Chair of the Natural Science and Environmental Studies Graduate Committee:  Dr. Ken A. Otter

Biology

Laurie Chan, Professor and BC Leadership Chair in Aboriginal Environmental Health (Community Health Science) 

Darwyn Coxson, Professor (Ecosystem Science and Management) 

Keith Egger, Professor (Ecosystem Science and Management)

Michael Gillingham, Professor (Ecosystem Science and Management)

Kathy Lewis, Professor (Ecosystem Science and Management)

Staffan Lindgren, Professor (Ecosystem Science and Management)

William McGill, Professor (Ecosystem Science and Management)

Katherine Parker, Professor, and Ian McTaggart Cowan Muskwa Kechika Research Professor (Ecosystem and Science Management)

Philip Burton, Associate Professor (Ecosystem Science and Management)

Russell Dawson, Associate Professor , and Canada Research Chair, Avian Ecology (Ecosystem Science and Management)

Arthur Fredeen, Associate Professor (Ecosystem Science and Management)

Scott Green, Associate Professor (Ecosystem Science and Management)
Chow H. Lee, Associate Professor, and National Cancer Institute of Canada Research Scientist (Chemistry)
Hugues Massicotte, Associate Professor (Ecosystem Science and Management)

Brent Murray, Associate Professor (Ecosystem Science and Management)
Ken Otter, Associate Professor (Ecosystem Science and Management)

Mark Shrimpton, Associate Professor (Ecosystem Science and Management)

Cecilia Alstrom-Rapaport, Assistant Professor (Ecosystem Science and Management)

Brian Aukema, Assistant Professor (Ecosystem Science and Management)

Dezene Huber, Assistant Professor, and Canada Research Chair, Forest Entomology and Chemical Ecology (Ecosystem Science and Management)

Christopher Johnson, Assistant Professor (Ecosystem Science and Management)

Jane Young, Assistant Professor (Ecosystem Science and Management)

Environmental Science

Joselito M. Arocena, Professor, and Canada Research Chair, Soil and Environmental Sciences (Environmental Science and Engineering)

Laurie Chan, Professor and BC Leadership Chair in Aboriginal Environmental Health (Community Health Science) 

Darwyn Coxson, Professor (Ecosystem Science and Management)

Keith Egger, Professor (Ecosystem Science and Management)

Kevin Hall, Professor (Geography)

Peter Jackson, Professor (Environmental Science and Engineering) 

William McGill, Professor (Ecosystem Science and Management)

Ron Thring, Professor (Chemistry, Environmental Science and Engineering)
Annie Booth, Associate Professor (Environmental Arts)

Philip Burton, Associate Professor (Ecosystem Science and Management)
John Curry, Associate Professor (Environmental Planning)
Arthur Fredeen, Associate Professor (Ecosystem Science and Management)

Jianbing Li, Associate Professor (Environmental Engineering)

Brian Menounos, Associate Professor (Geography) 

Philip Owens, Associate Professor, and Forest Renewal BC Endowed Chair in Landscape Ecology (Environmental Science)

Ellen Petticrew, Associate Professor, and Forest Renewal BC Endowed Chair in Landscape Ecology (Geography)
Michael Rutherford, Associate Professor (Environmental Science and Engineering)

Paul Sanborn, Associate Professor (Ecosystem Science and Management)

Jueyi Sui, Associate Professor (Environmental Engineering)

Youmin Tang, Associate Professor, and Canada Research Chair, Climate Prediction and Predictability (Environmental Science and Engineering)

Todd Whitcombe, Associate Professor (Chemistry)

Stephen Déry, Assistant Professor, and Canada Research Chair, Northern Hydrometeorology (Environmental Science and Engineering)

Steve Helle, Assistant Professor (Environmental Engineering)

Forestry

Oscar Garcia, Professor, and Forest Renewal BC Endowed Chair in Forest Growth and Yield (Ecosystem Science and Management)

Keith Egger, Professor (Ecosystem Science and Management) 

Kevin Hall, Professor (Geography)

Kathy Lewis, Professor (Ecosystem Science and Management)

Staffan Lindgren, Professor (Ecosystem Science and Management)
William McGill, Professor (Ecosystem Science and Management)
Ron Thring, Professor (Chemistry, Environmental Science and Engineering)
Philip Burton, Associate Professor (Ecosystem Science and Management)

Arthur Fredeen, Associate Professor (Ecosystem Science and Management)

Scott Green, Associate Professor (Ecosystem Science and Management) 

Ian Hartley, Associate Professor (Ecosystem Science and Management)
Chris Hawkins, Associate Professor, and Forest Renewal BC Endowed Chair in Mixed Wood Ecology and Management (Ecosystem Science and Management)

Hugues Massicotte, Associate Professor (Ecosystem Science and Management)

Chris Opio, Associate Professor (Ecosystem Science and Management)
Paul Sanborn, Associate Professor (Ecosystem Science and Management)

Brian Aukema, Assistant Professor (Ecosystem Science and Management)

Dezene Huber, Assistant Professor, and Canada Research Chair, Forest Entomology and Chemical Ecology (Ecosystem Science and Management)

Christopher Johnson, Assistant Professor (Ecosystem Science and Management)

 

Geography
Joselito M. Arocena, Professor, and Canada Research Chair, Soil and Environmental Sciences (Environmental Science and Engineering)
Kevin Hall, Professor (Geography)
Peter Jackson, Professor (Environmental Science and Engineering)

Brian Menounos, Associate Professor (Geography)

