Rangelands comprise nearly 70 percent of the total land area of Idaho, varying from the drier salt-desert shrub and sagebrush-grass communities to mountain-brush, Pacific bunchgrass, forest range, and mountain meadow grasslands. These types of rangeland provide habitat for many species of plants and animals, and produce numerous goods, services, and values desired by society. Sound management of rangelands based on ecological principles is necessary to maintain optimum production of these benefits.
Because of the extent, character, and importance of Idaho's rangelands, excellent opportunities exist for graduate study in all phases of rangeland use and management. The Forest, Wildlife and Range Experiment Station of the college sponsors and funds research in range resources as well as in other disciplines within the college. Cooperative research programs exist and are funded by the College of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Idaho Cooperative Park Studies Unit, timber companies, and the livestock industry. All faculty members have teaching or service responsibilities as well as research activities.
Admission for graduate study normally requires completion of course work equivalent or similar to that required for the undergraduate curriculum in range resources. Students with different backgrounds may be admitted if deficiencies can be corrected in a reasonable time. The graduate program allows for diversity in a variety of fields such as range ecology, wildlife, animal science, soils, agricultural economics, forestry, and others.
Degree Programs
Candidates must fulfill the requirements of the Graduate College and of the College of Forestry, Wildlife and Range Sciences. See part 2 for the general requirements applicable to each degree.
Master of Science. Thesis and nonthesis options are offered. (A) Thesis option: General M.S. requirements apply except that the thesis requirements may be fulfilled by a publication(s) at the discretion of the candidate's supervisory committee. (B) Nonthesis option: General M.S. requirements apply. A written and/or oral examination that covers graduate course work must be taken during the final semester in residence. One or more professional papers may be required at the discretion of the candidate's supervisory committee. The nonthesis degree is designed primarily for candidates with background experience in some area of range resource use or management.
Doctor of Philosophy. The Ph.D. degree is available with a major in forestry, wildlife and range sciences. General Ph.D. requirements apply; see the FWR section for details.
Courses
Range 301 Wildland Field Ecology I (1 cr).
Range 302 Wildland Field Ecology II (2 cr).
Range 352 Natural History of Western Rangelands (3 cr).
Range 354 Rangeland Vegetation Management (3 cr).
Range 358 Natural Resources of the World (3 cr).
Range 398 (s) Renewable Natural Resources Internship (cr arr).
Range 400 (s) Seminar (cr arr).
Range 401 (s) Practicum in Tutoring (1 cr, max 2).
Range 403 (s) Workshop (cr arr).
Range 404 (s) Special Topics (cr arr).
Range 406 (s) Study Abroad (cr arr).
Range 430 Riparian Ecology and Management (2 cr).
Range 453 Rangeland Vegetation Inventory and Analysis (3 cr).
Range 456 Integrated Rangeland Resource Management and Planning (4 cr).
Range 457 Classification and Identification of Range Plants (3 cr).
Range 459 Rangeland Ecology (3 cr).
Range 470 Interdisciplinary Natural Resource Planning (3 cr).
Range 480 Senior Research and Thesis (cr arr).
Range 493 Environmental Law (2 cr).
Range 499 (s) Directed Study (cr arr).
Range 500 Master's Research and Thesis (cr arr).
Range 501 (s) Seminar (cr arr). Major philosophy, management, and research problems of wildlands; presentation of individual studies on assigned topics. Prereq: perm.
Range 502 (s) Directed Study (cr arr). Prereq: perm.
Range 503 (s) Workshop (cr arr). Selected topics in the conservation and management of natural resources. Prereq: perm.
Range 504 (s) Special Topics (cr arr). Prereq: perm.
Range 506 (s) Study Abroad (cr arr). Prereq: perm of dept.
Range WS525 Experimental Plant Ecology (3 cr). WSU NATRS 525.
Range 526 Fire Ecology (3 cr). See For 526.
Range 527 Landscape Ecology of Forests and Rangelands (2-3 cr). Ecological relationships of biotic communities in heterogeneous environments, spatial and temporal patterns, importance of landscapes in maintenance of ecosystem diversity and function. One 2-hr discussion a week based on extensive reading of current literature. Independent study project and instructor perm reqd for 3 cr. Prereq: upper-division plant or animal ecology.
Range ID551 Rangeland Vegetation Ecology (3 cr). WSU NATRS 551. Alt/yrs. Ecological concepts of the nature, dynamics, and distribution of plant communities; secondary successional processes, soil-vegetation relations, and development of vegetation-classification schemes for better land management. Prereq: plant ecology and perm.
Range 552 Restoration Ecology (2 cr). Restoration of disturbed or damaged ecosystems; fundamental principles from stress physiology and community ecology and review of case studies in restoration ecology used to examine how damaged ecosystems can be restored. Prereq: Range 459 or equivalent course in plant ecology, or perm. [http://www.uidaho.edu/ecology]
Range 553 Foraging Behavior of Rangeland Herbivores (2 cr). Behavioral processes of rangeland herbivore foraging, including domestic livestock and wild ungulates; techniques for researching rangeland herbivore foraging behavior; application of theoretical concepts to grazing management.
