Outcome Statements for Resource Economics and Commerce Majors

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We welcome you to the Department of Environmental and Natural Resource Economics (ENRE) in the College of the Environment and Life Sciences. By the time you graduate, we in the College and this department have every expectation that your education at URI will provide you with the critical knowledge, skills, and perspectives that will foster your success during the next phases of your life.

We ask that you dedicate yourself to learning while you are here at URI. The rewards will be countless. Your URI studies and your co-curricular experiences will help you to:

• build a solid base of knowledge in the major you choose,
• communicate effectively with the people you will encounter in your work and personal life, and
• develop awareness and perspective regarding your personal engagement as a member of the global community.

Your professors in ENRE have established the following list of expectations for your learning here at URI. Please study the list and use it as a road map for your education. Review it on a regular basis and discuss it with your academic advisor. You will be amazed at your educational progress each semester and with your level of achievement at the conclusion of your undergraduate studies.

We wish you all the best during your years with us in the College of the Environment and Life Sciences!

KNOWLEDGE

DEPTH AND APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE- You will acquire knowledge and the skills necessary to obtain or pursue a professional position or graduate training in your discipline. By the time you complete your education you will have the

knowledge of:

1. Microeconomics
2. Resource Economics/ Bioeconomics
3. Trade in environmental and natural resource products
4. International trade issues
5. Management and Policy Issues
6. Environmental Economics
7. Macroeconomics

ability to:

1. Evaluate policy decisions
2. Create basic models
3. Analyze data
4. Identify major contemporary  policy and management strategies employed
5. Bring relevant environmental issues into an economic context
6. Distinguish between the challenges of working with renewable vs. non-renewable resources

QUANTITATIVE COMPETENCE- You will identify and use appropriate quantitative methods to analyze economic, social, and environmental phenomena. By the time you complete your education you will have the

knowledge of:

1. Mathematical and statistical concepts
2. Graphical analysis
3. Econometrics
4. Benefit-Cost analysis
5. Economic modeling and Simulation
6. Experimental Economics

ability to:

1. Use computational and analytical tools to evaluate data
2. Use analysis to draw conclusions and make judgments concerning effectiveness and policy implications
3. Use benefit-cost analysis to value policy and management options
4. Determine economic efficiency

METHODS OF INQUIRY- You will understand and use methods of inquiry appropriate to your discipline. By the time you complete your education you will have the

knowledge of:

1. The scientific method
2. Experimental economics and its uses
3. Various survey techniques

ability to:

1. Formulate and test hypotheses
2. Recognize the shortcomings of different approaches
3. Determine the best quantitative method for individual problems
4. Incorporate biological data into economic analysis

PROBLEM-SOLVING- You will use acquired knowledge, skills, and ingenuity to solve complex problems.  By the time you complete your education you will have the

knowledge of:

1. A range of problem solving strategies

ability to:

2. Distinguish among different problem solving strategies
3. Use observation, experimentation, simulation, and models to gain knowledge
4. Formulate and test hypotheses using environmental and economic data
5. Recognize methodological limitations
6. Build on present knowledge to develop appropriate problem-solving strategies
7. Evaluate results and refine strategies accordingly

COMMUNICATION

INFORMATION MAMAGEMENT-You will be able to gather and interpret information from diverse sources. By the time you complete your education you will be able to

1. Locate, compile, and organize information using a variety of techniques and current technologies
2. Evaluate various sources of information
3. Use appropriate software such as Excel

COMMUNICATION- You will communicate clearly and effectively using a variety of methods. By the time you complete your education you will be able to

1. Speak in an articulate manner and present your ideas and knowledge clearly
2. Write logically and effectively for diverse audiences
3. Use appropriate software, such as PowerPoint, for graphic communication
4. Be able to listen successfully and respond appropriately
5. Be able to convey complex ideas in resource economics to laypersons

MULTIDISCIPLINARY PERSPECTIVE- You will recognize the value of, and participate in, multidisciplinary teams. By the time you complete your education you will be able to

1. Understand the perspectives and scope of related disciplines
2. Interact effectively with peers and professionals in related fields

PERSONAL GROWTH

ETHICAL PRINCIPLES- You will understand and apply ethical principles to issues, problems, and professional practices. By the time you complete your education you will be able to

1. Be conversant in the ethical standards in the field

GLOBAL AWARENESS- Develop an awareness of global community and ecology in physical, biological, and social dimensions. By the time you complete your education you will

1. Become familiar with economic and ecological systems and how and why they change
2. Recognize the diversity of human cultures and how their relationships to local and global ecosystems effects practices, policies, and outcomes

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT- develop a sense of responsibility to self, community, and society. By the time you complete your education you will be able to

1. Recognize the value of being a contributing member of your community and society
2. Use reflection and self-evaluation to set goals for personal improvement
3. Gain an understanding of differences among diverse populations