The Department offers Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees on a diversity of topics. Specific areas of research expertise in our graduate program include (but are not limited to) the following:

soils sampling

Biogeochemistry & Soil Processes

soils sampling

Climate-Change Ecology

desert tortoise

Conservation Biology

aspen forest

Ecosystem Ecology

air sampling

Environmental Chemistry & Toxicology

soils sampling

Freshwater Science

mountains

Landscape Ecology

stream survey

Natural Resource Management

plant sampling

Plant Ecology & Ecophysiology

data collection

Quantitative Ecology

seeding rangeland

Restoration Ecology

field site

Remote Sensing of Natural Resources

bighorn sheep

Wildlife Ecology & Conservation

Explore our Masters and Doctoral programs

Prospective applicants to the NRES graduate program should follow the guidelines below:

Identify faculty whose research best aligns with your own interests. Our faculty

Send an inquiry email and resume/curriculum vitae to the faculty member(s) you identify as being a good match for your own research goals. A good resource of what information should go into the inquiry email can be found at "So, you want to go to grad school?" It is a good idea to have read some of the faculty member's recent papers and be familiar with their research program before contacting them. This is a critical step in the process. We rarely accept a graduate student who has not first identified and discussed opportunities with a specific faculty member ahead of time.

If the faculty member is interested in discussing opportunities further with you, they will often communicate this to you via email or by phone.  At the end of that conversation, it is a good idea to ask the faculty member if they encourage you to put in an application to one of our graduate programs. The faculty member will help guide you towards the best graduate program to meet your education and career goals. 

If you are encouraged to apply, you will be directed to one of our graduate programs which can be found on the Department's list of programs page.  You should be familiar with the requirements for entry into each program. These websites will (ultimately) direct you to the formal application on the University's Graduate admissions page. Each program has a different deadline, but as a general rule, try to get your application in as early as is possible.

Who do I contact for more information?

Kevin Shoemaker, Program Director

NRESgraduateprogram@unr.edu
Kevin Shoemaker