Programs in range science and management teach people how to use and protect the grasslands where livestock graze. Students learn the food needs of grazing animals. They learn the characteristics of land. They also study soil science and learn to identify plants that can make animals sick.

"Home on the Range" refers to times when cowboys worked and camped on forage land with animals that produced food for people. In contemporary times, ranchers either graze their animals on open pasture or raise them in feedlots. When consumers hear the term "free range," they expect that the animals have foraged in open pasture. Cowboys still use horses to drive cattle, but more rarely.

Range science includes the study of lands that are set aside for wildlife forage, such as reserves and national parks. Your course work usually is in a variety of areas, including animal and wildlife science, biology, botany, and ecology. Specific range science courses teach you ways to conserve and protect lands that remain in use for grazing. Other courses focus on livestock production and how this affects wildlife and the quality of water and soil nutrients. You also take management and economics courses.

With a degree in range science, you can work for farms and ranches as a rangeland manager. You can also work for national and state parks as a wildlife or habitat manager or a conservationist. Many people also work as researchers and land use planners. In addition, you can work for federal land management or conservation agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, or Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Every state has a land grant college that offers agricultural science programs. Many other colleges and universities also offer degrees or courses in agriculture. When two-year colleges offer certificate and associate's degree programs, students can often transfer the credits to a four-year school.

Graduate study is possible in this field, but very few schools offer programs. Looking to agricultural business or similar programs may be an option. In general, master's degrees typically take five or six years of full-time study after high school. Doctoral degree programs typically take three to five years after the master's degree.