International Center for Water Resources Management

The Center now contains four academic programs that are interrelated - Water Resources Management (WRM), Environmental Engineering (ENE), Geology (GEL) and earth science (ESC). Students obtain baccalaureate degrees in these fields. It is now possible also to obtain a minor in WRM. With these programs of study, the Center is the focal point for environmental related studies at Central State University.

Interdisciplinary Curriculum in Water Resources Management

When the International Center for Water Resources Management (ICWRM) was established at Central State University (CSU) in 1987 by Ohio Law, it provided for an innovative interdisciplinary program at the baccalaureate level that would integrate the technical aspects of WRM with socioeconomic and environmental dimensions. At that time CSU was the only Institution that awarded an undergraduate degree in water resources management distinct from its selective inclusion in civil and environmental engineering curricula in the Nation. With its traditional base of students, the University aims at bringing diversity to the work force populace in the critical field of water resources management in which the representation of African -American is extremely low. The curriculum has been recently re-designed to focus on resource and environmental management aspects of the field.

Uniqueness of the Program

The  WRM program has been re-designed as  an environmental/resource management program with emphasis on water.  The new WRM programs aims to offer a high quality education towards careers related to conservation, water planning and environmental/water policy,  public works management and water quality. Students could seek additional strengths and prepare for water/ environmental careers from a base in which they have excellent strengths. The WRM curriculum includes very innovative undergraduate courses such as Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Applied Remote Sensing . The basic curriculum enables the students to obtain an interdisciplinary focus on the issues related to water resources management.