Range 555 Current Issues in Rangeland Resource Management (2 cr). Alt/yrs. Investigation and disc of current issues in range resources and closely related fields. Prereq: perm.
Range ID-J558/J458 Agroforestry (3 cr). Same as For J458/J558. WSU NATRS 504. Interdisciplinary approach to sustainable land management that involves ecological, social, and economic integration of forest and woodland production with grazing and/or agricultural crops. Particularly suited to students from less-developed countries. Additional projects/assignments reqd for grad cr.
Range ID560 Plant Autecology (3 cr). WSU NATRS 524. Adaptations of individual species in rangeland and forest communities; emphasizing morphological and physiological mechanisms that influence plant establishment, below- and above-ground productivity, plant competition, and grazing sensitivity. Two days of field trips. Prereq: Range 221, Bot 311 or perm. [http://www.uidaho.edu/ecology]
Range 595 (s) Problems in World Resources (1-3 cr, max 3). Prereq: perm.
Range 597 (s) Practicum (cr arr). Prereq: perm.
Range 598 (s) Internship (cr arr). Prereq: perm.
Range 599 (s) Research (cr arr). Research not directly related to a thesis or dissertation. Prereq: perm.
Range 600 Doctoral Research and Dissertation (cr arr). Prereq: admission to the doctoral program in "forestry, wildlife and range sciences" and perm of dept.
Courses
RelSt 302 Biblical Judaism: Texts and Thought (3 cr).
RelSt 303 Early Christianity: Texts and Thought (3 cr).
RelSt 305 Philosophy of Religion (3 cr).
RelSt 306 Hindu Thought (3 cr).
RelSt 307 Buddhism (3 cr).
RelSt 308 Confucianism and Taoism (3 cr).
RelSt 321 Twentieth Century Theology (3 cr).
RelSt 322 Religious Movements in America (3 cr).
RelSt 327 Belief Systems (3 cr).
RelSt 375 The Bible as Literature (3 cr).
RelSt 404 (s) Special Topics (cr arr).
RelSt 406 (s) Study Abroad (cr arr).
RelSt 414 Development of Social Theory (3 cr).
RelSt 442 The Medieval Church: Europe in the Early and High Middle Ages (3 cr).
RelSt 447 The Age of the Renaissance and the Reformation (3 cr).
Outdoor recreation and tourism is one of the top three industries in Idaho, a state that is noted for its millions of acres of mountains, forests, free-flowing rivers and streams, sparkling lakes, and open rangelands. A wealth of recreation resources serve as study areas near campus, including the university's 7,000-acre demonstration forest (20 miles from campus) and Idler's Rest Nature Preserve, only six miles away. Field research stations are also located at the historic Clark Fork Field Campus in north Idaho, and at the Wilderness Research Center's Taylor Ranch Field Station in the heart of the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area. Research opportunities also exist with the college's Forest, Wildlife and Range Experiment Station and the National Park Service's Cooperative Park Studies Unit, which is housed in the college with one of its staff members affiliated with the department. All departmental faculty members have teaching, public-service, and research responsibilities.
The graduate program in resource recreation and tourism is multidisciplinary and provides students with the opportunity to combine interests in natural resource management and the social sciences. In cooperation with an advisory committee, each student develops a program of studies that supports his or her educational and professional interests. Graduate courses are available in this department and in supporting areas such as forest resources, wildlife management, anthropology, education, communication, political science, sociology, and psychology.
Admission to graduate study normally requires completion of undergraduate course work in the natural and social sciences. Applicants who have completed their undergraduate degrees in fields not closely related to resource recreation and tourism may be required to make up deficiencies as determined by their advisory committees. In addition to the college's application requirements, the Graduate Record Examination (or other accepted graduate examination such as GMAT or LSAT) is required for consideration of all candidates. Admission is based on undergraduate grades, evidence of ability to complete graduate-level work, letters of recommendation, examination scores, the compatibility of the student's educational and career objectives with areas of concentration in the department, and the availability of departmental graduate faculty.
Degree Programs
Candidates must fulfill the requirements of the Graduate College and of the College of Forestry, Wildlife and Range Sciences. See part 2 for the general requirements applicable to each degree.
