About Natural Resources & Environmental Studies (msc) in University of Northern British Columbia
Natural Resources and Environmental Studies (NRES) is one stream of the Master of Science degree in the College of Science and Management. This degree is designed for candidates whose research interests have a scientific emphasis and students from science disciplines such as biology, forestry, environmental science, and physical geography, as well as other scientifically oriented areas of resource management. Students studying within the NRES stream will, upon successful completion of the degree requirements outlined herein, obtain a MSc(NRES).
Students must choose from the following areas of study:
- Biology
- Environmental Science
- Forestry
- Geography
- Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Management
All students must complete Graduate Colloquia NRES 701-.5 twice during their course of studies, NRES 700-3 and a research methods course approved by their supervisor and the Chair of the NRES Graduate Program.
Candidates must complete a minimum of 6 elective credit hours at the graduate level (I.e., at or above the 600 level), selected from the science courses available at UNBC or courses that emphasize a scientific orientation to natural resource issues. A maximum of 3 credit hours from independent studies can be counted towards the elective requirement. Specific details of course work are determined by the research area chosen by each student. The supervisory committee will ensure the appropriate selection of elective courses, and may require a student to complete more than 6 elective credit hours if, for example, weaknesses in the student's background exist (including undergraduate prerequisites for graduate courses) or if additional courses are required for professional accreditation.
The MSc (NRES) also requires the completion of a research thesis (NRES 790-12) in which the student makes a scientific contribution to a traditional science field or to an applied understanding of resources and the environment. Students are required to (a) make an oral presentation of the thesis proposal to the supervisory committee, (b) write an original thesis based on the research completed (in accordance with established UNBC guidelines), (c) give a public lecture on the completed thesis, and (d) present an oral defense of the thesis to the examining committee. All core and elective course requirements must have been satisfied prior to the oral defense.
Academic qualification equivalents
- For entry into a Master's Degree: Completion of BOTH a Bachelor’s (three-year) degree and a Master’s OR a Bachelor’s degree requiring four years of study (eg. BPharm, MBBS, BArch, BEng). First Class/First Division or 8 on a 10 point scale
English language requirements (one of the below):
- IELTS (International English Language Testing System) Academic score of at least 6.5 overall, with not less than 6.0 in any of the four modules.
- TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score of 90 or higher in the internet-based test, with not less than 20 in each of the Reading, Listening, Writing speaking components.
- PTE (Pearson Test of English - Academic): 65 overall score, with 60 reading, 60 writing, 60 listening, and 60 speaking.
University of Northern British Columbia Highlights
College Type |
Public |
Campus Setting |
Urban |
Established in |
1990 |
Total operating budget |
99.7 USD million |
Faculty |
371 |
Total enrolled students |
3570 |
Undergraduate students |
2829 |
Graduate students |
599 |
International students |
397 |
Work study program |
Yes |
Faculty Student ratio |
1:8 |
Intake |
Semester wise |
Financial aid |
Available |
English language proficiency scores |
TOEFL, IELTS, SPM, PTE-A, Cambridge English |
University of Northern British Columbia Average Tuition Fees And Other Expenses
Aspirants of the institute must note to plan their finances in advance before enrolling at the university. An estimated budget for international students looking for studying in Canada in university has been given below:
Type of fee |
UG student (In USD) |
PG student ((In USD) |
Full-time tuition |
22,020 |
1,715 |
Books |
1,600 |
1,600 |
Student fees |
1,386 |
960.47 |
Medical Insurance |
220 for 4 months |
220 |
On campus Meals |
2585 |
2585 |
On-campus housing |
5,787 for a year |
5,787 for a year |
Off-campus housing |
6,520 approx. |
6,520 approx. |