Writing in the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources

The Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources (RSENR) is a program at the University of Vermont designed to allow students to explore many varied topics in environment and the human-nature interaction. It encompasses multiple majors: Environmental Studies (although CALS and CAS both also have different Environmental Studies majors); Environmental Science; Forestry; Wildlife and Fisheries Biology; Parks, Recreation and Tourism; Natural Resource Ecology; and Natural Resource Planning. Students of all majors within the Rubenstein School will be exposed to a wide range of writing assignments throughout their studies as part of their core requirements.

On this page you can find an overview of the Rubenstein School’s Core Curriculum to provide a context for the purposes and goals of writing done for core classes.

The other pages in this section include a collection of tips and insights specific to several of the main kinds of writing you may encounter in a natural resources course, both within the core classes (that everyone has to take) and within major-specific courses.

What Makes a Paper for RSENR good?

The RSENR “Communication Rubric, Part A” (PDF, new tab) explains what skills students are expected to develop through the writing that they do for Rubenstein’s Core Curriculum Classes. This rubric is useful to refer to when students are unsure of what makes a “good” paper in the Rubenstein School.

What Skills Are Needed to Write in RSENR? What Role does Writing Play within the Curriculum?

The RSENR Core Curriculum Infographic (PDF, new tab) illustrates how each of the core classes within the Rubenstein School (the classes that every Rubenstein student is required to take) build upon one another to help students meet certain learning outcomes. These learning outcomes are certain areas of knowledge and certain skills that students are supposed to obtain in order to graduate with a degree from the Rubenstein School. It is important that students and tutors are aware of these learning outcomes as they work on writing for RSENR. Writing shows the professor that the student is developing these skills and knowledge sets, and it allows students to reflect on their own development.