The Master of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Plan C degree provides the training and credentials natural resource professionals need to effectively guide studies, decisions, and policies related to fish and wildlife management. The degree is geared towards natural resource professionals with at least 2 years of experience and is an intensive, coursework-only master's degree primarily taught through online courses. Courses focus on the skills and tools needed to analyze, communicate, and make decisions about conservation issues. Students broaden their critical thinking on current issues and receive the training to be successful and advance in careers at natural resources agencies, firms, and non-government organizations.
Students interested in graduate work should refer to the Graduate and Professional Bulletin.
Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion, students will be able to:
- Apply ecological concepts and principles to key problems in their discipline areas of wildlife, fishery biology, ecology, and/or natural resources.
- Critically review scientific information through a thorough search of literature pertinent to the problem topic, and draw pertinent connections to research and management problem statements.
- Formulate needed research projects in fishery or wildlife theory and/or practical issues of concern through problem identification, study design, literature review, data interpretation, and data analysis.
- Summarize and provide cogent descriptions of the current issues in fish and wildlife conservation to a variety of audiences, including the public.
Effective Spring 2022
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| Select 21 credits from the following: | 21 | |
| Design of Fish and Wildlife Studies | ||
| Applied Sampling for Wildlife/Fish Studies | ||
| Adaptive Fish and Wildlife Management | ||
| Conservation Biology | ||
| Fish and Wildlife Population Dynamics | ||
| Science of Managing Human-Wildlife Conflicts | ||
| Management of Wildlife Habitat | ||
| Natural Resources Policy and Biodiversity | ||
| Select at least 9 additional credits from the following: | 9 | |
| Ecotoxicology | ||
| Conservation Genetics of Wild Populations | ||
| Analyses for Managing Wild Populations | ||
| Wildlife Disease Ecology | ||
| Wildlife Conservation Communications | ||
| Wildlife Conservation Policy--Current Events | ||
| Program Total Credits: | 30 | |
A minimum of 30 credits are required to complete this program.
For more information, please visit Requirements for All Graduate Degrees in the Graduate and Professional Bulletin.
Summary of Procedures for the Master's and Doctoral Degrees
NOTE: Each semester the Graduate School publishes a schedule of deadlines. Deadlines are available on the Graduate School website. Students should consult this schedule whenever they approach important steps in their careers.
Forms are available online.
| Step | Due Date |
|---|---|
| 1. Application for admission (online) | Six months before first registration |
| 2. Diagnostic examination when required | Before first registration |
| 3. Appointment of advisor | Before first registration |
| 4. Selection of graduate committee | Before the time of fourth regular semester registration |
| 5. Filing of program of study (GS Form 6) | Before the time of fourth regular semester registration |
| 6. Preliminary examination (Ph.D. and PD) | Two terms prior to final examination |
| 7. Report of preliminary examination (GS Form 16) - (Ph.D. and PD) | Within two working days after results are known |
| 8. Changes in committee (GS Form 9A) | When change is made |
| 9. Application for Graduation (GS Form 25) | Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School Website |
| 9a. Reapplication for Graduation (online) | Failure to graduate requires Reapplication for Graduation (online) for the next time term for which you are applying |
| 10. Submit thesis or dissertation to committee | At least two weeks prior to the examination or at the discretion of the graduate committee |
| 11. Final examination | Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School Website |
| 12. Report of final examination (GS Form 24) | Within two working days after results are known; refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School website |
| 13. Submit a signed Thesis/Dissertation Submission Form (GS Form 30) to the Graduate School and Submit the Survey of Earned Doctorates (Ph.D. only) prior to submitting the electronic thesis/dissertation | Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School website. |
| 14. Submit the thesis/dissertation electronically | Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School website |
| 15. Graduation | Ceremony information is available from the Graduate School website |