Philip Owens, Associate Professor, and Forest Renewal BC Endowed Chair in Landsape Ecology (Environmental Science)

Ellen Petticrew, Associate Professor, and Forest Renewal BC Endowed Chair in Landscape Ecology (Geography)

Debra Straussfogel, Associate Professor (Geography)

Jueyi Sui, Associate Professor (Environmental Engineering)

Youmin Tang, Associate Professor, and Canada Research Chair, Climate Prediction and Predictability (Environmental Science and Engineering)

Roger Wheate, Associate Professor (Geography)

Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Management

John Shultis, Associate Professor (Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Management) 

Pamela Wright, Associate Professor (Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Management)

 

Website: http://www.unbc.ca/nres

Natural Resources and Environmental Studies (NRES) is one stream of the Master of Science degree in the College of Science and Management. This degree is designed for candidates whose research interests have a scientific emphasis, and is expected to attract students from science disciplines such as biology, forestry, environmental science, and physical geography, as well as other scientifically oriented areas of resource management. Students studying within the NRES stream will, upon successful completion of the degree requirements outlined herein, obtain a MSc(NRES).

Students must choose from the following areas of study:

• Biology
• Environmental Science
• Forestry
• Geography
• Recreational Resource Management

All students must participate in a graduate seminar course (e.g., NRES 704-1.5 and/or MCPS 704-1.5) for at least two semesters during their course of studies, and complete a research design and methods course (NRES 705-3). It is anticipated that some students may enter the Master's degree program with a strong background in the areas of research design/methods and research analyses. Such students may challenge the requirement of the Research Design and Methods course. Because MCPS 705-3 is symmetrical with NRES 705-3, such students may opt to take the methods course offered as part of the alternate MSc stream to which they are enrolled (i.e., the MCPS stream of the MSc degree). The course instructor(s) and the supervisory committee will together decide upon the appropriateness of this substitution.

Candidates must complete a minimum of 9 elective credit hours at graduate level (i.e., at or above the 600 level), selected from the science courses available at UNBC or courses that emphasize a scientific orientation to natural resource issues. A maximum of 3 credits from independent studies can be counted towards the elective requirement. Specific details of course work will be determined by the research area undertaken by each student. The supervisory committee will ensure the appropriate selection of elective courses, and may require a student to complete more than 9 elective credits if, for example, weaknesses in the student's background exist (including undergraduate prerequisites for graduate courses) or if additional courses are required for professional accreditation.

The MSc(NRES) also requires the completion of a research thesis (NRES 790-12), in which the student makes a scientific contribution to a traditional science field or to an applied understanding of resources and the environment. Students will be required to (a) make an oral presentation of the thesis proposal to the supervisory committee, (b) write an original thesis based on the research completed (in accordance with established UNBC guidelines), (c) give a public lecture on the completed thesis, and (d) present an oral defense of the thesis to the examining committee. All core and elective course requirements must have been satisfied prior to the oral defense.

Summary

Core Courses	6 credits
Elective Courses	9 credits
MSc Thesis	12 credits
Total Required	27 credits

Recommended Progression

The normal time for completion of the MSc is two academic years. While this is the recommended time line, it may be adjusted at the discretion of the supervisory committee to suit a particular student's research and program needs.

The Research Design and Methods course (NRES 705-3) will be offered annually in the Fall Semester. Students will normally enrol in the Research Design and Methods course in Year I of their program. This timing will allow students to pursue their area of specialization with elective courses during the Fall Semester, in order to develop an interest-specific framework within which to pose methodological questions for the thesis proposal.

The Graduate Seminar courses (NRES 704-1.5, MCPS 704-1.5) will be offered during all Fall and Winter Semesters. Students will be expected to enrol in a seminar course at least two times during their degree program.

Electives may be taken at any time during Years I and II. The sequencing of electives will be determined by the student in discussion with the supervisory committee. Over the Fall and Winter Semesters of Year I, the student, under the direction of the supervisory committee, will develop a thesis proposal. By the end of the second semester, the student should have successfully defended their thesis proposal to the supervisory committee. This will allow the student to undertake the collection of data during the Summer of Year I. It is expected that the student will have successfully defended the thesis by the end of Year II.

Admission, Regulations and Committee Structures

Admission Requirements

In addition to the admission application requirements outlined in Section 1.0 of the Graduate Academic Calendar, acceptance to the MSc program will be contingent upon the prospective student finding a member of the faculty to serve as her/his supervisor. Applicants must also provide a completed Continuing Teaching Assistantship Application and a completed Funding Worksheet. Both forms are included with the application material for this program. Normally, at least two of the three letters of recommendation, exclusive of any letter provided by an intended supervisor, must be from individuals who are able to comment on the applicant's academic and research potential.

 

Application deadlines are found in this calendar under "Semester Dates" or online at: www.unbc.ca/calendar/graduate, also under "Semester Dates." The Natural Resources and Environmental Studies MSc Program accepts students for the September Semester.

Transfer Students

Upon the recommendation of the program concerned, the Associate Dean of Graduate Programs may accept courses taken at other institutions for credit toward a UNBC graduate program.

Normal Time Required for Completion

Normally, the degree should be completed in two years or less. Students may take longer to complete the degree depending on their personal circumstances, and the nature of their research.

Committee Structure

Students will be advised by a supervisory committee consisting of at least three members, including the academic supervisor who will normally serve as the chair of the committee. At least one of the committee members must be from outside of the student's program. The committee will be struck during the student's first term of study.