The Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology provides one of the most advanced educational opportunities available to prepare undergraduate students for leadership in the science and stewardship of terrestrial and aquatic ecological systems. The BS in ECCB degree will emphasize acquisition of fundamental ecological knowledge and its application to biodiversity conservation, environmental health, and the management of complex systems, such as interactions involving aspects of ecology from genes to ecosystems, landscape, hydrology, and climate. Four tracks (Ecology and Conservation Biology, Ecoinformatics, Forest Resources, and Vertebrate Zoology) are offered to provide flexibility in one’s chosen career path.
Ecoinformatics Track
Ecoinformatics is an emerging field that prepares graduates to become experts in integrating digital and information technologies, such as GPS (global positioning system), satellite and UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) imagery, and advanced field sensors with ecological data analysis in complex ecosystems to detect, evaluate, and predict ecological patterns, disturbances, and processes. The Ecoinformatics track provides students with training in theories and applications of ecological data analysis, natural resources and ecological modeling, and spatial information sciences that will prepare them for handling complex and ever-increasing interdisciplinary ecological data and understanding of contemporary environmental challenges. Students who successfully complete this track will have the ability to use advanced technologies to collect data from genomic to landscape levels and beyond. The diversity of coursework provides opportunities for students to develop skills using analytical and computer-based methods to perform quantitative data analysis, spatial analysis, and ecological modeling. This track prepares students for careers with natural resource agencies and environmental consulting companies, or to pursue graduate degrees that require knowledge and the ability to transform data into ecological information useful for solving environmental problems and informing policy and decision-making.
Plan of Study Grid First Year |
Fall |
BIOL 111 | Introductory Biology I | 4 |
ECCB 101 | Introduction to Ecology and Conservation Biology | 1 |
ECCB 205 | Fundamentals of Ecology | 3 |
MATH 140 | Mathematics for Business and Social Sciences | 3 |
1 | 3 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 14 |
Spring |
BIOL 112 | Introductory Biology II | 4 |
MATH 142 | Business Calculus | 3 |
2 | 3 |
2 | 3 |
2 | 3 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 16 |
Second Year |
Fall |
CHEM 119 | Fundamentals of Chemistry I | 4 |
ECCB 285 | Directed Studies | 1 |
ECCB 302 | Diversity and Evolution of Vertebrates | 3 |
2 | 3 |
2 | 3 |
3 | 2 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 16 |
Spring |
CHEM 222 | Elements of Organic and Biological Chemistry | 3 |
ECCB 215 | Fundamentals of Ecology--Laboratory | 1 |
ECCB 304 | Conservation Biology | 3 |
STAT 302 | Statistical Methods | 3 |
2 | 3 |
4 | 3 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 16 |
Third Year |
Fall |
ECCB 403 | Population and Community Ecology | 3 |
| 4 |
| Fundamentals of Chemistry II | |
| Principles of Geology and Principles of Geology Laboratory | |
| Oceanography and Oceanography Laboratory | |
| College Physics | |
| Soil Science | |
| 3 |
| |
| Forest Ecology | |
| Ecosystem Restoration and Management | |
| Aquatic Ecosystems | |
| 3 |
| |
| Molds and Mushrooms: The Impact of Fungi on Society and the Environment | |
| General Entomology | |
| Forest Trees of North America | |
| Ichthyology | |
| Agrostology | |
| Diversity and Evolution of Invertebrates | |
| Herpetology | |
| General Mammalogy | |
| General Ornithology | |
| Wildland Plants of North America | |
| Natural Resources Policy | |
2 | 3 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 16 |
Spring |
ECCB 303 | Fire Ecology and Biogeochemistry | 3 |
ECCB 400 | Molecular Ecology | 3 |
2 | 3 |
3 | 3 |
1 | 1 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 13 |
Fourth Year |
Fall |
ECCB 301 | Diversity and Evolution of Plants | 3 |
| 3 |
| |
| Principles of Forestry | |
| Ecological Restoration of Wetland and Riparian Systems | |
| Wildland Watershed Management | |
| Principles of Rangeland Management Around the World | |
| Aquaculture I: Principles and Practices | |
| Aquaculture II: Aquatic Animal Nutrition, Feeding and Disease Management | |
| Environmental Impact Assessment | |
2 | 3 |
3 | 3 |
4 | 3 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 15 |
Spring |
ECCB 407
| Programming for Spatial Data Applications
or Programming I | 3-4 |
ECCB 485 | Directed Studies | 1 |
| 3 |
| |
| Environmental and Natural Resource Economics | |
| Fundamentals of Environmental Decision-Making | |
| Coupled Social and Ecological Systems | |
| Forest Resource Assessment and Management | |
| Nature, Values, and Protected Areas | |
| Fish and Wildlife Laws and Administration | |
| Natural Resources Policy | |
| 3-4 |
| |
| Bioenvironmental Microbiology | |
| Chordate Anatomy | |
| Insect Physiology | |
| Forest Protection | |
| Forest Tree Physiology and Breeding | |
| Behavioral Ecology | |
| Fish Ecophysiology | |
| Introduction to Plant Physiology | |
4 | 3 |
1 | 1 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 14 |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 120 |
Must make a grade of C or better in BIOL 111, BIOL 112, and all ECCB major core coursework (ECCB 101, ECCB 205, ECCB 301, ECCB 302, ECCB 303, ECCB 304, ECCB 400, ECCB 403, and ECCB 485.)