We are excited you are interested in pursuing a career that will work to conserve our vital natural resources! While providing you with the most well-balanced education in the South, the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources strives to provide excellent support, both academically and financially. Whether you are a first-year UGA student or are transferring from another college or university, our dedicated student affairs staff is always willing to help you get the most from your academic experience. Undergraduate Academic Advising Each semester, all of our students are advised on their academic program in order to register for the following semester. Advising for spring and summer classes takes place in the fall, while advising for fall classes takes place each spring. Students new to UGA are advised during orientation before their first term. Pre-Professional and Professional Students As a student, you will be considered “pre-professional” and “professional,” depending on your year and declaration of major. If you are new to UGA and have an interest in a Warnell program, you are considered “pre-professional.” While you may take core courses that support your major, some courses are restricted until you declare your major. The student and career services coordinator advises pre-professional students, helping you stay on track for entering the Warnell professional program and complete all graduation requirements. Pre-professional students may make an advising appointment through the SAGE system. Professional students have declared their major and may register for courses that contribute to their area of study. Once you enter the professional program, you are assigned a faculty mentor based on your area of interest. Each fall or spring term, professional students must be cleared first through the staff advisor (Matt Head) in one of two ways: You may submit a proposed schedule for review. If the staff advisor approves the schedule, you will be cleared to meet with your faculty mentor. Otherwise, you may make an appointment with the staff advisor to develop your schedule, and after that appointment you will be cleared to see your faculty mentor. Then, you must meet with your faculty mentor, who will help with selecting electives and provide career advice. Once you have been cleared first through your staff advisor and then through your faculty mentor, you will be cleared to register. The ideal time for advisement in both the pre-professional and professional programs is between the third week of the semester and the midpoint. You must be advised for each term for which you intend to register Academic Counseling and Support We are invested in the success of all our students. That is why we offer several resources for anyone having academic difficulties or hardships outside the classroom. Academic Difficulties? We invite students having difficulties to meet with Dr. Gary T. Green, our assistant dean of student services. UGA’s division of Academic Enhancement also offers free tutoring, counseling and other academic support. Personal hardships? You may also find individualized assistance with hardship or distress through UGA’s Office of Student Care and Outreach. This office also provides support to parents reaching out on behalf of their students, as well as faculty and staff working with students in distress. Learn more about the services offered by Student Care and Outreach. You may appeal degree requirements to Warnell’s Undergraduate Affairs Appeals subcommittee. Learn about the appeal policies on our Student Resources page. Scholarships Thanks to the generosity of alumni and friends of Warnell, our students can access a variety of scholarships to assist with paying for their education. Announcements for scholarship applications are sent out to Warnell students via email at the start of each spring semester. Incoming freshmen also have opportunities to apply for scholarships—look for this information during UGA Orientation and via email. Scholarship recipients are honored at our annual Spring Awards Banquet in April. Learn more about our scholarship opportunities Undergraduate Writing Program Warnell provides a full-time writing coach to work with all our professional students as they work toward graduation. We understand that your success as a natural resources professional is connected to your ability to communicate effectively, and so our writing instructor works with classes and individuals to hone these skills. Our writing instructor typically works with two classes each semester, meeting with students on several different writing assignments in each class. Instruction is entirely one-on-one, which allows the instructor to tailor the program to each student’s needs. Students turn in preliminary drafts of their papers to the writing instructor a day ahead of their scheduled tutorial conference; the instructor reads and edits the drafts, offering suggestions for improved grammar, punctuation, structure, and style. The student then has the opportunity to make revisions before turning in a final draft to the professor. We are committed to helping today’s students become tomorrow’s leaders in the field of natural resources, and our writing program is quiet affirmation that communicating effectively speaks volumes, not only about individuals, but also the institutions they attend. Writing Tutorials A Writing Resource Guide for Warnell Students Affect vs. Effect (animated): Affect vs. Effect (download PDF): i.e. vs. e.g. (download PDF): Scientific Literature (download PDF): So vs. So That (download PDF): That vs. Which (download PDF): Myself (download PDF): Who vs. Whom (download PDF): Paragraphs (download PDF): Academic Honesty (download PDF): Data Literacy Program In addition to writing, our graduates must enter the workforce with solid research skills and an understanding of data. This is why Warnell incorporates a faculty-level data specialist to work alongside students as they conduct classroom research and learn new techniques. Students get hands-on instruction in collecting data in the field, setting up data sheets, drafting projects, and analyzing numbers. As a result, our program helps to build habits of thinking both forward and backward in collecting and reporting data. Our data literacy instructor works with 2000-level courses, at the start of your Warnell journey, to incorporate a foundation of data visualization and understanding into your work. Our instructor is also available for project consultations as you move through the program and develop a mastery of research. Data literacy skills that we strive to teach through this program include: Project set-up and data collection Project analysis and execution Use of software such as Excel, R and other statistical products An understanding of the “why” behind the numbers Creating and working with models Understanding and identifying holes in data sets Designing clear and meaningful data visualizations Communicating data-driven insights and conclusions Interpreting data for decision-making Career Services Through hands-on experiences and rigorous labs, our curriculum prepares you for a successful career in forestry and natural resources management and conservation. But, we realize that in order to find a rewarding career, actual work experience is vital! That’s why we have a full-time student & career services coordinator to help students and alumni find employment opportunities and prepare for the interview process. Our career placement services include: Notifying students of possible job and internship opportunities Maintenance of the Warnell Job Board Assistance with resumes, cover letters, interview skills, and business etiquette Hosting professionals on campus for lectures and interviews Providing networking opportunities such as career fairs and Roundtable Aid in Federal application preparation, including KSAs and Federal resume writing We also offer a course, Professional Development for Natural Resources (FANR 3950), that helps improve your oral and written communications skills. This 3-hour course places an emphasis on preparation for a career in natural resources, and teaches proper business etiquette and communication techniques that will allow you to be confident in a variety of professional settings, including networking events, interviews, and speaking engagements.
