Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences (B.S.)

Location(s): Brookings Main Campus

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Three students in a wildlife and fisheries classroom.

Program Coordinator/Contact

Michele Dudash, Department Head
Department of Natural Resource Management
Edgar S. McFadden Biostress Laboratory, Room 139A
605-688-6174

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.

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.

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.

Requirements for Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences Major: 120 Credits

Bachelor of Science

System General Education Requirements

Goal #1 Written Communication: SGR #1 Elective Credits: 6
Goal #2 Oral Communication: SGR #2 Elective Credits: 3
Goal #3 Social Sciences:
SGR #3 Electives Credits: 6
Goal #4 Arts and Humanities:
SGR #4 Electives Credits: 6
Goal #5 Mathematics: MATH 114 - College Algebra (COM) [SGR #5, HSDC] Credits: 3
Goal #6 Natural Sciences:
- BIOL 151 - General Biology I (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 3
  and BIOL 151L - General Biology I Lab (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 1
- PHYS 101 - Survey of Physics (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 3 and PHYS 101L - Survey of Physics Lab (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 1
  or PHYS 111 - Introduction to Physics I (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 3 and PHYS 111L - Introduction to Physics I Lab (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 1

Major Requirements

AS 332 - Livestock Breeding and Genetics Credits: 4
or BIOL 371 - Genetics (COM) Credits: 3
BOT 201 - General Botany (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 3
BOT 201L - General Botany Lab (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 0
CHEM 106 - Chemistry Survey (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 3
and CHEM 106L - Chemistry Survey Lab (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 1
and CHEM 108 - Organic and Biochemistry (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 4
and CHEM 108L - Organic and Biochemistry Lab (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 1
or CHEM 112 - General Chemistry I (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 3
and CHEM 112L - General Chemistry I Lab (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 1
and CHEM 326 - Organic Chemistry I (COM) Credits: 3
and CHEM 326L - Organic Chemistry I Lab (COM) Credits: 1
CHEM 328 - Organic Chemistry II (COM) Credits: 3
and CHEM 328L - Organic Chemistry II Lab (COM) Credits: 1
or PS 213 - Soils [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 2  (recommended)
and PS 213L - Soils Lab [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 1
or PS 243 - Principles of Geology [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 3
ENGL 379 - Technical Communication (COM) Credits: 3
or CMST 215 - Public Speaking (COM) [SGR #2, HSDC] Credits: 3
NRM 119 - Orientation to Natural Resource Management Credits: 2
NRM 230 - Natural Resource Management Techniques Credits: 2
NRM 276 - Scientific Communications Credits: 1
NRM 282 - Natural Resource Statistics Credits: 2
and NRM 282L - Natural Resource Statistics Lab Credits: 1
or STAT 281 - Introduction to Statistics (COM) [SGR #5, HSDC] Credits: 3
NRM 311 - Principles of Ecology (COM) Credits: 3
WL 220 - Introduction to Wildlife and Fisheries Management Credits: 3
WL 411 - Principles of Wildlife Management Credits: 2
WL 411L - Principles of Wildlife Management Lab Credits: 1
WL 412 - Principles of Fisheries Management Credits: 2
WL 412L - Principles of Fisheries Management Lab Credits: 1

Botany Requirement

Select 3 credits from the following courses. Credits: 3

BOT 301 - Plant Systematics (COM) Credits: 3
BOT 301L - Plant Systematics Lab (COM) Credits: 0
BOT 303 - Forest Ecology and Management Credits: 2
BOT 303L - Forest Ecology and Management Lab Credits: 1
BOT 405 - Grasses and Grasslike Plants Credits: 1
BOT 405L - Grasses and Grasslike Plants Lab Credits: 2
BOT 415 - Aquatic Plants Credits: 1
BOT 415L - Aquatic Plants Lab Credits: 2
BOT / RANG 419 - Plant Ecology (COM) Credits: 2
BOT / RANG 419L - Plant Ecology Lab (COM) Credits: 1

Organismal Group Electives

Select 3 of the following courses. Credits: 9-10

WL 355 - Mammalogy (COM) Credits: 3
WL 355L - Mammalogy Lab (COM) Credits: 0
WL 363 - Ornithology (COM) Credits: 4
WL 363L - Ornithology Lab (COM) Credits: 0
WL 367 - Ichthyology Credits: 2
WL 367L - Ichthyology Lab Credits: 1
WL 418 - Ecology of Aquatic Invertebrates Credits: 2
WL 418L - Ecology of Aquatic Invertebrates Lab Credits: 1
WL 434 - Herpetology (COM) Credits: 3
WL 434L - Herpetology Lab (COM) Credits: 0

Advanced Group Electives

Select 3 of the following courses. Credits: 9-10

BIOL 373 - Evolution (COM) Credits: 3
EES 425 - Disturbance and Restoration Ecology Credits: 3
EES 430 - Biological Invasions Credits: 3
GEOG 372 - Introduction to GIS (COM) Credits: 2
GEOG 372L - Introduction to GIS Lab (COM) Credits: 1
NRM 350 - Conservation and Management of Endangered and Nongame Wildlife Credits: 3
NRM 410 - Conservation Biology (COM) Credits: 3
NRM 450 - Freshwater Monitoring and Assessment Credits: 2
NRM 450L - Freshwater Monitoring and Assessment Lab Credits: 1
NRM 464 - Ecosystem Ecology Credits: 3
NRM 466 - Environmental Toxicology and Contaminants (COM) Credits: 3
NRM 482 - Natural Resource Management Biometry Credits: 2
NRM 482L - Natural Resource Management Biometry Lab Credits: 1
RANG 321 - Wildland Ecosystems Credits: 3
RANG 374 - Habitat Conservation and Management Credits: 3
RANG 374L - Habitat Conservation and Management Lab Credits: 1
WL 415 - Upland Game Ecology and Management Credits: 2
WL 415L - Upland Game Ecology and Management Lab Credits: 1
WL 417 - Large Mammal Ecology and Management Credits: 2
WL 417L - Large Mammal Ecology and Management Lab Credits: 1
WL 419 - Waterfowl Ecology and Management Credits: 2
WL 419L - Waterfowl Ecology and Management Lab Credits: 1
WL 421 - Grassland Fire Ecology Credits: 3
WL 425 - Wildlife Disease Credits: 2
WL 425L - Wildlife Disease Lab Credits: 1
WL 427 - Limnology and Stream Ecology Credits: 2
WL 427L - Limnology and Stream Ecology Lab Credits: 1
WL 429 - Ecology of Fishes and Habitat Credits: 3
WL 431 - Advanced Fisheries Management Credits: 2
WL 431L - Advanced Fisheries Management Lab Credits: 1

Human Dimensions Requirement

Electives

Taken as needed to complete any additional degree requirements.

Total Required Credits: 120

Summary of Program Requirements

Bachelor of Science
System General Education Requirements*	32 Credit Hours
Major Requirements	67-72 Credit Hours
Electives**	16-21 Credit Hours

*System General Education Requirements for students pursuing a baccalaureate degree shall include a minimum of 30 credit hours. Some general education coursework may be counted for Major Requirements and Supporting Coursework.
**Taken as needed to complete any additional degree requirements.

Academic Advising Guide Sheet

The goal of the academic advising guide sheets and sample plans of study is to promote undergraduate student success by guiding all students to timely completion of an undergraduate degree. Students are not limited to the course sequence provided for their academic program. Instead, the sample plan of study is one possible path to completing your degree and is meant to be used as a guide for planning purposes in consultation with an academic advisor. The plans also help students prepare for meetings with their academic advisor and track their progress in their selected academic program.