The Certificate in Military Sustainability is a unique web-based graduate program (non-thesis) that provides students with an understanding of the interrelationships among ecology, economics, policy and culture, as factors that influence natural resource conservation and management on military lands.
The program is comprised of coursework in three integrated, multidisciplinary thematic areas of emphasis: land management, policy analysis and development, and cultural competencies and conflict management. The Certificate in Military Sustainability requires the completion of a minimum of 14 graduate credit hours, and serves to either complement existing professional graduate degrees offered in the Departments of Ecosystem Sciences and Management (TAMU) and Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences (TAMU) or can be obtained as a certifcate only. The certificate program and associated graduate degrees employ full use of cyber-learning strategies to afford the greatest flexibility to prospective students, allowing them to pursue a graduate degree without having to be physically located on-campus. TAMU degrees that can accompany the certificate include: Master in Natural Resource Development, Master in Wildlife Science, and Master in Agriculture in Rangeland Ecology and Management. The Certificate in Military Sustainability program is administered through the Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute.
The Department of Defense (DoD) is a significant federal land user (>30 million acres) in providing U.S. military with realistic training and testing environments. The management of military lands offers unique career opportunities to prospective natural resource graduates, particularly veterans and active military interested in natural resource careers. Management of military lands requires graduates with broad skills in natural resource sustainability concepts to include training in regional planning, policy development and implementations, and cultural competencies and conflict management. A flexible, web-based program offers prospective students with the necessary coursework and research or work-related experiences to prepare them for such careers.
Texas A&M University has been formally recognized as a "Military Friendly School" for its participation in the nation's new GI Bill and related endeavors. Founded in 1876 as a military academy, Texas A&M has a proud, long-standing tradition of association with the military and has one of the nation's largest ROTC programs outside the service academies. For questions about federal or state veteran's benefits, contact the Veteran Services Office.