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Natural Resource Tourism B.S.

17:1
Avg. student to faculty ratio
86%
Of CSU Grads Land Jobs Related to Their Career Plans
95%
Of Online Undergraduate Students Would Choose CSU Again
$52K
Average Starting Salary of Recent CSU Grads
Degree Overview Open Accordion
Online tourism bachelor's degree from CSU

Earn your bachelor's degree in tourism online

Tourism is one of the largest sources of employment in the world, currently accounting for 1 in 10 jobs globally. The tourism industry also depends greatly on the continued conservation of natural resources, including water, lands, parks, wildlife, local cultures, and natural ecosystems. Without effective management, these resources can become damaged or depleted, which is why many tourism professionals have begun taking an active role in sustaining the natural resources upon which their companies rely.

Develop career-building knowledge

This online tourism degree focuses on preparing students for a career in natural resource tourism in the private, public, or nonprofit sectors. The curriculum offers opportunities to learn specific tourism management skills, including:

  • Marketing and promotions
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Strategic planning and development
  • Event management
  • Sustainable resource practices and managing tourism impacts
  • Applying natural resource and tourism policy
  • Research and analytics

Explore a wide range of employment options

Throughout the program, you will benefit from a strong emphasis on entrepreneurship and the application of management skills to tourism-related ventures. Gain valuable knowledge by receiving insights from industry experts with significant experience in the field. Near the end of the program, you will also gain first-hand work experience by completing a professional internship. Upon successfully completing your degree, you will be prepared to pursue career opportunities in areas such as:

  • Resort management and promotions
  • Destination travel operations
  • Ecotourism management
  • Tourism marketing
  • Outdoor guiding services
  • Adventure travel
  • Ski industry

Experience the flexibility of online learning

By choosing to pursue a tourism major online, you will have the opportunity to earn a bachelor's degree from CSU — a regionally accredited research university — and develop professional credentials as you balance your academic and personal life. Earning your bachelor's degree online doesn't mean studying alone. Throughout the program you will have many opportunities to interact with instructors and peers. Class interactions can involve discussion forums, and email, phone, and video conversations.

In addition to earning your Bachelor of Science, you also have the option to further enhance your knowledge with an academic minor in specialized areas of study like business administration, global and environmental stability, and media studies.

Curriculum Open Accordion

Requirements to Graduate

A minimum of 120 credits are required to complete this degree. This includes:

  • 42 upper-division (300-400 level) credits
  • 30 upper-division credits completed through Colorado State University

The number of courses needed for completion of the program depends on:

Curriculum

The curriculum listed below is intended to inform prospective students about the overall theme of the program and should not be used as an example program of study. Students need to consult their advisor to develop a degree completion plan based on the credits transferred into this program. You have the option to use the TransferologyTM website to conduct a self-review of your potential transfer courses. This tool will assist you in seeing how your previous college coursework may transfer to CSU.

Required courses within Natural Resources – 39 credits

Other required courses – 24 credits

Guided electives – 23 credits

(Choose 23 credits in the following with your advisor)

All University Core Curriculum (AUCC) – 31 credits

(Courses below are required within the degree program, within other AUCC requirements there is more flexibility)

Faculty Open Accordion
Alan Bright

Alan Bright

Alan Bright is a full professor in the Department of Human Dimensions of Natural Resources. His teaching responsibilities include on-campus and distance coursework for the M.T.M. program and courses in the natural resource tourism program. Alan's primary research interests center around theoretical applications of social psychological constructs toward the management of natural resources, including values, attitudes, behavior, and the complexity with which people think about issues. These constructs are also considered in the context of attitude and behavior change. Alan's teaching interests focus on development and administration of coursework in the tourism undergraduate and graduate programs.

Christina Cavaliere

Christina T. Cavaliere, Ph.D. is as an environmental social scientist and international sustainable development specialist with a focus on linking tourism and conservation. Dr. Cavaliere’s areas of expertise involve the human dimensions of socio-ecological systems including tourism impacts. She is an Assistant Professor of Human Dimensions of Natural Resources in the Warner College of Natural Resources at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. Dr. Cavaliere has academic and applied experience in 38 countries on 6 continents working with universities, communities, businesses, non-governmental organizations and multilateral institutions. Dr. Cavaliere has published numerous multilateral science communication reports, academic books and in A-ranked academic peer-reviewed journals.