Master of Science. Thesis and nonthesis options are offered. (A) Thesis programs are specifically research oriented and the student is required to conduct independent research and present the results as a thesis, which must be approved by the candidate's supervisory committee. (B) Nonthesis programs are concentrated more on course work. Though research may be conducted, the candidate is not required to present the results in a formal thesis. A final report, professional paper(s), or other terminal project agreed on in advance by the advisory committee is a normal requirement under this plan. This program lends itself to projects such as recreation master plans, regional plans, area management plans, historical reviews, and the development of professional interpretive media. For both the thesis and nonthesis options, after a research or other scholarly project is selected, the student must prepare for his or her committee a formal work plan and make an oral public presentation of the proposed project. The purpose of this requirement is to: (a) help structure and sharpen the student's thinking and approach to the project, (b) obtain the views of various knowledgeable persons that may lead to constructive modifications in the work plan, (c) gain experience in making professional presentations, and (d) increase communication within the academic community.
Doctor of Philosophy. The Ph.D. degree is available with a major in forestry, wildlife and range sciences. General Ph.D. requirements apply; see the FWR section for details.
Courses
ResRc 301 Wildland Field Ecology I (1 cr).
ResRc 302 WildlandField Ecology II (2 cr).
ResRc 303 Resource Recreation and Tourism Field Studies I (1 cr).
ResRc 304 Resource Recreation and Tourism Field Studies II (2 cr).
ResRc 305 Field Research in Wilderness Ecology (3 cr).
ResRc 310 Leisure Services Research and Evaluation (3 cr).
ResRc 311 Leisure Services Research and Evaluation Lab (1 cr).
ResRc WS381 Hospitality Management and Organization (3 cr).
ResRc 385 Resource Recreation and Tourism Management (3 cr).
ResRc 386 Resource Recreation and Tourism Planning (3 cr).
ResRc 387 Environmental Interpretive Methods (3 cr).
ResRc 396 Wilderness Research Internship (3 arr).
ResRc 398 (s) Internship (cr arr).
ResRc 400 (s) Seminar (cr arr).
ResRc 401 (s) Practicum in Tutoring (1 cr, max 2).
ResRc 403 (s) Workshop (cr arr).
ResRc 404 (s) Special Topics (cr arr).
ResRc 406 (s) Study Abroad (cr arr).
ResRc 470 Interdisciplinary Natural Resource Planning (3 cr).
ResRc 484 Management of Recreation Sites and Leisure Settings (2 cr).
ResRc 486 Public Involvement in Natural Resource Management (3 cr).
ResRc 487 Field Environmental Education (3 cr).
ResRc 488 Interpretive Methods Lab (3 cr).
ResRc 489 Personalities and Philosophies in Conservation (2 cr).
ResRc 490 Wilderness Management (3 cr).
ResRc 491 Use of Wilderness Environments for Personal Growth (3 cr).
ResRc 492 International Land Preservation Systems (3 cr).
ResRc 493 International Issues in Nature Conservation (3 cr).
ResRc 494 Resource-Based Public Relations and Marketing (3 cr).
ResRc 496 Monitoring Human Impacts in Wilderness (3 cr).
ResRc 498 (s) Internship (cr arr).
ResRc 499 (s) Directed Study (cr arr).
ResRc 500 Master's Research and Thesis (cr arr).
ResRc 501 (s) Seminar (cr arr). Major philosophy, management, and research problems of wildlands; presentation of individual studies on assigned topics. Prereq: perm.
ResRc 502 (s) Directed Study (cr arr). Prereq: perm.
ResRc 503 (s) Workshop (cr arr). Selected topics in the conservation and management of natural resources. Prereq: perm.
ResRc 504 (s) Special Topics (cr arr). Prereq: perm.
ResRc 506 Fundamentals of Research (3 cr). Research approaches, designs, and methods as applied in natural resources, leisure, and tourism professions. Prereq: basic statistics.
ResRc 583 Nature-Based Tourism (3 cr). Alt/yrs. Current methods and approaches to natural resource tourism and its social, economic, and resource impacts; organizations involved and management styles used by travel and tourism industry.
ResRc 586 Social Ecology of Natural Resources (3 cr). Same as For 586. Social theory and methods relevant to resource management; interdisciplinary examination of specific natural resource issues such as fire management, wilderness, fisheries disputes, energy policy; emphasis on understanding social aspects of natural resources within an ecological perspective.
ResRc 587 Research Literature in Resource Recreation and Tourism (3 cr). Readings in research literature pertinent to problems, practices, and theories of recreation and tourism; evolution of literature and critical evaluation of scientific methods used.
ResRc 591 Theories of Recreation and Tourism Behavior (3 cr). Same as Soc 591. Application of social science perspectives to the analysis of recreation and tourism behavior; pertinent social science frameworks are explored.
ResRc 595 (s) Advanced Topics in International Conservation (1-3 cr, max 3). Focused analysis of selected international nature conservation issues.
ResRc 597 (s) Practicum (cr arr). Prereq: perm.
ResRc 598 (s) Internship (cr arr). Prereq: perm.
ResRc 599 (s) Research (cr arr). Research not directly related to a thesis or dissertation. Prereq: perm.
ResRc 600 Doctoral Research and Dissertation (cr arr). Prereq: admission to the doctoral program in "forestry, wildlife and range sciences" and perm of dept.