Graduates are well equipped for post-baccalaureate study in many life science fields (graduate school programs and human and veterinary medicine) or for direct entry into professions such as wildlife management, fisheries management, environmental impact assessment, aquaculture, natural history museum education, zoological park collection management, public school teaching and urban wildlife management. Employers of recent graduates include state and federal resource agencies, scientific foundations, ranches, hunting and fishing clubs, fish farms, environmental consulting firms, museums and secondary schools.

Wildlife Ecology and Conservation; Fisheries, Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences; and Vertebrate Zoology curriculum options lead to the Bachelor of Science degree. Each student will choose a course of study from among the options within the department’s curricula after consultation with the academic advisor. The chosen option is enhanced by a common departmental “core” of courses necessary for a sound education in the wildlife and fisheries conservation professions.

Students are encouraged to develop an emphasis area within their degree option. To build this emphasis area, students will choose directed electives, from related disciplines, in consultation with their academic advisor and faculty members.

Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Option

This option is designed for students interested in the research, management and conservation of wildlife and its ecosystems. This option provides considerable flexibility when designing a degree program and allows students to focus on both terrestrial and aquatic conservation management. Job opportunities are available with state and federal agencies; private land management individuals and companies; state, national and international organizations; zoos and wildlife centers; environmental consulting firms; and as private consultants. In addition, this degree program can prepare students for further graduate school studies in the wildlife and/or fisheries area. Emphasis areas in this option include:

Wildlife Ecology Emphasis

The wildlife ecology emphasis is for students interested in research and management of terrestrial animals and ecosystems, including game, non-game, and endangered species. The ability to be certified is becoming increasingly important for employment. Courses taken can go toward course certification requirements of The Wildlife Society.

Wildlife and Fisheries Management Emphasis

This emphasis is for students interested in understanding and management of both aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Courses taken can go toward course certification requirements of both the American Fisheries Society and The Wildlife Society. The ability to be certified is becoming increasingly important for employment.

Conservation Biology Emphasis

This emphasis is for students interested in conservation of the earth’s biodiversity. This emphasis allows the student to focus on various ecological environments and socio-economic aspects including urban and/or wetland conservation.

Plan of Study Grid

First Year
Fall		Semester Credit Hours
BIOL 111	Introductory Biology I	4
MATH 140	Mathematics for Business and Social Sciences	3
RENR 205	Fundamentals of Ecology	3
WFSC 101	Introduction to Wildlife and Fisheries	3
	Semester Credit Hours	13
Spring
BIOL 112	Introductory Biology II	4
MATH 142	Business Calculus	3
American history 2		3
Language, philosophy and culture 2		3
Social and behavioral sciences 2		3
	Semester Credit Hours	16
Second Year
Fall
CHEM 119	Fundamentals of Chemistry I	4
ENGL 104	Composition and Rhetoric	3
WFSC 302	Natural History of the Vertebrates	3
American history 2		3
Creative arts 2		3
	Semester Credit Hours	16
Spring
CHEM 222 & CHEM 242	Elements of Organic and Biological Chemistry and Elementary Organic Chemistry Laboratory	4
RENR 215	Fundamentals of Ecology--Laboratory	1
Select one of the following:		3-4
BIOL 388	Principles of Animal Physiology
VTPP 423	Biomedical Physiology I
WFSC 335	Natural History of the Invertebrates
Government/Political science 2		3
Directed elective 1		3
	Semester Credit Hours	14
Third Year
Fall
ENGL 210	Technical and Professional Writing	3
STAT 302	Statistical Methods	3
Government/Political science 2		3
Directed elective 1		3-4
Directed elective 1		3
	Semester Credit Hours	16
Spring
COMM 203	Public Speaking	3
GENE 301 & GENE 312	Comprehensive Genetics and Comprehensive Genetics Laboratory	4
Select one of the following:		3
ESSM 406	Natural Resources Policy
RENR 375	Conservation of Natural Resources
RENR 470	Environmental Impact Assessment
WFSC 303	Fish and Wildlife Laws and Administration
Select one of the following:		3
GEOG 203	Planet Earth
GEOL 101	Principles of Geology
OCNG 251	Oceanography
Biodiversity elective 3		3
	Semester Credit Hours	16
Fourth Year
Fall
PHYS 201	College Physics	4
Select one of the following:		3
WFSC 300/ENTO 300	Field Studies
WFSC 484	Internship
WFSC 485	Directed Studies
WFSC 491	Research
Biodiversity elective 3		3
Directed elective 1		3
Directed elective 1		3
	Semester Credit Hours	16
Spring
WFSC 304	Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation	3
Directed elective 1		3
Directed elective 1		3
Directed elective 1		4
	Semester Credit Hours	13
	Total Semester Credit Hours	120

1	Directed electives to be chosen in areas related to wildlife management, conservation or animal behavior.
2	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 free elective can be used to satisfy this requirement.
3	Select from ENTO 201; WFSC 311, WFSC 315, WFSC 401, WFSC 402.

Students are required to make a C or better in all WFSC and RENR 205/RENR 215 courses.

A total of 120 semester hours will be required for a BS degree.