Gain an interdisciplinary education to address complex environmental problems.
The Bachelor of Science program in Conservation and Resource Studies in the Rausser College of Natural Resources is an interdisciplinary program designed for students interested in environmental issues and areas of interaction among natural resources, population, energy, technology, societal institutions, and cultural values.
Offered by the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, the CRS major features a flexible, individualized educational approach to understanding the structure and dynamic functions of complex environmental systems within our society and biosphere. Because CRS students draw on the course offerings of the entire campus, they are able to tap into the social sciences, biological sciences, physical sciences, and humanities to address real-world complexity and the resulting issues. A minor in Conservation and Resource Studies is also offered.
Highlights
- Get involved with the Conservation and Resource Studies Student Organization.
- Learn how to be a Rausser scientist in NATRES 76.
- Gain field skills through the California Ecology and Conservation program.
Curriculum
Lower division requirements for the Conservation and Resource Studies major include courses in environmental sciences, physical science, biology, calculus or statistics, and social sciences. Students will be guided in self-selecting eight upper division elective courses (for their Area of Interest) from departments all across campus.
All students are required to complete a series of three core classes. In ESPM 90, students work with faculty and mentors to self design and select their area of interest electives. ESPM 100 introduces students to a broad range of environmental problems and real life solutions through hands-on learning and exposure to environmental professionals in the field. In ESPM 194A, students culminate their individualized CRS studies into a seminar presented to their peers.
Learn more at nature.berkeley.edu/advising/majors/conservation-and-resource-studies
About ESPM
The Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management is a multidisciplinary program that recognizes the urgency of the challenges facing our environment, and the enormous opportunities that may lead to transformative change. We have award-winning faculty in climate science, biodiversity, environmental policy, land use, and community outreach—all driven by a collective interest in our environmental future.
Declaring the Major
First-year and transfer students accepted to UC Berkeley and who selected Conservation and Resource Studies on their undergraduate admissions application will be admitted directly to the Rausser College of Natural Resources and the CRS major (no declaration required).
If you are currently a Rausser student and wish to declare a new major within the college, you must meet with the advisor for your intended major after completing the requirements to declare. If you are a UC Berkeley student in another college, you must meet the requirements to change into Rausser and declare a new major.
Conservation and Resource Studies students are well prepared for graduate school or a range of career opportunities in public agencies, non-profit organizations, or private companies. Students may pursue careers in fields such as environmental consulting, education, health, or law; conservation and environmental studies; community, urban, or regional planning; and other related areas of environmentalism. Employers often are impressed by undergraduates who can demonstrate a clear focus and strong organizational skills, which the individualized CRS program fosters in our graduates.
UC Berkeley offers a number of career resources for students studying Conservation and Resource Studies. Rausser College partners with Berkeley Career Engagement to help students access resources, events, and professional opportunities related to their studies. Additionally, Berkeley Career Engagement provides career counseling, professional and graduate school advising, job and internship listings, and events such as career and graduate school fairs.
Employment
Alumni find employment in a variety of fields and industries after graduation. Examples include:
- Agricultural Pest Surveyor
- AmeriCorps Teacher
- Biology Technician
- City Planner
- Community Ambassador
- Environmental Consultant
- Environmental Protection Specialist
- Environmental Technology Specialist
- Health and Garden Instructor
- Marketing/Project Analyst
- Public Service Fellow
- Renewable Energy Analyst
- Restoration Technician
- Sustainability Analyst
Graduate Study
Alumni pursue graduate education to gain more depth of knowledge in their field as well as prepare for jobs that require advanced degrees. Examples include:
- City and Regional Planning
- Earth System Science
- Ecology
- Education
- Environmental Science and Management
- Geography
- Law
- Public Health
Amelia, class of 2025
Amelia Jarolim’s love for environmental science, conservation, and sustainability began at UC Berkeley where she studied Conservation and Resource Studies with a focus on wildlife ecology and biology. After an internship at San Francisco International Airport, she realized zero waste was a field she was passionate about. After Berkeley, Amelia joined AmeriCorps as a Zero Waste Fellow with UCSF's Health Sustainability team, where she helped steward environmental protection through zero-waste efforts.
First Year
Plan Your Studies
- Familiarize yourself with the CRS major; check out the Major Snapshot and Sample Degree Plans.
- Meet with your college advisor to discuss your academic plans.
- Begin lower division social science, environmental science, and calculus/statistics; enroll in NATRES 76 How to Be a Rausser CNR Scientist.
- Join Berkeley Connect for 1:1 mentoring and to meet peers with shared interests.
- Discover new interests in a Freshman Seminar, Berkeley Changemaker, or DeCal course.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Explore the Rausser Student Resource Center and Virtual Bulletin Board.
