As a Natural Resources and the Environment major, you can:

• Explore a variety of courses that can count towards your major or minor as core requirements, related courses, and electives.

• Participate in an internship, field experience, or research experience abroad to gain real-world experience.

Students should meet with their academic advisor and discuss which semester might be best for them to go abroad. Flexibility regarding what courses Natural Resources students may be able to take abroad and in what term they can go may vary depending on their chosen plan or concentration within the major. Generally, students may be able to take General Education Requirements, electives, and courses that fulfil concentration requirments.

Environmental Sustainability and Conservation: Students within this concentration can use 12 credits from an Experiential Global Learning program to fulfil part of the concentration requirements with approval from their academic advisor. The courses must be pre-approved by NRE. Other courses that may satisfy concentration requirements that may be available abroad are Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Economics, Geography, Marine Science, Natural Resources and the Environment, Philosophy, Political Science, and Sociology.

Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation: Students within this concentration may be able to use 6 credits of NRE 3693 (Foreign Studies in Natural Resources), which is often available abroad, towards concentration requirements. Other courses that may satisfy concentration requirements that may be available abroad are Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Natural Resources and the Environment.

Sustainable Forest Resources: Students within this concentration may be able to use 3 credits of NRE 3693 (Foreign Studies in Natural Resources), which is often available abroad, towards concentration requirements. Other courses that may satisfy concentration requirement that may be available abroad are Natural Resources and the Environment.

Water Resources and Climate: Courses that may satisfy concentration requirements that may be available abroad are Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Geography, Geoscience, Marine Science, and Natural Resources and the Environment.

When planning an experience abroad, be sure to keep in mind your electives, any extra credits you may be able to use to your advantage, as well as current and upcoming terms in your course of study. For students who have a strict course sequence to follow each semester, a summer or winter program might be a good option.

How will #UConnChangeYourWorld

These programs are recommended based on your academic interests but students can explore additional approved program options via the Program Search.

Faculty Led:

Summer Field Ecology in South Africa

Skukuza, South Africa

On this program, students enroll in a 3-credit Natural Resources and the Environment course during the spring semester in addition to a 1-credit field component in South Africa. The courses provide an overview of the ecological systems in southern Africa, their management and related conservation issues, with emphasis on the ecosystems and landscapes of the region, and are taught by UConn faculty who accompany the students to South Africa.

Summer Water Systems of Rome: Ancient to Modern

Rome, Italy

This field course is designed to enhance students’ understanding of human interactions with the environment in the development of modern municipal water systems. Each day of the program consists of a field trip, lectures by faculty and other experts while on-site, followed by students conducting water related field exercises. Students earn three Natural Resources and the Environment credits in this program.

Summer Sustainable Cities: Zürich

Zürich, Switzerland

This program is targeted towards students with an interest in sustainable transportation and city planning. Students will have the opportunity to do field-based research on various topics relating to sustainable urban and transportation planning. Research findings will be documented in a short film which the students will design, shoot, edit and produce during their time in the field.

Winter Geoscience Field Course in the Bahamas

San Salvador, Bahamas

This program is designed to immerse students in field-based, experiential learning on topics ranging from climate change, carbonate depositional systems, reef ecology, hurricanes, geoarchaeology, karst and cave formation, coastal geomorphology and sustainability. Typical field exercises include creating dune profiles, coring lake sediments, exploring caves and interpreting their formation, constructing stratgraphic columns and describing rock units, assessing reef health, and constructing a sustainability model for the island.

Winter Geoscience and Geohazards in Taiwan

Taipei, Taiwan

This program is targeted towards students interested in mixing field-based geologic mapping with an introduction to Chinese culture and history. Students will be outdoors hiking and collecting data most of time while in Taiwan.

Exchange:

University of Birmingham

Birmingham, United Kingdom

This program offers approved courses in Economics, Natural Resources and the Environment, and Political Science. In the past, students have also received credit for NRE 3693 (Foreign Studies in Natural Resources) on this program.

University of Wollongong

Wollongong, Australia

This program offers approved courses in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Geoscience, Natural Resources and the Environment, Philosophy, and Statistics. In the past, students have also received credit for NRE 3693 (Foreign Studies in Natural Resources) on this program.

Affiliated:

OTS: African Field Ecology and Conservation in South Africa

Skukuza, South Africa

On this program, students can earn 12 Natural Resources and the Environment credits. Students spend the majority of the semester in Kruger National Park, one of the largest conservation areas in Africa and the oldest national park in South Africa. By designing research projects with their professors, students contribute meaningful scientific data to issues faced by managers in South African National Parks.

Finances are an integral part of the program selection and planning process. Research scholarships early to meet application deadlines and request feedback on essays from advisors and the Writing Center.

McMahon Family Endowment for Global Education

Elizabeth C. Hanson Scholarship

CAHNR Student support for Education Abroad experience

College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources Scholarships

To learn more about these scholarships and to discover other opportunities, navigate to our scholarships page.