Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences (B.S.)

Program Coordinator/Contact

Bruce Eichhorst, Instructor
Department of Natural Resource Management
Edgar S. McFadden Biostress Laboratory, Room 139D
605-688-6121

Program Information

Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences major requirements prepare undergraduate students for careers in wildlife and fisheries conservation and management. Coursework is directed at organisms, natural populations and communities, their habitats and human users. Imbedded in these courses are additional skills that further enable students to be competitive in the natural resources disciplines. These skills include communications, teamwork, leadership, ethics, statistics, technology, global competence, critical thinking, and problem solving. Most employment is with state and federal natural resource agencies. Each state has natural resource agencies that hire students with wildlife and fisheries sciences degrees and multiple federal agencies hire graduates from the program. In addition, employment opportunities exist with local and tribal governments, non-governmental organizations, and private industry. Many undergraduates continue their education by seeking advanced degrees.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences major, students will:

• Understand ecological and environmental principles required for management of natural resources for multiple-uses, including (but not limited to) wildlife habitat, water management, ecosystems services, recreation, and livestock production.
• Describe how natural resource management fits into the context of society and how societal factors (e.g., economics, policy, laws, regulations, attitudes, behaviors, norms) influence natural resource management.
• Lead and work with others as appropriate to successfully manage natural resources.
• Apply natural resource field and lab techniques and contemporary technologies to management of natural resources.
• Analyze and critically evaluate data and other information.
• Communicate (both written and orally) with both scientific and non-scientific audiences.
• Display professional and ethical behavior consistent with that expected in a natural resource management field.

Accreditation, Certification, and Licensure

Academic requirements for Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences are based on certification programs of the American Fisheries Society and The Wildlife Society.

Course Delivery Format

The Wildlife and Fisheries program is on campus and engages students in experiential learning in lecture, laboratory, and field based settings.