- Join a Rausser student group like the CRS Student Organization.
- Visit Berkeley Discovery to get started with research, entrepreneurship, public service, and creative projects.
- Find support from the Student Learning Center and Biology Scholars Program.
- Learn how to prepare for office hours and build relationships with faculty.
- Live and learn in the Global Environment Theme House.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Visit UHS Career Counseling and Berkeley Career Engagement.
- Start exploring career paths for the major; check out the CRS Career Snapshot.
- Begin making a plan to get career ready.
- Create or update your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- Start using Handshake to connect with career events and opportunities.
Second Year
Plan Your Studies
- Continue with lower division requirements in biology, social science and physical science; take ESPM 90 in spring.
- Continue exploring with a Sophomore Seminar or Big Ideas course.
- Look into study abroad and learning a foreign language; see options in Environmental Sciences abroad.
- Enrich your studies with a certificate or minor such as CalTeach or Public Policy.
- Decide on an area of interest.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Attend Rausser and ESPM events like the Department Seminar Series.
- Develop your skills in the Berkeley Student Leadership Academy.
- Explore research opportunities from Rausser and OURS; apply to SPUR or URAP to work on a faculty project.
- Browse programs from the Student Environmental Resource Center.
- Connect with student resources from the Berkeley Climate Change Network.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Meet with a BCE career educator to discuss career options and goals.
- Build your network and explore career fields via job shadowing and informational interviews.
- Pursue an internship to build skills and explore fields; apply for the Rausser Summer Internship Grant.
- Browse graduate school resources from the Graduate Division and BCE.
Third Year
Plan Your Studies
- Begin upper division coursework in your Area of Interest.
- Review your degree progress with your college advisor.
- Spend a term off-campus with UCDC or a field program at Gump Station or UC Nature reserve.
- Consider applying to the Rausser College Honors Program; look into Haas Scholars.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Welcome new students to Berkeley as a Golden Bear Orientation Leader.
- Help other students as a Rausser Peer Advisor.
- Check out the Public Service Internship, College Corps, and Haas Public Service Leaders Program.
- Address real-world problems in the Fung Fellowship or Big Ideas Contest.
- Get involved with the Lawrence Hall of Science or Berkeley Natural History Museums.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Speak with faculty, advisors, and career educators about post-graduate options.
- Join a professional association such as Epsilon Eta.
- Interested in public service careers? Look into the John Gardner Fellowship, Huntington Award, and Truman Scholarship.
- Connect with alumni groups like Rausser Alumni.
Fourth Year
Plan Your Studies
- Enroll in ESPM 100 in the fall and ESPM 194A in your last semester.
- Complete remaining upper division coursework for your Area of Interest.
- Enroll in ESPM H196 if doing the honors program; join a thesis writing workshop at the Student Learning Center.
- Complete any remaining degree requirements and prepare for graduation.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Interested in teaching? Give it a try by facilitating your own DeCal course.
- Submit a course research project for the Library Prize, American Cultures Student Prize, or other awards.
- Present at a Rausser Research Showcase or outside conference with the Conference Travel Grant.
- Get published! Submit your work to Perennial: The Undergraduate Environmental Journal of Berkeley.
- Pursue a special project after graduation with the Stronach Prize.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Check in with a BCE career educator.
- Apply to graduate school or post-graduate programs.
- Meet employers at info sessions, on-campus recruiting, and career fairs like the Nonprofit, Environment and Public Service Career Fair.
- Utilize job search tools from BCE and apply for job opportunities.
- Learn about alumni career services.
Summer
- Make progress on degree requirements with a Summer Sessions course like ESPM 50AC, 152, or 163AC.
- Learn the art of STEM communication in ENGIN 185 Science Writing.
- Gain field skills through the Forestry Field Camp or California Ecology and Conservation.
- Go abroad through UCEAP or Berkeley Study Abroad.
- Conduct research with support from SPUR or UC Nature.
- Pursue a summer minor or certificate such as Data Science, Journalism, or Sustainable Business and Policy.
- Consider a summer internship with Cal in the Capital, Cal in Sacramento, or Berkeley Global Internships.
- Apply to the GiGS program to learn about graduate school.
First Semester
Plan Your Studies
- Get your bearings with L&S 198 Transitioning to Cal.
- Familiarize yourself with the CRS major; check out the Major Snapshot and Sample Degree Plans.
- Meet with your college advisor to discuss your academic plans and intended area of interest.
- Begin core classes (ESPM 90 and 100) and an upper division course in your Area of Interest.
- Join Berkeley Connect for 1:1 mentoring and to meet peers with shared interests.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Explore the Rausser Student Resource Center and Virtual Bulletin Board.
