College of Agriculture & Natural Resources

Academic Programs

Entomology students study insects--the most important animal group for the health of all terrestrial ecosystems. Entomology students are interested in biology, biodiversity, pest management, or traditional entomology, and study these subjects in relation to the environment, agriculture, and human activity.

Environmental Soil Science majors obtain sound training in all areas of soil science as well as in chemistry, plant biology, physics, geology, and land and water management. These courses, as well as internships and independent research projects, address globally important environmental issues, including carbon sequestration and global warming; ecosystem health; air, water, and soil quality; land management; soil contamination and remediation; nutrient management; restoration of wetlands; and the movement of bacteria and viruses in soils and water.

The Natural Resource Management major is an interdisciplinary major that focuses on the wise and balanced use of the world's natural resources. Natural Resource Management majors connect science, policy, ethics, and economics to balance environmental interests with human impacts.

The Resource Economics major focuses on the use of economic principles and techniques to manage scarce resources to benefit society. Students may select a concentration within this major of either Environmental Economics or Sustainable Development.

The Wildlife Conservation major focuses on the biological aspects of environmental science, studying the conservation of wild animals and the ecosystems that sustain them. Meeting the requirements for the Wildlife Conservation major provides students with the minimum educational requirements needed for certification as an Associate Wildlife Biologist by The Wildlife Society, a professional society.

Minors

Students may choose to select environmental minors to complement a major in any field. Environmentally oriented minors are offered in Entomology, Environmental Soil Science, Resource Economics, and Wildlife Conservation.

Other Academic Opportunities

The threads of environmental studies are woven throughout the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Almost all of our academic majors, including those that are not clearly identifiable as “environmental majors,” have produced graduates who have found environmental careers due to the breadth of courses and experiences offered in the College.

For students who have wide reaching interests in agriculture and natural resources—or who can’t settle on just one of our majors—the Agriculture and Natural Resources major provides an easy way to combine interests and create an individual curriculum from all of the departments in the College.

While high-school and middle school agriscience programs are the biggest employers of our Agricultural Education graduates, some alumni have taken their careers in different directions. Agricultural Education majors are well prepared for careers in nature and environmental education, Cooperative Extension, government, public relations, communications, and media.

With a blend of technical skills and scientific and engineering knowledge, the Engineering Technology major teaches students to creatively handle challenges associated with manufacturing processes, construction design, project management, machinery systems, and environmental issues. Engineering Technology majors can choose to minor in environmental engineering, offered by the College of Engineering, to strengthen the environmental aspect of this major.

Landscape Horticulture and Design fuses the creative aspects of art and design with the technical and scientific aspects of horticulture. This unique and rewarding field encompasses the analysis, planning, design, implementation and management of natural and built environments, as well as the value of plants in public settings.

Plant Science is the ideal major for the student wishing to explore a variety of specialties within the field. Plant biology, pest resistance, crop studies, and plant diseases are a few topics students in the major can explore.

Facilities and Resources

The College is situated on 350-acres of farmland, woods, cropland, and gardens in Newark, Del. Townsend Hall houses administrative and faculty offices, a library, a computing site, and several classrooms. Worrilow Hall houses research and teaching laboratories and a variety of insect and avian collections. The Fischer Greenhouse Laboratory and the University of Delaware Botanic Gardens offer “living laboratories” for those interested in plants and soils, while the 35 acre “ecology woods” provides real-life lessons in ecology, entomology and wildlife conservation. In addition to the forest, other natural resource areas include a 10-acre warm season prairie recently established
to restore an old landfill, two wildflower meadows, and numerous wetlands and stream corridors. The working UD Farm provides a real life setting for implementing environmental best management practices to help reduce pollution, recycle farm products, and still maintain production agriculture.

Additional natural resource areas and croplands at the Carvel Research and Education Center in Georgetown and in nearby Middletown are also available for teaching and research purposes.