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Students graduating with this major may find employment in private firms with environmental compliance activities or conservation initiatives directed toward energy or other natural resources. Opportunities also exist with consulting firms that assist clients in meeting environmental objectives. Many nonprofit environmental organizations seek to employ staff with economic training. Several federal government agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency and the departments of Agriculture, Interior and Energy, employ natural resource and environmental economists. State and local government agencies also provide opportunities for employment.

Because of the variety of career options available, the range on starting salaries is rather wide.  The median is somewhere around $35,000 per year with the range extending from around $30,000 to as high as $45,000.

This major provides a strong background for graduate studies in natural resource and environmental economics, leading to career opportunities in teaching and/or research, as well as high-level policy positions. Students would also be well prepared to pursue a professional program in environmental law.

Students meet with one of the three faculty advisors in the Department during freshman or transfer orientation and typically meet with that advisor on a regular basis throughout their academic program.  These faculty advisors are also actively involved in the Department’s undergraduate teaching program.  This extended interaction allows for very personalized advising with regard to course selection, scholarships, internships, extracurricular activities, graduate or professional studies and career placement.  Working closely with a student over a period of years, the advisor can be a valuable advocate if issues or problems arise and provide a letter of reference or recommendation when requested.

The curriculum builds upon the university-wide general education requirements with a set of core courses in business and economics. Students then take advanced and specialized course work that focuses on the economic foundations for policies designed to foster natural resource conservation or enhance environmental quality. The curriculum is highly interdisciplinary. Courses are required in the physical and environmental sciences covering subject matter such as conservation, ecology and forestry, as well as soil and water resource issues. Course work is required in environmental ethics, environmental law and other social science disciplines such as sociology. Students gain skills using tools such as geographic information systems for analysis of spatially-referenced data.

Opportunities for internships are available with private companies, public agencies and non-profit organizations.  Students normally receive competitive pay, in addition to earning three hours of academic credit.  Internships are typically done during the summer, though some take place during the fall or spring semester.  Participation in an internship commonly leads to an offer of full-time employment upon graduation.

Approximately half of our majors each year receive scholarships from departmental or college sources, averaging about $2,000 per student.  This is in addition to the Hope Tennessee Lottery Scholarship and any guaranteed UT scholarships a student may receive.  Students must submit an application by February 1 for the following academic year.  Both merit and need are considered in the process of awarding scholarships.  For general information, click on Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships.

Many of the clubs and organizations within the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources are open to students from any major, and several are focused on natural resources or the environment. There is also a very active University-wide student organization called SPEAK (Students Promoting Environmental Action in Knoxville).

Students can declare the major as freshmen or when they decide to transfer from a community college or different major at UT.  There are no minimum GPA requirements or prerequisite course requirements that must be met to associate with the major.

A faculty advisor works carefully with any student looking to transfer into the major and seeks to be as flexible as possible in assessing how previous credits can count toward meeting curriculum requirements.  The advisor takes the initiative in submitting substitution or waiver requests when appropriate.  The Department has developed articulation agreements with several community colleges which provide guidance on courses to be taken in preparation for transferring into the major.

For incoming freshmen, apply early in your senior year of high school, anytime after August 1 but no later than the December 1 deadline.  For transfer students, apply by June 1 for fall semester enrollment and November 1 for spring semester enrollment.  For more information on procedures and deadlines, click on UT Office of Admissions.