Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences - BS, Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Option
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 & Conservation; Fisheries, Aquaculture & 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.
| 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: | 4 | |
| Principles of Animal Physiology | ||
| Biomedical Physiology I | ||
| Natural History of the Invertebrates | ||
| Government/Political science 2 | 3 | |
| Directed elective 1 | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| ENGL 210 | Technical and Business Writing | 3 |
| STAT 302 | Statistical Methods | 3 |
| Government/Political science 2 | 3 | |
| Directed elective 1 | 3 | |
| Directed elective 1 | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| COMM 203 | Public Speaking | 3 |
| GENE 301 & GENE 312 | Comprehensive Genetics and Comprehensive Genetics Laboratory | 4 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Natural Resources Policy | ||
| Conservation of Natural Resources | ||
| Environmental Impact Assessment | ||
| Fish and Wildlife Laws and Administration | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Planet Earth | ||
| Principles of Geology | ||
| Oceanography | ||
| Biodiversity elective 3 | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| PHYS 201 | College Physics | 4 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Field Studies | ||
| Internship | ||
| Directed Studies | ||
| 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.