Wildlife & Natural Resources, Bachelor of Science: Terrestrial Emphasis
Wildlife & Natural Resources Program
The major of wildlife and natural resources leads to a Bachelor of Science (BS) Degree. In addition, supporting courses and general education courses in biology are available to meet a wide range of interests, backgrounds and needs. The Wildlife and Natural Resources Program emphasizes an understanding of fish and wildlife ecology and management with practical skills obtained during laboratory and field exercises. Graduates are prepared for positions with state and federal agencies, tribal departments, and conservation organizations or higher academic degrees. Carefully supervised career planning is provided to all students.
The wildlife and natural resources program offers Aquatic and Terrestrial emphasis areas, with curriculum for each meeting the certification requirements of the American Fisheries Society (AFS) or The Wildlife Society (TWS), respectively.
Program Goals
- To provide students with the necessary background to successfully pursue graduate study towards a professional career in wildlife and natural resources;
- To prepare students upon graduation to enter field positions in government or private industry; and,
- To supply students with the necessary coursework to obtain professional certification as associate fishery or wildlife biologists
Expected Student Outcomes
- Students will know the taxonomy, ecology and natural history of flora and fauna in southern Colorado and the desert southwest.
- Students will know the principles and concepts of fish and wildlife science and how they are used to make informed decisions on difficult management decisions.
- Students will use contemporary tools and techniques for studying fish and wildlife, habitat, and ecosystem processes.
- Students will be familiar with laws, policies, regulations and administrative processes that dictate how wildlife and natural resources are held in trust for the public.
- Students will develop communication and interpersonal skills to enhance their working relations with co-workers, other wildlife professionals, the public and non-governmental organizations, landowners, hunters and anglers, and other natural resources interests.
- Students will develop skills in reading and interpreting the scientific literature and in presenting a synthesis of it accurately in oral and written form.
- Students will demonstrate critical thinking and problem solving skills using experimental design and the scientific process.
Outcomes Assessment Activities
Assessment of students’ improvement in intellectual skills, knowledge and capacities from entrance to graduation will be accomplished through the use of several tools. Exams and course assignments will be used as one measure of the student’s proficiency in writing skills, acquisition of knowledge, communication, problem solving, and laboratory and field skills. All majors will take a Senior Seminar requiring scientific literature interpretation along with oral and written presentations evaluated by peers and department faculty. Students performing at a high academic level will be strongly encourages to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) to prepare for graduate study.
General Requirements
- Students majoring in wildlife and natural resources must receive a grade of C or better (2.000) in all core biology and wildlife and natural resources courses.
- Students graduating with a BS in wildlife and natural resources must have at least a cumulative GPA of 2.000 in the major area.
- Transfer students are required to earn a minimum of 15 semester credit hours in approved biology and wildlife and natural resources upper division courses from CSU-Pueblo, including BIOL 493 SEMINAR (1.00 c.h.), for graduation with a BS degree in wildlife and natural resources.
- Students are strongly encouraged to complete an internship or temporary employment in a natural resources discipline prior to graduation.
Specific Requirements for the Terrestrial Emphasis
Course | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Biology Courses | ||
BIOL 171 | FIRST YEAR SEMINAR | 1 |
BIOL 181 & 181L | COLLEGE BIOLOGY I/ORGANISMAL BIO and COLLEGE BIOLOGY I/ORGANISMAL BIO LAB | 4 |
BIOL 182 & 182L | COLLEGE BIOLOGY II/CELLULAR BIOLOGY and COLLEGE BIOLOGY II/CELLULAR BIO LAB | 4 |
BIOL 201 & 201L | BOTANY and BOTANY LABORATORY | 4 |
BIOL 202 & 202L | ZOOLOGY and ZOOLOGY LABORATORY | 4 |
BIOL 352 | EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY | 3 |
WANR 302 | PRINCIPLES OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT | 3 |
WANR 402 | MANAGEMENT OF ENDANGERED SPECIES | 3 |
BIOL 493 | SEMINAR | 1 |
Required Support Courses | ||
CHEM 121 & 121L | GENERAL CHEMISTRY I and GENERAL CHEMISTRY LAB I | 5 |
CHEM 211 & 211L | INTRODUCTION TO ORGANIC CHEMISTRY and INTRO TO ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LAB | 4 |
MATH 156 | INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICS | 3 |
MATH 221 | APPLIED CALC: AN INTUITIVE APPROACH | 4 |
COMR 103 | SPEAKING AND LISTENING | 3 |
Support Course Electives | ||
Select at least one science course from the following: | 4 | |