Stuart Cottrell

Stuart Cottrell

Stuart Cottrell is an associate professor in the Department of Human Dimensions of Natural Resources and teaches courses in ecotourism, sustainable tourism development, protected area management, and research in human dimensions of natural resources. Stuart's research focus includes sustainable tourism, travel and tourism behavior, visitor impact management, and public perceptions of landscape disturbance issues. Present projects involve a National Science Foundation grant to examine land management agency and water provider perception of pine beetle impacts on water quality. As a former resident fellow with the School for Global and Environmental Sustainability, Stuart conducted a preliminary study of the impacts of mountain pine beetle infestation on recreation and tourism, which led to the present NSF project. One of the highlights of Stuart's teaching involves the monitoring of diseased corals and volunteer based conservation projects for an NGO in the Bahamas.

David Knight

David Knight

David W. Knight is a Center for Collaborative Conservation Fellow and an assistant professor at Colorado State University. Some of David's interests include community development, community-based conservation, conflict management in natural resources, environmental governance, outdoor recreation, social ecological systems, and sustainable tourism.

Dr. Bastian Thomsen

Dr. Bastian Thomsen is a conservation social scientist whose research intersects conservation, social responsibility, and tourism. He was most recently an Assistant Professor of Social Entrepreneurship at Boise State University, and holds a Ph.D. in Management from Central Queensland University. He is nearly finished with a second Ph.D. in Environmental Anthropology from the University of Oxford. Bastian is the Strategy & Innovation Editor for the Journal of Ecotourism and has recently had articles accepted for publication in top tier journals such as the Journal of Sustainable Tourism and Annals of Tourism Research. He taught in the MTM program as an Affiliate Faculty last year and is eager to teach in the program full-time, engage with community stakeholders, and to work collaboratively with board members to tie industry needs to classroom lessons. His wife, Dr. Jennifer Thomsen will start her second doctorate in CSU’s DVM program this fall and they love to travel and get outdoors with their two border collie rescues, Bella and Zoey.

Dr. Sarah Walker

Dr. Sarah Walker’s research uses an environmental justice lens to investigate the role well-being can play in helping us better understand people’s relationships with their environments. Specifically , she studies human well-being in the context of climate resilience and adaptation in vulnerable communities around the world. Her work also investigates the well-being benefits of spending time in nature. Sarah received her PhD from Colorado State University and is currently completing her post-doctoral training at University of Colorado Boulder. She’s an avid hiker and cyclist, and loves being in the classroom with students.

James (Jim) Wurz

James (Jim) Wurz

Jim Wurz holds a Master of Science in the management of protected areas, is a co- founder and affiliate of the Center for Protected Area Management at Colorado State University, and instructs a variety of courses in CSU's Department of Human Dimensions of Natural Resources. He has provided, and continues to provide, training and technical support to numerous protected area officials, government institutions, and NGOs in the U.S., Latin America, and other parts of the world. His main areas of expertise include planning in protected areas and surrounding lands, tourism management and public use, conservation at the community level, project evaluation, and field management skills.

Lina Xiong

Lina Xiong

Lina Xiong is an assistant professor in the Department of Human Dimensions of Natural Resources. She is also called "Dr. Bear," because her last name in Chinese means bear. Dr. Bear came to the U.S. in 2006 from mainland China. Lina completed her Ph.D. in Business Administration from Temple University in Philadelphia. Before coming to CSU, Dr. Bear had taught many business courses in the College of Business at Marshall University. Her teaching assignment at CSU includes tourism strategic management, tourism marketing, and advanced lodging in the Master of Tourism Management program. She is also responsible for developing several M.T.M. courses in mandarin. Dr. Bear's research interests include service management, internal branding, employee brand motivation, and customer loyalty. She has published several articles in hospitality management journals. Recently, Dr. Bear's dissertation, titled, "Employee Brand Internalization: The Central Route to a Brand Aligned Workforce," has received a Highly Commended Award of the 2014 Emerald/EFMD Outstanding Doctoral Research Awards in the Hospitality Management category. This is a prestigious international annual award presented by Emerald and the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD). She has worked in hospitality and tourism businesses in both China and the U.S.

