Wildlife Biology and Conservation B.S.

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Minimum Requirements for Wildlife Biology and Conservation B.S.: 120 credits

Students must earn a C- grade or better in each course.

General University Requirements
Complete the general university requirements.
General Education Requirements
Complete the general education requirements.35-40
As part of the general education requirements, complete the following:
Communication
Complete one of the following:
Fundamentals of Oral Communication: Group Context
Fundamentals of Oral Communication: Public Context
Mathematics
Complete the following:
Calculus I
Essential Calculus with Applications in the Life Sciences
Natural Sciences
Complete the following:
General Chemistry I
General Chemistry II
B.S. Degree Requirements
Complete the B.S. degree requirements.15
As part of the B.S. requirements, complete the following:
Fundamentals of Biology I
Fundamentals of Biology II
Elementary Statistics
Statistics
Wildlife Biology and Conservation Program Requirements
Complete the following:
BIOL F239Introduction to Plant Biology4
BIOL F260Principles of Genetics4
BIOL F310Animal Physiology4
BIOL F371Principles of Ecology4
BIOL F425Mammalogy3
or BIOL F426 Ornithology
BIOL F471Population Ecology3
or WLF F421 Ecology and Management of Large Mammals
ENGL F314Technical Writing3
or ENGL F414 Research Writing
PHYS F123XCollege Physics I3-4
or CHEM F321 Organic Chemistry I
or GEOS F101X The Dynamic Earth
or NRM F338 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
or NRM F380 Soils and the Environment
STAT F401Regression and Analysis of Variance4
or STAT F402 Scientific Sampling
WLF F101Survey of Wildlife Science2
WLF F301Design of Wildlife Studies3
WLF F322Principles and Techniques of Wildlife Management3
WLF F470Human Dimensions of Wildlife Management 13
Complete two of the following:5-6
Introduction to Alaska Flora
Systematic Botany
Plant Physiology and Development
Arctic Vegetation Ecology: Geobotany
Complete two of the following:6-8
Entomology
Ichthyology
Animal Behavior
Natural History of Alaska
Wildlife Diseases
Global Change Biology
Ecology and Management of Large Mammals
Ecology and Management of Birds
Landscape Ecology and Wildlife Habitat
Complete one of the following:3
Introduction to Natural Resource Economics
Environmental History
Public Lands Law and Policy
Environmental Law
U.S. Environmental Politics
One elective course at the F300 level or higher in biology, wildlife biology, fisheries or natural resources management.3-4
Electives
General Electives0-10
Total Credits120
1

Passing WLF F470 fulfills the baccalaureate capstone requirement for the Wildlife Biology and Conservation Program. Prior to registering for the capstone, students must have junior or senior class standing. 

Note: B.S. degree candidates are strongly urged to obtain work experience in wildlife-related positions with public resource agencies or private firms. Faculty members can help students contact potential employers.

Note: Students are not permitted to use one course to satisfy more than one major requirement. 

Requirements for biology teachers (grades 7-12)

Note: We strongly recommend that prospective secondary science teachers seek advising from the Alaska College of Education early in their undergraduate degree program so they can be appropriately advised of the State of Alaska requirements for teacher licensure. Students will apply for admission to the Alaska College of Education's postbaccalaureate teacher preparation program, a one-year intensive program, during their senior year. The above requirements apply to all candidates who apply to the Alaska College of Education for licensure in biology.

Complete all the requirements of the wildlife biology B.S. degree.
All prospective biology teachers must complete the following:
BIOL F342Microbiology4
BIOL F481Principles of Evolution4
CHEM F321
and CHEM F325
Organic Chemistry I
and Organic Chemistry II
8
All prospective science teachers must complete the following:
PHIL F481Philosophy of Science3
Total Credits19

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Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes are measurable statements that describe knowledge or skills achieved by students upon completion of the program.

Students graduating from this program will be able to:

  • Demonstrate a breadth and depth of knowledge of wildlife ecology that includes an understanding of the structure, function, and interactions of wildlife organisms, communities, populations, and ecosystems. They also will be able to apply their knowledge to research and manage wildlife and the diverse interactions among wildlife, people, and the environment.
  • Effectively communicate their knowledge on application of the fundamentals of wildlife ecology including the principles and techniques of wildlife research and management. They should be able to make cogent scientific arguments for specialist audiences in the sciences but should also be able to present their arguments and evidence to general audiences.
  • Apply modern methods and quantitative approaches to examine questions pertaining to wildlife ecology and the monitoring and managing of wildlife populations. They should be able to recognize an appropriate method or a particular task and have the competence to recognize bias in data collection. They should be able to summarize and analyze data using a variety of statistical approaches and create visual displays of information that effectively interpret and convey data.