The Conservation Biology concentration focuses on understanding the ecological processes necessary to conserve biological diversity, with an emphasis on fish and wildlife species and their habitats. This is a newer concentration developed for students who desire broader coverage across both the fish and wildlife disciplines as well as a focus on the systems that support them (soils, water, forests, fire, geology). There is also a more focused exploration of the human, historical, and political aspects that have shaped conservation efforts and what can be done to ensure sustainable practices and management of natural resources.

Effective Spring 2023

A minimum grade of C (2.000) is required in all biological, mathematical/ statistical, physical science, fish, wildlife, and conservation biology and natural resource courses used to meet graduation requirements for the fish, wildlife, and conservation biology major. The minimum applies to courses taken as substitutions for meeting these requirements. 

Freshman
AUCCCredits
CO 150College Composition (GT-CO2)1A3
FW 104Wildlife Ecology and Conservation (GT-SC2)3A3
FW 179New-to-the-Major Seminar 1
Select one group from the following: 8
Group A:
  
Principles of Animal Biology (GT-SC2)3A 
Animal Biology Laboratory (GT-SC1)3A 
Principles of Plant Biology (GT-SC1)3A 
Group B:
  
Attributes of Living Systems (GT-SC1)3A 
Biology of Organisms-Animals and Plants (GT-SC1)3A 
Select one set of chemistry and physics courses from the following: 13-15
Group A:
  
Fundamentals of Chemistry (GT-SC2)3A 
Fundamentals of Chemistry Laboratory (GT-SC1)3A 
General Physics I (GT-SC1)3A 
General Physics II (GT-SC1)3A 
Group B:
  
General Chemistry I (GT-SC2)3A 
General Chemistry Lab I (GT-SC1)3A 
General Chemistry II  
General Chemistry Lab II  
Physics of Everyday Phenomena (GT-SC2)3A 
Physics of Everyday Phenomena Laboratory (GT-SC1)3A 
Arts and Humanities3B3
 Total Credits 31-33
Sophomore
 
CHEM 245Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry 4
CHEM 246Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry Laboratory 1
FW 260Principles of Wildlife Management 3
LIFE 320Ecology 3
Select one course from the following:  3-4
Introduction to Evolution  
Population and Evolutionary Genetics  
Molecular and General Genetics  
Principles of Genetics  
Select one course from the following: 3
Senior Honors Thesis  
Public Speaking  
Select one course from the following: 4
Calculus for Biological Scientists I (GT-MA1)1B 
Calculus for Physical Scientists I (GT-MA1)1B 
Select one course from the following: 3
Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods  
Introduction to Biostatistics  
Arts and Humanities3B3
Social and Behavioral Sciences3C3
 Total Credits 30-31
Summer 
NR 220Natural Resource Ecology and Measurements 5
 Total Credits 5
Junior
 
FW 370Design of Fish and Wildlife Projects4A,4B3
Select one group from the following: 4
Group A:
  
Applied and General Entomology  
Entomology Laboratory: General  
Group B:
  
Aquatic Insects  
Group C:
  
Animal Biology-Invertebrates  
Select two courses or course pair for 6-7 credits not taken elsewhere from the following: 6-7
Animal Biology-Vertebrates  
Herpetology  
Mammalogy  
Ornithology  
Biology and Diversity of Fishes  
Select one Plant Biology course from the following: 3-4
Plant Identification  
Plant Systematics  
Introductory Phycology  
Plant Ecology  
Forest and Rangeland Ecogeography  
Forest Ecology  
Select one course from the following: 3
Writing Arguments (GT-CO3)2 
Writing in the Disciplines: Arts and Humanities (GT-CO3)2 
Writing in the Disciplines: Sciences (GT-CO3)2 
Writing in the Disciplines: Social Sciences (GT-CO3)2 
Writing in the Disciplines: Education (GT-CO3)2 
Strategic Writing and Communication (GT-CO3)2 
Select one course from the following: 3-4
Mapping Diverse Perspectives in Conservation  
Geospatial Applications in Natural Resources  
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion1C3
Historical Perspectives3D3
 Total Credits 28-31
Senior
 
