Fisheries M.S.
Minimum Requirements for Fisheries M.S.: 30 credits
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General University Requirements | ||
| Complete the graduate general university requirements. | ||
| Master’s Degree Requirements | ||
| Complete the master’s degree requirements. | ||
| As part of the master's degree requirements, complete the following: | ||
| FISH F699 | Thesis | 6-12 |
| Fisheries Program Requirements | ||
| Complete the following: | ||
| STAT F401 | Regression and Analysis of Variance | 4 |
| Graduate seminars | 2 | |
| Complete at least 3 credits from each of the three focal areas | 9-11 | |
Biology | ||
Quantitative Approaches | ||
Management and Human Dimensions | ||
| Electives | ||
| Advisor approved courses | 1-9 | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
Note: At least 21 credits of the required 30 M.S. degree credits must be at the F600 level. All other credits must be at least at the F400 level.
Focal Areas
Biology
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Complete at least 3 credits from the following: | ||
| Behavioral Ecology of Fishes | ||
| Physiological Ecology of Fishes | ||
| Pacific Salmon Life Histories | ||
| Fish Ecology | ||
| Aquatic Conservation and Management Genetics | ||
| Aquatic Food Web Ecology | ||
| Physiology of Marine Organisms | ||
| Marine Ecosystems | ||
| Ecology and Physiology of Marine Macroalgae | ||
Quantitative Approaches
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Complete at least 3 credits from the following: | ||
| Modern Applied Statistics for Fisheries | ||
| Estimation of Fish Abundance | ||
| Quantitative Fish Population Dynamics | ||
| Population Dynamics of Vertebrates | ||
| Bioeconomic Modeling and Fisheries Management | ||
| Quantitative Analysis for Marine Policy Decisions | ||
Management and Human Dimensions
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Complete at least 3 credits from the following: | ||
| Human Dimensions of Environmental Systems | ||
or FISH F611 | Human Dimensions of Environmental Systems | |
| Fisheries Management | ||
or FISH F687 | Fisheries Management | |
| Indigenous Fisheries of Alaska | ||
| Ecosystem-based Fisheries Management | ||
| Foundations of Marine Policy and Ocean Governance | ||
| Law and Fisheries | ||
| International Maritime Law and IUU Fishing | ||
| Economic Development for Fish-dependent Communities | ||
| Political Ecology | ||
| The North Pacific Fishery Management Council | ||
| The Alaska Board of Fisheries | ||
Admission Requirements
Complete the following admission requirements:
- Prerequisites: calculus; elementary statistics; ichthyology, biology of fish or invertebrate zoology; and computer competency.
- An application for admission and application fee
- Official transcripts from all universities or colleges attended
- Grades are an important part of the review process to assess academic success, particularly performance in relevant courses.
- Resume / curriculum vitae
- It is recommended that you provide evidence of communication (oral and writing) and analytical skills. This could be shown through technical writing samples, recorded presentations, poster presentations, examples of data analyses, relevant test results, etc. Please limit the evidence provided to, two examples and explain how this evidence is relevant in your Statement of Purpose.
- Statement of Purpose
- Your statement provides the application review committee within the department an opportunity to learn about your background and motivation:
- Your professional goals, including longer-term career goals and your motivations for pursuing those goals
- Your preparation and background, including evidence of any relevant qualifications not captured elsewhere in the application
- Your particular reasons for applying to the Department of Fisheries at the University of Alaska Fairbanks
- Your general research interests or special emphasis that you hope to pursue
- Any special circumstances you wish the department to consider
- Your statement provides the application review committee within the department an opportunity to learn about your background and motivation:
- Three letters of reference from individuals who understand the challenges of completing a graduate program and are able to write about your ability to successfully complete graduate courses in fisheries and conduct the research, analyses, and writing needed to complete a thesis or dissertation. Ideally, these letters of recommendation should come from faculty, research staff, professionals, or individuals who are familiar with your academic or work experience and can speak to your work ethic and potential for success in our program.
- International students: Please reference UAF’s most recent requirements.
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:
- Develop a written proposal and a thesis using clear logic, language, and convincing arguments
- Deliver a professional oral presentation and respond to questions with confidence
- Obtain mastery of core knowledge of fishery science in 3 areas: (1) biology and ecology of fishes (2) quantitative population dynamics (3) human dimensions of fisheries
- Recognize assumptions, evaluate arguments and draw conclusions
- Demonstrate competence in data collection, analysis, interpretation and reporting
- Be prepared to compete successfully for admission to Ph.D. programs in fisheries or related aquatic science disciplines
- Be prepared to compete successfully for mid-level professional career positions in research/management at resource management agencies in Alaska and elsewhere
- Demonstrate the ability to prepare and publish peer-reviewed manuscripts in professional journals
