Life Sciences & Natural Resources, Rangeland Management Emphasis Area, AS

Program Outcomes:

The emphasis areas in the life sciences and natural resources provide students with comprehensive coverage of the natural world. These courses of study are designed to meet the needs of those wishing to gain technical knowledge for entry into the many related areas within the field of biology as well as those seeking a more specific focus of forestry or wildlife management.

At the conclusion of the program, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate the mastery of course work considered fundamental to the training of a scientist.
• Demonstrate the ability to find, read, and critically evaluate appropriate scientific literature and resources.
• Function successfully within laboratory settings, including use of basic equipment and developing and utilizing appropriate safety protocols.
• Develop critical thinking and problem-solving strategies to approach and solve complex problems.

Notes

• Students who plan to transfer to a four-year college or university should consult their faculty and transfer advisor early in their WNCC career to determine a curriculum best suited to their transfer goals.
• Dependent upon the choice of electives, it is possible that the total credits earned for the AS degree will exceed 60 credits.
• Students should be aware that the courses included in the core requirements and recommended electives will be required by receiving institutions at some point in their journey to the bachelor’s degree.

Program Requirements

The rangeland management emphasis area is a joint effort between WNCC and Chadron State College (CSC) and provides students with core curricular and foundational work for an eventual Bachelor of Science degree in rangeland management. The program is offered through WNCC and CSC with the ultimate culmination of the program through the Department of Applied Science at Chadron State College.

The program includes course offerings applicable to an associates degree from WNCC as well as a bachelor’s degree from CSC. The program provides for the reverse transfer of CSC credit to be applied to the associates degree from WNCC.

Agricultural classes are delivered to WNCC by CSC. This two year program fulfills WNCC general education core requirements as well as help fulfill CSC Essential Studies requirements in addition to delivering the appropriate agricultural foundation classes to pursue the advanced degree.

Upon acceptance and transfer to CSC, students have the opportunity to branch out into one of three rangeland management options including rangeland ecology, rangeland livestock management, and rangeland wildlife management.

Notes

• ACCUPLACER® or ACT scores dictate entry levels for both English and math courses.
• Recommended courses at WNCC that satisfy the CSC Essential Studies - ARTS, MUSC, or THEA elective are:
  • ​MUSC - 1010 Music Appreciation (Introduction to Music)  Credits: 3
  • THEA - 1010 Introduction to Theatre  Credits: 3
• The courses offered at WNCC that qualify to meet the CSC Essential Studies - Mode of Inquiry electives are:
  • HIST - 2010 American History I  Credits: 3
  • HIST - 2020 American History II  Credits: 3
  • HIST - 2100 World Civilization (4000 BC - 1500 AD)  Credits: 3
  • HIST - 2110 World Civilization (1500 AD - Present)  Credits: 3
  • POLS - 1000 American Government  Credits: 3
• Students will take AGRI-242 (Principles of Rangeland and Forage Management) concurrently with AGRI-242L (laboratory), and AGRI-245 (Principles of Soil Science) concurrently with AGRI-245L (laboratory). Lab offerings for both classes take place one day per month during the semester each course is scheduled.
• Due to the dual offering of classes through both WNCC and CSC each semester, students must be admitted to both WNCC and CSC and are required to be dual enrolled through WNCC and CSC. Completion of course registration for classes takes place through the respective school offering the courses.
• Although not specifically scheduled, students are recommended to utilize summer semesters if necessary to maintain pace within the program. CSC class offerings are limited to the semesters reflected by the schedule.

In addition to the general education requirements for the AS degree, 18 credits of core courses and 19 credits of electives are required for the rangeland management emphasis area. A total of 62 credits are required for the Associate of Science degree in this emphasis area.

AS General Education Core: 32 Credits (minimum)

• Click here to view the AS General Education requirements   
• Click here for the list of AS General Education course options    

Core Program Requirements: 18 Credits

• BIOS - 1010 General Biology Credits: 4
• BIOS - 1380 General Zoology Credits: 4
• CHEM - 1050 Introductory Chemistry Credits: 4
• MATH - 1150 College Algebra Credits: 3
• MATH - 1210 Trigonometry Credits: 3

Emphasis Area Electives or Courses for Transfer: 23 Credits

Chadron State College offers indicated AGRI classes through virtual delivery and are subject to reverse transfer agreements between WNCC and CSC.

• AGRI-132 Introduction to Animal Science Credits: 3
• AGRI-141 Introduction to Plant Science Credits: 3
• AGRI-151 Foundations of Nutrition & Metabolism Credits: 3
• AGRI-235 Introduction to Wildlife Management Credits: 3
• AGRI-242 Principles of Rangeland & Forage Management Credits: 3 (with lab)
• AGRI-245 Principles of Soil Science Credits: 4 (with lab)
• Additional humanities course Credits: 3

Total AS Requirements: 62 Credits

Recommended Plan of Study

Total AS Credits: 62