Select one Aquatic Biology course or course pair not taken elsewhere from the following: 3-4
Aquatic Insects  
Marine Biology  
Stream Biology and Ecology  
Limnology  
Biology and Diversity of Fishes  
Conservation of Marine Megafauna  
Conservation of Fish in Aquatic Ecosystems  
Fishery Science  
Fish Culture  
Fish Physiology  
Waterfowl Ecology and Management  
Sustaining River Ecosystems in Changing World  
Select one Wildlife Course not taken elsewhere from the following: 3-4
Conservation of Marine Megafauna  
Mapping Diverse Perspectives in Conservation  
Field Wildlife Studies  
Waterfowl Ecology and Management  
Principles of Conservation Biology  
Managing Human-Wildlife Conflicts  
Wildlife Disease Ecology  
Bird Ecology and Conservation  
Conservation and Management of Large Mammals  
Wildlife Data Collection and Analysis4C 
Issues in Animal Conservation and Management  
Conservation Decision Making  
Wildlife Habitat Use and Management  
Ecotoxicology  
Travel Abroad-Wildlife Ecology/Conservation  
FW *** Travel Abroad upper-division course5
  
Select one course from the following: 3-4
Fishery Science4C 
Wildlife Data Collection and Analysis4C 
Select one course from the following: 3
Principles of Conservation Biology  
Issues in Animal Conservation and Management  
Select two Human Dimensions courses not taken elsewhere from the following: 6
Mapping Diverse Perspectives in Conservation  
Issues in Animal Conservation and Management  
American Environmental History  
Natural Resources History and Policy  
Public Communication in Natural Resources  
Social Aspects of Natural Resource Management  
Environmental Governance  
Applications in Environmental Communication  
Ethics of Sustainability  
Environmental Ethics  
U.S. Environmental Politics and Policy  
Population-Natural Resources and Environment  
Environmental Justice  
Environmental and Natural Resource Sociology  
Water and Social Justice  
Guided Electives 6 6
Elective7 0-1
 Total Credits 24-27
 Program Total Credits: 120
1

Students taking this biology selection should choose a botany-related course in the department elective options to meet the botany/plant course requirements for certain federal positions related to wildlife, fisheries, and/or conservation biology.

2

Students may need to obtain a registration override from the appropriate department to take this course.

3

Students in the Honors Track 1 program must take HONR 499.

4

FW 300 and FW 301 count together as one selection in this choice.

5

Restricted to FW subject code, department travel abroad courses, taught by FWCB faculty. No transfer or substitute courses will be accepted.

6

Guided electives are courses intended to expand a student's depth and breadth in wildlife biology and include any 300- or 400-level regular course with a BC, BMS, BSPM, BZ, CHEM, ESS, F, FW, GES, MATH, MIP, NR, NRRT, PH, RS, SOCR, STAT, or WR subject code (excluding courses ending in -80 to -99); SOCR 240; other courses with prior approval by department and advisor. Courses may not double-count as Guided Electives and for other requirements in the major.  

7

Select enough elective credits to bring the program total to a minimum of 120 credits, of which at least 42 must be upper-division (300- to 400-level).

Distinctive Requirements for Degree Program:
The curriculum for the Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology major – Conservation Biology concentration assumes students enter college prepared to take calculus. Students who have not met the prerequisites for calculus, will be required to successfully complete the prerequisites in their first year. A minimum grade of C (2.000) is required in all biological, mathematical / statistical, physical science, fish, wildlife, and conservation biology, and natural resources courses used to meet graduation requirements for the fish, wildlife, and conservation biology major. The minimum applies to courses taken as substitutions for meeting degree requirements. NR 220 is a summer course in which students reside at CSU’s Mountain Campus. Students must choose ONE of two CHEM + PH paths:  (Path A) CHEM 107/CHEM 108 and PH 121/PH 122 or (Path B) CHEM 111, CHEM 112, CHEM 113, CHEM 114 and PH 110/PH 111. Students must also choose ONE biology group A) BZ 110/BZ 111 or B) LIFE 102/LIFE 103.