- Join a Rausser student group like the CRS Student Organization.
- Visit Berkeley Discovery to get started with research, entrepreneurship, public service, and creative projects.
- Find support from the Student Learning Center and Biology Scholars Program.
- Learn how to prepare for office hours and build relationships with faculty.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Visit UHS Career Counseling and Berkeley Career Engagement.
- Start exploring career paths for the major; check out the CRS Career Snapshot.
- Create or update your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- Use Handshake to start connecting with career events and opportunities.
- Meet with a BCE career educator to discuss career options and goals.
Second Semester
Plan Your Studies
- Focus on upper division coursework for your Area of Interest.
- Look into study abroad and learning a foreign language; see options in Environmental Sciences abroad.
- Enrich your studies with a certificate or minor such as CalTeach or Public Policy.
- Consider applying to the Rausser College Honors Program; look into Haas Scholars.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Attend Rausser and ESPM events like the Department Seminar Series.
- Check out the Public Service Internship, College Corps, and Haas Public Service Leaders Program.
- Explore research opportunities from Rausser and OURS; apply to SPUR or URAP to work on a faculty project.
- Browse programs from the Student Environmental Resource Center.
- Connect with student resources from the Berkeley Climate Change Network.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Build your network and explore career fields via job shadowing and informational interviews.
- Pursue an internship to build skills and explore fields; apply for the Rausser Summer Internship Grant.
- Browse graduate school resources from the Graduate Division and BCE.
- Speak with faculty, advisors, and career educators about post-graduate options.
Third Semester
Plan Your Studies
- Continue with upper division Area of Interest courses.
- Review your degree progress with your college advisor.
- Spend a term off-campus with UCDC or a field program at Gump Station or UC Nature reserve.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Welcome new students to Berkeley as a Golden Bear Orientation Leader.
- Help other students as a Rausser Peer Advisor or Transfer Student Center Leader.
- Develop your skills in the Berkeley Student Leadership Academy.
- Address real-world problems in the Fung Fellowship or Big Ideas Contest.
- Get involved with the Lawrence Hall of Science or Berkeley Natural History Museums.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Check in with a BCE career educator.
- Join a professional association such as Epsilon Eta.
- Interested in public service careers? Look into the John Gardner Fellowship, Huntington Award, and Truman Scholarship.
- Apply to graduate school or post-graduate programs.
Fourth Semester
Plan Your Studies
- Enroll in ESPM 194 and finish upper division coursework for your Area of Interest.
- Enroll in ESPM H196 if doing the honors program; join a thesis writing workshop at the Student Learning Center.
- Complete any remaining degree requirements and prepare for graduation.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Interested in teaching? Give it a try by facilitating your own DeCal course.
- Submit a course research project for the Library Prize, American Cultures Student Prize, or other awards.
- Present at a Rausser Research Showcase or outside conference with the Conference Travel Grant.
- Get published! Submit your work to Perennial: The Undergraduate Environmental Journal of Berkeley.
- Pursue a special project after graduation with the Stronach Prize.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Connect with alumni groups like Rausser Alumni.
- Meet employers at info sessions, on-campus recruiting, and career fairs like the Nonprofit, Environment and Public Service Career Fair.
- Utilize job search tools from BCE and apply for job opportunities.
- Learn about alumni career services.
Summer
- Make progress on degree requirements with a Summer Sessions course like ESPM 50AC, 152, or 163AC.
- Learn the art of STEM communication in ENGIN 185 Science Writing.
- Gain field skills through the Forestry Field Camp or California Ecology and Conservation.
- Go abroad through UCEAP or Berkeley Study Abroad.
- Conduct research with support from SPUR or UC Nature.
- Pursue a summer minor or certificate such as Data Science, Journalism, or Sustainable Business and Policy.
- Consider a summer internship with Cal in the Capital, Cal in Sacramento, or Berkeley Global Internships.
- Apply to the GiGS program to learn about graduate school.
Undergraduate Advising
Have questions about Conservation and Resource Studies or the Rausser College of Natural Resources?
Rausser College provides undergraduate advising to prospective and current undergraduate students. College Advisors are available on a drop-in and appointment basis to assist students with course enrollment and academic planning, explain college and university policies and procedures, and connect students to faculty and other campus student resources. Peer Advising Leaders are trained in understanding college and University requirements, policies, and procedures, and offer personal viewpoints and experiences to current and prospective students.
Advising services are available in 260 Mulford Hall in the Office of Instruction and Student Affairs. For advising hours and contacts, visit nature.berkeley.edu/advising/undergraduate-advising or email advising.rcnr@berkeley.edu.
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