Natural Resources: Wildlife and Conservation Biology (M.S.)
NATURAL RESOURCES: WILDLIFE AND CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
The MS option in Wildlife and Conservation Biology is typically pursued by those with a BS in Wildlife, Biology, Zoology, Environmental Studies, or related field. Research often takes an integrated field-laboratory approach to study population ecology and conservation, community and landscape ecology, conservation biology and genetics, and applied wildlife management issues.
Degree Requirements
An M.S. degree is conferred upon successful completion of a program of not less than 30 credits for natural resources and the environment options: forestry, environmental conservation and sustainability, environmental economics, ecosystem science, and wildlife and conservation biology.
Course Requirements or Equivalents
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| EDUC 904 | Qualitative Inquiry in Research (Policy oriented) | 4 |
Or | ||
| NR 903 | Approach to Research | 2 |
| And with NR 903, choose one of the following additional research methods classes for a total of 4 credits: | 2 | |
| Grant Writing | ||
| Writing and Publishing Science | ||
| Scientific Communication | ||
Or an alternative with approval from the Graduate Coordinator | ||
| NR 993 | Natural and Environmental Resources Seminar | 1-4 |
| or NR 947 | Ecosystem Science: Theory, Practice, and Management Applications for Sustainability | |
| NR 996 | Natural Resource Education (1 credit ) | 1 - 2 |
| or LSA 900 | College Teaching | |
| Select one of the following Data Analysis courses: | 3-4 | |
| Design, Analysis, and Interpretation of Experiments | ||
| Experimental Design & Analysis | ||
| Introduction to Applied Analytic Statistics | ||
| Econometrics I | ||
| Quantitative Methods in Earth Sciences | ||
| Statistical Methods for Research | ||
| Design of Experiments I | ||
| Topics in Probability and Statistics I | ||
| Analysis of Ecological Communities and Complex Data | ||
| Introduction to Statistical Analysis | ||
| Research Methodology and Statistics I | ||
| Research Methods and Statistics III | ||
| Sociological Methods I: Intermediate Social Statistics | ||
| Sociological Methods III: Advanced Social Statistics | ||
| Sociological Methods IV: Qualitative and Historical Research Methods | ||
Or an alternative with approval from the Graduate Coordinator | ||
| Select one of the following: | ||
| NR 899 | Master's Thesis (and a formal presentation of the thesis) 1 | 6 |
| NR 998 | Directed Research (and directed research results) 2 | 4 |
| 1 | The thesis option will provide a research-based thesis that is the foundation for a peer-reviewed publication. |
| 2 | The directed research option shall consist of a project, designed and conducted by the student, culminating in a scholarly paper or report that is suitable for publication in the respective field of scholarship. |
An approved program of study plan is required during the first semester.