From a Ryan Brady Photo
Outdoor Education Natural History Major

At Northland College

Outdoor Education Program web site: http://www.northland.edu/oe

Major Advisor: Associate Professor Clayton T. Russell

E-mail: crussell@northland.edu

Phone: (715) 682-1491

Graduate Profile

Work in community, state and national parks and forests, regional and community nature centers, museums, environmental learning centers, county, state, tribal and national natural resource agencies, zoos, wildlife sanctuaries and rehabilitation centers, regional and national visitor centers, living history sites

Teaching and Facilitating traditional outdoor skills, natural and cultural history instruction and interpretation, environmental education, phenology and place-based activities, outdoor recreation activities, leading nature walks, group formation, group and individual journal skills

Adapting teaching strategies, outdoor classroom spaces, outdoor programs to serve specific needs of the student, recreational activities to be inclusive of mixed ability groups

Work with schools, youth and community groups, scouts and a wide variety of citizens of all abilities and ages

Earn salaries comparable to teachers, non-formal educators plus work with enthusiastic participants in a wide variety of inspirational settings

For the purpose of sharing inspirational natural and cultural history stories with a wide variety of audiences, helping land and water resource managers shape educational messages, preparing participants for meaningful activities in the out of doors and preparing citizens to become aware, knowledgeable and skilled members of society willing to defend, improve and sustain the quality of the natural world for both present and future generations.

Additional Options

Consider an academic minor, an internship, or a well-chosen set of electives to enhance your career options

Career and graduate school options for Natural History majors are enhanced when you add course work in a complimentary field of study such as Natural Resources, Earth Science, Biology, Business, Environmental Education, or a well-chosen set of electives within the outdoor education program.  Talk with the major advisor about complimentary ways to enhance the strength of your degree.

Go to Graduate School in natural history, natural science, environmental education, teacher education, outdoor education or recreation, biology, adventure education and leadership, natural resources, sustainability and interpretation.

Career Ideas

Become an outdoor educator skilled in natural history interpretation and instruction, a wilderness educator, wild lands ranger or interpreter, a recreation program coordinator, a teacher on a museum, nature center or environmental learning center

Search the Web

Northland College Outdoor Education Web Resources

http://www.northland.edu/oe Job hunting resources, employment opportunities, internship opportunities, graduate in the workforce

General Outdoor Education Web Resources

http://www.outdoored.com/ Jobs, articles, list serves, important professional information

http://www.aee.org Association for Experiential Education web site

http://www.coeo.org Council of Outdoor Educators of Ontario web site

Natural History Web Resources

http://www.mnh.si.edu/ Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History 

http://www.naturalhistorymag.com/ Natural History Magazine 

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/portal Natural History Museum in the United Kingdom with library services 

http://www.orionsociety.org Orion, the Magazine of culture, Creativity and Change 

http://www.canoemuseum.net Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough, Ontario 

www.uwm.edu/Dept/MassComm/Olson/contents.htm The Sigurd Olson Web Site

Environmental Education Web Resources

http://eelink.umich.edu/ Environmental Education resources on the internet 

http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/waee Wisconsin Association for Environmental Education 

http://epa.gov/enviroed Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Education 

http://webdirectory.com/education National Center for Environmental Education and Training  

http://www.naaee.org North American Association for Environmental Education 

http://www.eetap.org Environmental Education and Training Partnership 

http://www.nwf.org/education EE from the National Wildlife Federation 

http://www.deh.gov.au/education Australia’s Education for a Sustainable Future program

Graduate Studies

http://programs.gradschools.com/usa/outdoor_education.html access to many Outdoor Education graduate programs in the US

http://eddept.antiochne.edu Graduate program in education at Antioch, New England

http://stats.bls.gov/oco/ocos065.htm Archivists, Curators and Museum Technicians

http://www.uncg.edu/hpms/grad_degrees.html Historic Preservation and Museum Studies