Freshmen
Need help choosing the right AP, IB, or dual credit courses?
Look at the NRES curriculum to see which UK Core, Math, Biology, Chemistry, and other courses you will need to take at UK. Talk with your college counselor or the NRES Academic Coordinator what you can take through Advanced Placement (AP) or dual credit courses. You can complete one or several requirements before arriving on campus if you plan correctly.
For information about which AP courses count for UK credit click here.
For information about dual credit courses,see the transfer equavancy page.
For information about which IB courses count for UK credit click here.
For information about English and UK's Composition and Communication requirements click here.
For information about Math placement and requirments click here.
Looking for scholarships for high school students entering college?
Arborjet Taking Root Scholarship
Ducks Unlimited National Scholarship Program
Cooke College Scholarship Program
If you enter the Natural Resources and Environmental Science degree program as a freshman you can expect…
Your freshman year will primarily consist of UK Core classes. This first year you will be in some larger classes as you work on your UK Core requirements. There are opportunities for you to meet and network with other NRES students through the Environmental Science Club and various NRES events.
NRES is an interdiciplinary program, therefore our courses are located around campus. For a map of the buildings we most commonly use click here.
You begin your sophomore year taking NRE 201, Natural Resources and Environmental Science, which introduces you to the NRES curriculum. Here you will meet other NRES students and many of the NRES faculty. The class includes an overnight trip to Mammoth Cave National Park which is always a highlight! You then complete your UK Core and pre-major classes.
Summer following your sophomore year, if you meet all the prerequisites you can take NRE 320. This is consistently one of the highest rated courses! Here you spend 15 days with 20 other NRES students living in cabins in Robinson Forest (Clayhole, KY) learning various field methods from over a dozen faculty members. Or you can spend 15 days in Costa Rica!
During your junior year you will find yourself in the middle of NRES major classes. At this time you should decide the focus for your Analytical Systems Development Area (ASDA) and your Environmental Systems Emphasis Area (ESEA) and begin taking those classes. You will also begin thinking about your internship (NRE 399) or research project (NRE 395).
Your senior year is full of excitement. You will be completing courses in your Analytical Systems Development Area and your Environmental Systems Emphasis Area as well as finishing up the remainder of your NRES major classes. There is an Internship Forum where students present posters from their internships and two are chosen to speak. You complete the year with NRE 471, Senior Capstone Course which brings all of your learning full circle and has you working in teams to complete a real world project in Kentucky.
When you graduate you move forward with direction and focus. You will be able to say that you:
- Have a degree in Natural Resources and Environmental Science
- Have a focus in Economic & Policy Analysis (or any of the four other ASDA’s)
- Have a focus in Water Resources (or any of the eight other ESEA’s)
- Have real world work experience (through your internship or research project)
- Have basic field experience (through NRE 320, and various other NRES course work)
You gain this focus and direction even if you start out not knowing exactly what you want to do. The curriculum builds on itself introducing you to the variety of opportunities in Natural Resources and Environmental Science. Additional learning opportunities are added so you will be able to view and judge the future career fields for yourself and follow the path that is right for you. Whether you move on to a job or graduate school, you will be prepared for your future as a natural resource professional after completing your Natural Resources and Environmental Science degree.
For information on visiting UK, the College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, or NRES please contact:
Hannah Angel
NRES Academic Coordinator