Skip Navigation

University of Nebraska–Lincoln

School of Natural Resources

From Earth to Sky and Everything In Between

Graduate Program and Specialization Information


Micah Perkins, former SNR graduate student, measures vegetation near a grey catbird nest.
Micah Perkins, former SNR graduate student, measures vegetation near a grey catbird nest.

Important Deadline

Applications to the graduate program are accepted at anytime. To be eligible for SNR research and teaching assistantships, applications must be submitted by February 25. Other assistantships may be available through faculty members, contact faculty for deadlines.

Program Areas

The School of Natural Resources (SNR) offers graduate programs leading to a Master of Science or Doctor of Philosophy in Natural Resources. Courses are offered in these program areas within SNR:

The broad diversity of climate, habitat, hydrology, soils and near-surface and subsurface geology across Nebraska provides a multitude of opportunities for field studies in each of these areas. Faculty also conduct research in other states and countries.

Excellent laboratory, computer and field facilities are available for performing up-to-date analyses in all resource areas, as well as water chemistry, GIS, computer modeling and remote sensing and geospatial image analysis. State, federal and private natural resource organizations provide unique opportunities for cooperative research and degree-related work.

Important Graduate Student Resources

Program Specialization Areas. Students need not declare a specialization.

Twelve specializations are available at the M.S. level:

Students also can pursue M.S. minors in Water Resource Planning and Management and Natural Resource Sciences.

Six Specializations are available at the Ph.D. Level

Additional Programs

A doctoral program with specialization in horticulture and forestry is also available as an interdepartmental program in Horticulture and Forestry, and SNR graduate students (M.S. and Ph.D.) may also pursue degrees through departments affiliated with the SNR while being advised by SNR faculty with courtesy appointments in these units. Affiliated units include Agronomy, Biological Sciences, Biological Systems Engineering, Anthropology and Geography, and Geosciences. Specializations through these affiliated units permit flexibility needed to cover the student's area of interest. Current specializations available include Agricultural Meteorology (through Agronomy/Horticulture and Biological Systems Engineering), Environmental Studies (Agronomy/Horticulture, Biological Sciences, Entomology), Soil Science (Agronomy/Horticulture), and Hydrogeology (Geosciences).

Interested in our Program?

We encourage you to consult the list of SNR faculty members associated with this web page and identify research areas of interest to you. If you are interested in our program, please contact an SNR faculty member whose interests you share and discuss with them the possibility of working within our program. Request Information On-line, or download our Graduate Programs in Natural Resource Sciences Brochure.

Program Entrance Requirements

You should discuss our entrance requirements with an SNR faculty member who has expressed an interest in serving as your advisor. We also recommend that you discuss funding possibilities and research options at this time.

Applying to the Program

Once you have contacted an SNR faculty member regarding your interest in a graduate program and have a commitment from the faculty member(s) to consider serving as your advisor, please send a message (via mail or e-mail) to SNR Undergraduate and Graduate Secretary; 150a Hardin Hall; University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Lincoln, NE 68583-0921 or to snrsgradsec@unl.edu (see full contact information below). This message should indicate the name of the faculty member who has agreed to consider serving as your advisor. Failure to do so may affect the processing of your application.

Acceptance into the program will be determined after you have filed an application for admission to graduate studies. The appropriate application materials can be acquired via the web at http://www.unl.edu/gradstudies/ or will be sent to you after the School has received notification from you regarding a potential advisor.

Additional Information

For more information about admission to one of the School's graduate programs, please contact:

Susan Vosler
SNR Undergraduate and Graduate Secretary
School of Natural Resources
102 Hardin Hall
3310 Holdrege Street
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Lincoln, NE 68583-0961
Phone: 402-472-5355
Fax: 402-472-3461
E-mail: snrsgradsec@unl.edu

For more information about admission to a Geography-related graduate program please contact:

Joyce Hurst
Geography Graduate Secretary
304 Hardin Hall
3310 Holdrege Street
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Lincoln, NE 68583-0973
Phone: 402-472-2865
E-mail: jhurst3@unl.edu

Graduate Programs in Natural Resource Sciences Brochure