The Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology at Texas A&M University provides advanced educational opportunities to prepare students for careers in the science and stewardship of biological diversity, ecosystems and their services, and the biosphere. Our undergraduate and graduate degrees in Ecology and Conservation Biology emphasize fundamental ecological knowledge and its application to biodiversity conservation, environmental health, and management of complex systems, involving diverse aspects of ecology, ranging from genes to ecosystems and microcosms to the entire biosphere. ECCB is home to more than 70 experts and 400 students, representing a community of scholars working to understand nature, to conserve our natural resources, and to maintain the health and services of natural and human-dominated systems that sustain our communities.
Teaching Track
This track consists of a major in Ecology and Conservation Biology and a minor in Education, to meet all course requirements to prepare student to take the teaching certification exam. After passing the teaching certification exam, graduates are certified teach middle school science courses and high school life science courses. This track was developed to meet the increasing demand for science teachers in Texas middle and high schools.
Plan of Study Grid | First Year |
|---|
| Fall |
|---|
| ARSC 201 | Self-Directed Experiences with Adolescents | 1 |
| BIOL 111 | Introductory Biology I | 4 |
| ECCB 101 | Introduction to Ecology and Conservation Biology | 1 |
| MATH 140 | Mathematics for Business and Social Sciences | 3 |
| ECCB 205 | Fundamentals of Ecology | 3 |
| 1 | 3 |
| | Semester Credit Hours | 15 |
| Spring |
|---|
| BIOL 112 | Introductory Biology II | 4 |
| MATH 142 | Business Calculus | 3 |
| 1 | 3 |
| 1 | 3 |
| 1 | 3 |
| | Semester Credit Hours | 16 |
| Second Year |
|---|
| Fall |
|---|
| CHEM 119 | Fundamentals of Chemistry I | 4 |
| ECCB 302 | Diversity and Evolution of Vertebrates | 3 |
| ECCB 304 | Conservation Biology | 3 |
| 1 | 3 |
| 1 | 3 |
| | Semester Credit Hours | 16 |
| Spring |
|---|
| CHEM 222 | Elements of Organic and Biological Chemistry | 3 |
| ECCB 215 | Fundamentals of Ecology--Laboratory | 1 |
| ECCB 301 | Diversity and Evolution of Plants | 3 |
| STAT 302 | Statistical Methods | 3 |
| |
| 3 |
| Bioenvironmental Microbiology | |
| Forest Protection | |
| Forest Tree Physiology and Breeding | |
| Behavioral Ecology | |
| Fish Ecophysiology | |
| Insect Structure and Function | |
| Introduction to Plant Physiology | |
| 1 | 3 |
| | Semester Credit Hours | 16 |
| Third Year |
|---|
| Fall |
|---|
INST 222
| Foundations of Education in a Multicultural Society
or Introduction to Culture, Community, Society and Schools | 3 |
| TEFB 322 | Teaching and Schooling in Modern Society | 3 |
| 4 |
| Fundamentals of Chemistry II | |
| Principles of Geology
and Principles of Geology Laboratory | |
| The Blue Planet - Our Oceans
and The Blue Planet - Our Oceans Laboratory | |
| College Physics | |
| Soil Science | |
| 2 | 3 |
| 1 | 3 |
| | Semester Credit Hours | 16 |
| Spring |
|---|
| ECCB 303 | Fire Ecology and Biogeochemistry | 3 |
| ECCB 400 | Molecular Ecology | 3 |
| ECCB 403 | Population and Community Ecology | 3 |
| TEFB 324 | Teaching Skills II | 3 |
| RDNG 465 | Reading in the Middle and Secondary Grades | 3 |
| | Semester Credit Hours | 15 |
| Fourth Year |
|---|
| Fall |
|---|
ECCB 285
| Directed Studies
or Communication in Ecology and Conservation Biology | 1 |
| ECCB 485 | Directed Studies | 1 |
| INST 210 | Understanding Special Populations | 3 |
| TEFB 406 | Science in the Middle and Secondary School | 3 |
| |
| 3 |
| Forest Ecology | |
| Ecosystem Restoration and Management | |
| Fire Ecology and Natural Resource Management | |
| Aquatic Ecosystems | |
| 3 | 3 |
| | Semester Credit Hours | 14 |
| Spring |
|---|
| MEFB 497 | Supervised Clinical Teaching | 6 |
| 4 | 6 |
| | Semester Credit Hours | 12 |
| | 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).
