SAN ANGELO, Texas — Higher education resource guide study.com has ranked Angelo State University's natural resource management degree program among the nation's "Best Bachelor's Degrees in Environmental Management," according to an ASU press release.
Offered through its Department of Agriculture, ASU's degree program is ranked No. 13 in the U.S., and ASU is the only Texas university with a program in the 2021 study.com rankings. Only accredited public and private schools were eligible for the rankings, which were formulated using data from the U.S. Department of Education and school websites. Criteria for the rankings included:
- Tuition cost
- Available financial aid
- Educational support and resources
- Admission, retention and graduation rates
- Career resources and job placement programs
- Availability of alternative tuition plans and non-traditional credit programs
According to study.com, their "rankings focus on quality school programs that provide a high-value education, while still being accessible and affordable. That's why things like price, value, and attainability are major factors for schools in all our lists."
ASU's B.S. in natural resource management degree program prepares students for careers in range management, natural resource conservation, ecology, wildlife biology and similar fields. Faculty director of the program is Dr. Cody Scott, who has won multiple awards from the Texas and international sections of the Society for Range Management.
In addition to classroom studies, students get hands-on experience in invasive plant management, prescribed burning, brush control, spotlight deer and wildlife counts, and many other activities at ASU's 6,000-acre Management, Instruction and Research Center, more commonly called the ASU Ranch.
"It is truly an honor to work with faculty who are focused on student success," Scott said. "Our ability to combine classroom instruction with hands-on training provides students with the skills necessary to be successful after graduation."
Many ASU graduates of the program work as county extension agents throughout Texas and for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Plus, the Natural Resources Conservation Service lists ASU as a "preferred university" for hiring new employees.
