National Parks Service ProRanger Career Track Option (ProRanger)

ProRanger is a new academic and internship based program that provides a pathway for full-time employment with the National Park Service (NPS) in two different career paths, Law Enforcement or Interpretive Ranger. The program is a collaborative partnership between SKC and the NPS that provides specialized training through coursework at SKC during the students Junior and Senior years, paid NPS internships during the summers, and a career with the NPS upon graduation and completion of ProRanger. Students who pursue the Law Enforcement path will also receive training at the NPS Law Enforcement Academy. Interested students must be accepted as ProRangers through a competitive application process, and are encouraged to consult with advisors in the Wildlife & Fisheries or Psychology Department. Applicants should be dedicated, serious individuals who can demonstrate their potential in and outside the classroom.

Program Objectives

The ProRanger Track is designed to assist students to achieve the following:

• Obtain critical certifications that make the student marketable to the NPS as career U.S. Park Rangers.
• Be eligible to enter the NPS as a fulltime employee as an NPS Law Enforcement Officer or as an Interpretive Park Ranger

Learning Objectives

After completion of the ProRanger program, the student will be able to:

• State the core values of the National Park Service (NPS).
• Identify the five career fields within the NPS and their contribution to the mission of the NPS.
• Demonstrate basic competencies in the five career fields in the NPS
• Describe the manner in which NPS achieves its congressional mandate through the 1916 Organic Act.

ProRanger Requirements

To be eligible for the ProRanger program, you must be:

• A U.S. citizen or U.S. national
• Minimum of 18 years of age
• Enrolled at least half-time in an accredited undergraduate or graduate degree program
• Able to pass a federal background check, including security clearance and criminal history (may be reviewed on a case-by-case basis)
• Willing to make a two-year commitment to the NPS ProRanger training program

Requirements for Participation:

• Good academic standing (2.5 GPA & at least half-time course load)
• Participation during consecutive quarters, including summer
• Participation in all ProRanger classes, workshops, seminars and professional development activities during the academic year
• Willing to relocate and travel during summer internships

Additional requirements for the Law Enforcement Option:

• ProRanger students must be in good physical health, able to meet the demands of an active training program and career path
• At completion of the Law Enforcement program, students must be no younger than 21 and no older than 37 (veterans may be exempt).
• In addition to academic and internship training, students in the Law Enforcement track will attend one quarter of Certified Police Officer training during the winter of their second year. 
• Certified Police Officer training requires that the student travel to Rangely, Colorado for the 10-week training program