NPS Mission and History

In NPS Fundamentals I, you learn how the National Park Service began and grew, how you fit in the NPS, and how the NPS fits into the larger picture of the Federal Government. You will also learn about your own park or office and its features, policies, and organization.

NPS Fundamentals I is divided into three modules:

Module 1: The History of the National Park Service
Module 2: Local Orientation
Module 3: The NPS and the Federal Government

Note: an “outside the firewall” suite of courses, virtually identical to NPS Fundamentals I, is available free through Indiana University. This suite of courses is ideal for anyone who would like NPS Fundamentals I training but does not have access to DOI Learn. This suite of courses is particularly helpful for seasonal employees and partners to the NPS. Log onto www.parktraining.org, go to the course catalog, and take the following courses:

Introduction to the National Park Service: The History of the NPS
Introduction to the National Park Service: The Organization of the NPS
Introduction to the National Park Service: The NPS and the Federal Government