Degree Minors Open Accordion

Grow your knowledge and focus on a topic that interests you. A degree minor can help you discover new passions and talents, and further specialize your education so you become more marketable to employers. Relevant courses often apply to both major and minor requirements, so a minor can be added without greatly changing your degree plan.

Courses already taken can apply to a minor regardless of when the minor is added to your student record. All minor requirements must be completed prior to graduation.

Undergraduate Minors

Agricultural Business

Build knowledge of production management, financial management, marketing management, international development, and trade through an agricultural lens. To earn the minor, you must complete 21 credits from the following courses:

Required Courses

Select any 15 credits from the following

Anthropology

Get a cross-cultural view of humanity and the broadly conceived dimensions of human behavior. You have the option to focus your anthropology studies on one or more sub-disciplinary divisions, including physical anthropology, archaeology, ethnology, or applied anthropology. To earn the minor, you must complete 22 credits from the following courses:

Business Administration

Computer Science

Add to your knowledge base and feel confident working with fields like computer programming, software development, cyber security, and more.

Required Lower Division Courses

Select one course from the following

Required Upper Division Courses

  • CS courses numbered 300 or above (12 cr.)

Program Total Credits: 24

Please note: Additional Math courses may be required depending on the 300/400 level courses that students choose.

Creative Writing

Explore creative writing in one or more of the following genres: poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction. In addition to broadening your writing repertoire, gain workshop experience at an advanced level. To earn this minor, you must complete a minimum of 21 credits in courses with E or CO subject codes, with at least 15 upper-division credits.

Required Courses

Select one group from the following

Fiction
Poetry
Nonfiction

Upper-Division Electives

Design Thinking

The Minor in Design Thinking provides students with an opportunity to develop creative methods and processes for solving societal problems. This human-centered approach engages users and stakeholders in interdisciplinary co-design processes and applies elementary or emerging technologies to develop prototypes that improve spaces, objects, services, problems and ideas benefitting daily experiences and overall quality of life. Students will gain an awareness of the impact of design thinking and its application – to their major, discipline, or profession. Nancy Richardson Design Center course offerings are available in a mix of online, hybrid, or face-to-face. For a full list of learning opportunities offered by the RDC, please visit the courses page.

To earn the minor in Design Thinking online, you must complete 21 credits from the following courses:

Required Courses

Select any 12 credits from the following:

Note: Some online courses are still in development.

Economics

Gain insight into current socioeconomic problems in the areas of resource allocation, inflation, unemployment, income distribution, environmental degradation, international trade, and monopoly power. This minor prepares you for careers in business management, teaching, government, banking, and public policy. To earn the minor, you must complete 21 credits from the following courses:

Gerontology

Prepare for a variety of careers in gerontology and develop an understanding of the biological, psychological, and social aspects of adult development and aging. This interdisciplinary minor prepares you to fill the need for well-trained professionals to support aging adults, and can be paired with any CSU major.

Required Courses

Electives (3-6 credits)

Global and Environmental Sustainability

Prepare to meet today's pressing environmental challenges with this interdisciplinary minor offered by The School of Global Environmental Sustainability (SoGES). Explore innovative research to understand how to solve problems that arise between humans and the environment. To earn your minor, you must complete 21 credits (12 upper-division credits) from the following courses:

Required Courses

Select one course from each group (A-D)

At least 3 credits must be upper-division (300-400 level). Courses may not satisfy two groups.

Group A: Society and Social Processes (select one)
Group B: Biological and Physical Processes (select one)
Group C: Economy and Profitability (select one)
Group D: Skills (select one)

Upper-Division Elective – select 3 upper-division credits from categories A-D with a subject code not previously taken (3 cr.)

History

Expand the breadth of your knowledge by earning an undergraduate minor in history. Choose from a range of courses based on your interests. This minor may be particularly useful for students who plan to pursue careers in education, public service, government, museums and archives, law, and other professions that require skills in research, writing, and the analysis of information. To earn the history minor, you must complete 21 credits from the following courses. (Note: You must complete at least 12 upper-division credits and 9 lower-division credits).