PRINCIPLES OF PHYSICS I and PRINCIPLES OF PHYSICS LAB I | 4 | |
EARTH SCIENCE and EARTH SCIENCE LAB | 4 | |
Select at least one communications course from the following: | 3 | |
BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS | ||
ARGUMENTATION | 3 | |
INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION | 3 | |
GENDER AND COMMUNICATION | 3 | |
COMMUNICATING IN PROFESSIONS | 3 | |
INTRODUCTION TO RHETORIC | 3 | |
GRANT WRITING | 3 | |
ADVANCED COMPOSITION | 3 | |
TECHNICAL AND SCIENTIFIC REPORT WRITING | 3 | |
INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION | 3 | |
MCCNM 201 | ||
ENVIRONMENTAL INTERPRETATION | 3 | |
Select at least one additional MATH course in the 100 level or above; the following is recommended: | 3 | |
STATISTICAL METHODS | 3 | |
Upper Division Electives | ||
Select at least two terrestrial vertebrate courses from the following: | 6 | |
HERPETOLOGY and HERPETOLOGY LAB | 3 | |
MAMMALOGY and MAMMALOGY LAB | 3 | |
ORNITHOLOGY and ORNITHOLOGY LAB | 3 | |
Select at least one zoology course from the following: | 3-5 | |
COMPARATIVE VERTEBRATE ANATOMY and COMPARATIVE VERTEBRATE ANATOMY LAB | 5 | |
VERTEBRATE PHYSIOLOGY and VERTEBRATE PHYSIOLOGY LAB | 4 | |
FRESHWATER INVERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY and FRESHWATER INVERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY LAB | 4 | |
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY | 3 | |
ICHTHYOLOGY and ICHTHYOLOGY LABORATORY | 3 | |
ENTOMOLOGY and ENTOMOLOGY LAB | 3 | |
HERPETOLOGY and HERPETOLOGY LAB | 3 | |
The third of the terrestrial vertebrate courses above | 3 | |
Select at least one botany course from the following: | 3-4 | |
PLANT PHYSIOLOGY and PLANT PHYSIOLOGY LAB | 4 | |
PLANT TAXONOMY and PLANT TAXONOMY LAB | 4 | |
FIELD BOTANY | 3 | |
Select at least two policy and administration courses from the following: | 6 | |
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY & MANAGEMENT | 3 | |
SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES | 3 | |
NAT RESOURCE POLICY & ADMIN | 3 | |
HUMAN DIMENSIONS IN NAT RES MGMT | 3 | |
Advisor-Approved Upper Division Electives | ||
Select 9-12 credits; the following are recommended: | 9-12 | |
ECOLOGY and ECOLOGY FIELD STUDIES | 4 | |
APPLIED GEOSPATIAL TECHNOLOGY (GIS/GPS) | 3 | |
ICHTHYOLOGY and ICHTHYOLOGY LABORATORY | 3 | |
Institutional and General Education | ||
Select 21 credits | 21 | |
General Electives | ||
Select 11-13 credits | 11-13 | |
Total Credits | 115-123 |
General Education
The general education requirement for graduation includes a total of 35 semester credits in two categories: Skills Component and Knowledge Component. Please see the General Education Requirement section under Academic Policies for more information.
Planning Sheet
Disclaimer: The Planning Sheet is designed as a guide for student's planning their course selections. The information on this page provides only a suggested schedule. Actual course selections should be made with the advice and consent of an academic advisor. While accurately portraying the information contained in the college catalog, this form is not considered a legal substitute for that document. Students should become familiar with the catalog in effect at the time in which they entered the institution.
Course | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Year 1 | ||
Fall | ||
BIOL 171 | First Year Seminar | 1 |
BIOL 181 & 181L |
College Biology I/Organismal Bio and College Biology I/Organismal Bio Lab |
4 |
CHEM 121 & 121L |
General Chemistry I and General Chemistry Lab I |
5 |
COMR 103 | Speaking and Listening | 3 |
ENG 101 | Rhetoric & Writing I | 3 |
Credits | 16 | |
Spring | ||
BIOL 182 & 182L |
College Biology II/Cellular Biology and College Biology II/Cellular Bio Lab |
4 |
CHEM 211 & 211L |
Introduction to Organic Chemistry and Intro to Organic Chemistry Lab |
4 |
ENG 102 | Rhetoric & Writing II | 3 |
MATH 221 | Applied Calc: An Intuitive Approach | 4 |
Credits | 15 | |
Year 2 | ||
Fall | ||
BIOL 202 & 202L |
Zoology and Zoology Laboratory |
4 |
BIOL 352 | Evolutionary Biology and Ecology | 3 |
MATH 156 | Introduction to Statistics | 3 |
Elective 3 credits must be Communication course. 3 credits must be Science course. | 6 | |
Credits | 16 | |
Spring | ||
BIOL 201 & 201L |
Botany and Botany Laboratory |
4 |
WANR 302 | Principles of Wildlife Management | 3 |
General Education | 9 | |
Credits | 16 | |
Year 3 | ||
Fall | ||
MATH 356 | Statistics for Engineers and Scientists | 3 |
General Education | 3 | |
Elective Must be upper division Botany and Zoology course. | 6-9 | |
Credits | 12-15 | |
Spring | ||
General Education | 3 | |
Elective 3 credits must be upper division Biology course. 3 credits each of Policy & Admin and Terrestrial Vertebrates course. | 12 | |
Credits | 15 | |
Year 4 | ||
Fall | ||
BIOL 453 & 453L |
Ecology and Ecology Field Studies |
4 |
Elective 6 credits must be upper division Biology course; 3 credits must be Policy & Admin course. | 12 | |
Credits | 16 | |
Spring | ||
BIOL 493 | Seminar | 1 |
WANR 402 | Management of Endangered Species | 3 |
Elective Must be upper division credits; 3 credits must be Terrestrial Vertebrates course. | 8-14 | |
Credits | 12-18 | |
Total Credits | 118-127 |