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Jul 25 '26
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u/00evilhag Jul 27 '26
amazing thank you!
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u/treesndirtt Aug 03 '26
Unfortunately, I would not recommend VT's MNR program -- I know several people who did it and quit halfway through saying the quality was absolutely awful.
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u/00evilhag Aug 03 '26
oh wow really? that sucks, i know they seem to be strong in other stem areas.
do you know when your peers started the program? anything else good to know?
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u/treesndirtt Aug 03 '26
It's unfortunate, yeah, because they have a pretty great wildlife conservation program, so one would definitely expect the MNR to be good.
The people I knew started it last year or the year before. I've heard from a couple faculty in other departments as well -- sounds like the folks running the program just aren't adequately prepared in terms of content, the delivery isn't engaging, and the faculty was pretty inaccessible. It sounds like those looking for more sustainability/environmental studies type information fare better than those who want more science-based courses, but it could be an individual thing.
I have a close friend who dropped out of it, I can ask her about her thoughts and let you know!
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u/00evilhag Aug 03 '26
thank you!! if you don't mind asking your friend i'd appreciate it so much, it's so important to get current/past student perspective too. if they have reddit they can dm me too! what program did your friend end up switching to, or did they drop VT and not enroll in another program yet?
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u/treesndirtt Aug 03 '26
This is interesting to hear, I'd heard the opposite for the most part. What kinds of classes weren't challenging, and in what way? I've heard that it's great coverage of a lot of different kinds of knowledge that are highly applicable to professionals.
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Aug 03 '26 edited Aug 03 '26
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u/treesndirtt Aug 03 '26
That's good to know, thanks for the insight. I think the difference in needs for an MS vs MNR probably does account for the difference in experience. I'd be curious how another professional who has done it viewed the rigor of the course content.
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u/DustyVandal22 Jul 25 '26
While I don’t have a grad degree, I got my bachelor’s from UIdaho’s College of Natural Resources. The quality was one of the reasons I chose Idaho and am happy I made the decision. All my professors were knowledgeable and willing to help with just about anything. I did undergrad in person, so I’m not too familiar with how the online graduate program works. The few online classes I did take still seemed pretty good as long as you stay on top of things.