Select any 9 credits from the following

Select any 12 credits from the following

Horticulture

Growing and managing plants requires you to understand the science and the business of cultivation, and this online bachelor's degree minor emphasizes both. To earn the horticulture minor, you must complete 21 credits from the following courses.

Required courses (14 credits):

Select two courses (for a minimum of 7 credits) from the following:

Human Development and Family Studies

The Human Development and Family Studies minor provides students across all majors with an opportunity to select course work relevant to their career goals. Students will learn about human development at various stages of the lifespan, within the context of diverse families and social identities. This minor offers students the opportunity to expand their thinking about how relationships, family, culture, biological make-up, and environmental factors influence outcomes related to thinking skills, physical health, and social-emotional well-being across the life cycle. Students will gain an awareness of how to optimize their own and other's development in their careers and personal lives. The HDFS department is committed to promoting the success and well-being of students from heterogeneous backgrounds and experiences.

Effective Fall 2023

Students must satisfactorily complete the total credits required for the minor. Minors and interdisciplinary minors require 12 or more upper-division (300- & 400-level) credits. Additional courses may be required due to prerequisites.

Courses from this list may not double-count for the Gerontology Interdisciplinary Minor.

A minimum grade of C (2.000) is required in each course used to satisfy the requirements of the Minor in Human Development and Family Studies. Courses used as substitutions also require a minimum grade of C (2.000).

Required Course:

Electives

Select a minimum of 18 credits from the following (a minimum of 12 credits must be 300-level or higher)

Interdisciplinary Global Studies

Develop an understanding and appreciation of diverse cultures and peoples with courses in international and global history, politics, languages and cultures, economics, and environmental issues. To earn this minor, you must complete 21 credits from the following courses:

Required Courses

Select four courses below

One course from each category, 12 credits total with at least 9 credits in upper-division (300-400) coursework.

History, Politics, and Society
Languages and Cultures
Economy and Environment

Interdisciplinary Information Science and Technology

This interdisciplinary minor is sponsored by departments in different colleges across CSU: Computer Information Systems, Computer Science, English and Journalism and Media Communication. The program is designed for students seeking a broad foundation in information technology, but not seeking to major in a specific information technology-related field. The program requires 21 credits and is open to students majoring in any field other than computer science, computer information systems, and electrical and computer engineering.

Required Course

Elective Courses

Select any 15 credits from the following

Program Total Credits: 21

Note: Nine credits must be from upper-division courses. A minimum of six credits must be completed from at least two subject codes.

Machine Learning

Media Studies

Understand the role and influence of mass media in American society and other cultures by studying media and film history, criticism, law, ethics, social effects, cultural consequences, and multicultural and international media issues. To earn the minor, you must complete 21 credits from the following courses:

Required Courses

Select any 15 credits from the following

Political Science

Gain a foundation in political theory and prepare for careers in law, teaching in the social sciences, journalism, and public service. To earn the minor, you must complete 21 credits from the following courses:

Required Courses

Select six credits from the following

Select nine credits of upper division classes from the following

Science Communication

The minor in Science Communication is designed to educate highly qualified communicators who have interests in specialized academic disciplines and career fields. Because science often involves complicated research and processes, communicating the results of that work requires special skills. This program is designed to prepare students for a wide range of niche career opportunities in media, corporate communication, science-related industries, and scientific environments.

Required Courses

Select two courses from the following:

Sociology

How to Add a Minor

Please connect with your assigned advisor to request to add a minor. Note that you must apply and be admitted to the University for a bachelor's degree program before you can add a minor to your student record. Once you are admitted, one or more minors may be added to your student record.


Undergraduate Certificates

Design Thinking Certificate

Open to all undergraduate students, the Certificate in Design Thinking will improve not only the way students learn and find solutions to problems in their current coursework, but will also help make students more employable with sought-after marketable skills. Students will gain an awareness of the impact of design thinking and its application – regardless of discipline, profession, or major. Nancy Richardson Design Center course offerings are available in a mix of online, hybrid, or face-to-face. For a full list of learning opportunities offered by the RDC, please visit the courses page.

To earn the certificate in Design Thinking online, you must complete 12 credits from the following courses:

Required Course

Select any 9 credits from the following:

Note: Some online courses are still in development.

