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.

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Select from any 100-499 course not used elsewhere.

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Graduation requirements include a requirement for 3 hours of International and Cultural Diversity courses and 3 hours of Cultural Discourse courses. A course satisfying a Core category, a college/department requirement, or a general elective can be used to satisfy this requirement.

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Select from ECCB 300/ENTO 300, ECCB 314, ECCB 316, ECCB 324, ECCB 415/MARB 415, ECCB 417, ECCB 450/ENTO 450, ECCB 451/ENTO 451, ECCB 462, ECCB 484, ECCB 485, ECCB 491; RWFM 325, RWFM 400, RWFM 408, RWFM 410, RWFM 485; STAT 307.

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Select from ECCB 351, ECCB 406/GEOG 462, ECCB 444, ECCB 446.

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.)