Freshman
Semester 1CriticalRecommendedAUCCCredits
CO 150College Composition (GT-CO2)  1A3
FW 104Wildlife Ecology and Conservation (GT-SC2)  3A3
FW 179New-to-the-Major Seminar   1
Select one group from the following:X  4
Group A:    
Principles of Animal Biology (GT-SC2)  3A 
Animal Biology Laboratory (GT-SC1)  3A 
Group B:    
Attributes of Living Systems (GT-SC1)  3A 
Select one path from the following:X  5
Path A:    
General Physics I (GT-SC1)  3A 
Path B:    
General Chemistry I (GT-SC2)  3A 
General Chemistry Lab I (GT-SC1)  3A 
MATH 117, MATH 118, and MATH 124 must be completed by the end of Semester 1.X   
 Total Credits   16
Semester 2CriticalRecommendedAUCCCredits
Select one course from the following:X  4
Principles of Plant Biology (GT-SC1)  3A 
Biology of Organisms-Animals and Plants (GT-SC1)  3A 
Select one path from the following:X  8-10
Path A:    
Fundamentals of Chemistry (GT-SC2)  3A 
Fundamentals of Chemistry Laboratory (GT-SC1)  3A 
General Physics II (GT-SC1)  3A 
Path B:    
General Chemistry II    
General Chemistry Lab II    
Physics of Everyday Phenomena (GT-SC2)  3A 
Physics of Everyday Phenomena Laboratory (GT-SC1)  3A 
Arts and Humanities  3B3
CO 150, AUCC 1B (Quantitative Reasoning), and MATH 125 must be completed by the end of Semester 2.X   
 Total Credits   15-17
Sophomore
Semester 3CriticalRecommendedAUCCCredits
CHEM 245Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry   4
CHEM 246Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry Laboratory   1
FW 260Principles of Wildlife Management X 3
Select one course from the following:   3-4
Introduction to Evolution    
Population and Evolutionary Genetics    
Molecular and General Genetics    
Principles of Genetics    
Select one course from the following:X  4
Calculus for Biological Scientists I (GT-MA1)  1B 
Calculus for Physical Scientists I (GT-MA1)  1B 
 Total Credits   15-16
Semester 4CriticalRecommendedAUCCCredits
LIFE 320Ecology X 3
Select one course from the following:   3
Senior Honors Thesis    
Public Speaking    
Select one course from the following: X 3
Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods    
Introduction to Biostatistics    
Arts and Humanities  3B3
Social and Behavioral Sciences  3C3
FW 260 must be completed by the end of Semester 4.X   
 Total Credits   15
Semester 5CriticalRecommendedAUCCCredits
NR 220Natural Resource Ecology and MeasurementsX  5
 Total Credits   5
Junior
Semester 6CriticalRecommendedAUCCCredits
Select one course from the following:   3-4
Mapping Diverse Perspectives in Conservation    
Geospatial Applications in Natural Resources    
Select one course from the following: X 3
Writing Arguments (GT-CO3)  2 
Strategic Writing and Communication (GT-CO3)  2 
Writing in the Disciplines: Arts and Humanities (GT-CO3)  2 
Writing in the Disciplines: Sciences (GT-CO3)  2 
Writing in the Disciplines: Social Sciences (GT-CO3)  2 
Writing in the Disciplines: Education (GT-CO3)  2 
Select one group from the following: X 4
Group A:    
Applied and General Entomology    
Entomology Laboratory: General    
Group B:    
Aquatic Insects    
Group C:    
Animal Biology-Invertebrates    
Select one group from the following:   3-4
Group A:    
Animal Biology-Vertebrates    
Group B:    
Herpetology    
Group C:    
Mammalogy    
Group D:    
Ornithology    
Group E:    
Biology and Diversity of Fishes    
Ichthyology Laboratory    
STAT 301 or STAT 307 and LIFE 320 must be completed by the end of Semester 6.X   
 Total Credits   13-15
Semester 7CriticalRecommendedAUCCCredits
FW 370Design of Fish and Wildlife Projects X4A,4B3
Select one group from the following:   3-4
Group A:    
Animal Biology-Vertebrates    
Group B:    
Herpetology    
Group C:    
Mammalogy    
Group D:    
Ornithology    
Group E:    
Biology and Diversity of Fishes    
Ichthyology Laboratory    
Plant Biology Elective Course (See Department List on Concentration Requirements tab)   3-4
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion  1C3
Historical Perspectives  3D3
Choose FW 300 / FW 301 if taking FW 401    
 Total Credits   15-16
Senior
Semester 8CriticalRecommendedAUCCCredits
Select one course from the following:X  3-4
Wildlife Data Collection and Analysis  4C 
Fishery Science  4C 
Select one course from the following: X 3
Principles of Conservation Biology    
Issues in Animal Conservation and Management    
Aquatic Biology Elective (See Department List on Concentration Requirements tab)   3-4
Human Dimensions Elective (See Department List on Concentration Requirements tab)   3
FW 370, BSPM 302 / BSPM 303A or BSPM 445 or BZ 212 must be completed by the end of Semester 8.X   
 Total Credits   12-14
Semester 9CriticalRecommendedAUCCCredits
Human Dimensions Elective (See Department List on Concentration Requirements tab)X  3
Wildlife Elective (See Department List on Concentration Requirements tab)X  3-4
Upper Division Guided Elective (See Department List on Concentration Requirements tab)X  6
ElectiveX  0-1
The benchmark courses for the 9th semester are the remaining courses in the entire program of study.X   
 Total Credits   12-13
 Program Total Credits:   120