Integrated Pest Management

The undergraduate Certificate in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) will equip students with in-depth knowledge of principles of integrated management of pest insects, weeds, and diseases associated with managed and natural landscapes. The students will learn about principles underlying integrated pest management, become familiar with key pests, and learn how to apply IPM in managed landscapes with a goal of minimizing environmental and economic impacts of pest control. This certificate is an excellent choice for students interested in entering the workforce immediately after graduation, as well as professionals that require certification in IPM. The certificate will prepare the students for careers in crop protection, pest management education and policy, among others.

Required Courses:

Select a minimum of 4 courses from the following:

Macroeconomics

The Certificate in Macroeconomics will educate students in the key ideas, tools, and policies of macroeconomics. Major ideas include the causes and consequences of economic growth, unemployment, inflation, and the changing distribution of income, both in the U.S. and internationally. Students will develop both theoretical and analytical skills that are highly valued by employers.

Required Courses

Select a minimum of 6 credits from the following:

Program Total Credits: 9

Spanish for Animal Health and Care

For students interested in working in animal science, veterinary medicine, or related fields, this certificate program teaches intermediate-level Spanish for use in agricultural and animal care settings. Learn to communicate in Spanish about livestock, equine, and small animal breeds, give directions for animal care and handling, issue instructions for safety and drug administration, and more.

Courses

Seed Science and Technology

Prepare for a career as a seed analyst with online courses in seed technology. These courses, led by Colorado State University and supported by three other major universities (Iowa State University, Virginia Tech, and the University of Kentucky) and the Crop Science Society of America, offer a comprehensive overview of seed analysis, a technical skill requiring patience, attention to detail, and a scientific understanding of seed biology. After completion, you will be prepared to complete the examinations to become a Registered Seed Technologist.

Courses

Note: Additional study and testing is required to become a Certified Seed Analyst or Registered Seed Technologist.

How to Apply Open Accordion

Application Deadlines

Fall semester August 1
Spring semester January 1
Summer semester May 1

Start your application online and upload materials directly into the online system. You can save your progress and return any time.

Apply Now

Planning to transfer credits from another college or university? Please review our FAQ page, then complete a Tentative Transfer Evaluation Form to see how your prior credits may transfer.

1 Review Admission Requirements

Refer to admissions.colostate.edu/apply/ for details about who we look for in our individual review process

2 Talk with a Student Success Coach

Call or email our student success team to find out if the program is a good fit for your goals. Our coaches are available Monday-Friday to help you find the right program and navigate the application process.

Student Success Coach: Kyle Yates
Phone: (970) 682-7252
Email: KC.Yates@colostate.edu

Schedule Time to Talk

3 Complete Online Application

Complete Colorado State University's online undergraduate application and pay any associated nonrefundable application processing fee (payable online) or waiver (if eligible).

  • Select "Natural Resource Tourism — online degree program" when choosing major.

Online applications must be submitted before 5 p.m. (Mountain Time) on the deadline date. If you miss the application deadline, you may still register for courses to begin your program of study as a non-degree student. Students seeking Federal financial aid must be admitted prior to enrolling.

4 Apply for Financial Aid (Optional)

Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Use FAFSA code 001350. Additional financial aid information is also available.

5 Check Your Application Status

View your application status at any time to ensure your application checklist is complete or to check on updates.

Admissions decisions are made on a rolling basis and may take up to six weeks during high volume application periods.

Questions? Call (970) 682-7252 or email Kyle Yates.

Questions?

We love learning about your goals and answering any questions you have.

Kyle Yates
Prospective Student Support Coach
Schedule Time to Talk

Program Details

Courses
Credits
120
Tuition
$476 per credit
Same in-state tuition for all.
Learn more about financial aid and scholarships Tuition/fees are just part of the cost to attend CSU. Learn more about the full Cost of Attendance
Degree Awarded
Bachelor of Science in Natural Resource Tourism, Natural Resource Tourism Concentration
Time Frame
Varies based on intensity of study and previous coursework
Admission Reqs.

Application Dates

Fall semester
June 1*
Spring semester
November 1*
Summer semester
May 1*
*Note: Application dates may vary depending on student status. Learn more.

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