Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
Designed for the student with a keen interest in wildlife ecology and conservation, this major provides training for a variety of wildlife careers, as well as a solid foundation for professional employment or advanced graduate study. The primary focus of our undergraduate teaching is to develop the student's knowledge of the conservation and management of wildlife and their habitats for the greatest aesthetic, ecological, economic and recreational values.
About This Major
- College: Agricultural and Life Sciences
- Degree: Bachelor of Science
- Hours for the Degree: 120
- Specializations: Preprofessional, Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Minor: Yes
- Website: www.wec.ufl.edu/undergrad/major.php
Overview
The department also co-administers a major in natural resource conservation with the School of Forest Resources and Conservation.
Preprofessional
Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
Preprofessional
This specialization satisfies the coursework requirements for admission to the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program. Students pursuing admission to the College of Veterinary Medicine must take six credits of general education composition, nine credits of humanities and six credits of social and behavioral sciences.
Some students can also satisfy requirements for certification as an associate wildlife biologist by The Wildlife Society. Certification requirements and application material are available at www.wildlife.org.
Critical Tracking
To graduate with this major, students must complete all university, college and major requirements.
Equivalent critical tracking courses as determined by the State of Florida Common Course Prerequisites may be used for transfer students
Semester 1
- 2.0 UF GPA required for semesters 1-5
- 2.5 GPA on required math and science courses combined semesters 1-5
- Complete 2 of 7 critical-tracking courses, excluding labs: BSC 2010/2010L,
BSC 2011/2011L, CHM 2045/2045L, CHM 2046/2046L, AEB 2014 or AEB 3103 or ECO 2023, MAC 2311, STA 2023
Semester 2
- Complete 2 additional critical-tracking courses, excluding labs
Semester 3
- Complete 1 additional critical-tracking course, excluding labs
Semester 4
- Complete 2 additional critical-tracking courses, excluding labs
Semester 5
- Complete all critical-tracking courses, including labs
Recommended Semester Plan
To remain on track, students must complete the appropriate critical-tracking courses, which appear in bold. Students are required to complete HUM 2305 The Good Life (GE-H) in semester 1 or 2.
| Semester 1 |
Credits |
|---|
| BSC 2010 and 2010L Integrated Principles of Biology 1 (3) and Integrated Principles of Biology 1 Laboratory (1) (GE-B) |
4 |
| CHM 2045 and 2045L General Chemistry 1 (3) and General Chemistry 1 Laboratory (1) (GE-P) |
4 |
| WIS 2920 Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Colloquium |
1 |
| Composition (GE-C, WR) |
3 |
| Elective |
2 |
| Total |
14 |
| Semester 2 |
Credits |
|---|
AML 2070 Survey of American Literature or
AML 2410 Issues in American Literature and Culture or
ENL 2012 Survey of English Literature, Medieval to 1750 or
ENL 2022 Survey of English Literature, 1750 to Present (all are GE-C, H) |
3 |
| BSC 2011 and 2011L Integrated Principles of Biology 2 (3) and Integrated Principles of Biology 2 Laboratory (1) (GE-B) |
4 |
| CHM 2046 and 2046L General Chemistry 2 (3) and General Chemistry 2 Laboratory (1) (GE-P) |
4 |
| HUM 2305 What is the Good Life (GE-H) |
3 |
| Elective |
1 |
| Total |
15 |
| Semester 3 |
Credits |
|---|
| AEC 3033C Research and Business Writing in Agricultural and Life Sciences (WR) |
3 |
| CHM 2210 Organic Chemistry 1 |
3 |
| MAC 2311 Analytic Geometry and Calculus 1 (GE-M) |
4 |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (GE-S) |
3 |
| Humanities (GE-H) |
3 |
| Total |
16 |
| Semester 4 |
Credits |
|---|
AEB 2014 Economic Issues, Food and You (3) or
AEB 3103 Principles of Food and Resource Economics (4) or
ECO 2023 Principles of Microeconomics (4) (GE-S) |
3-4 |
| CHM 2211 and 2211L Organic Chemistry 2 (3) and Organic Chemistry 2 Laboratory (2) |
5 |
| STA 2023 Introduction to Statistics 1 (GE-M) |
3 |
| WIS 3402 and 3402L Wildlife of Florida (3) and Wildlife of Florida Laboratory (1) |
4 |
| Total |
16 |
| Semester 5 |
Credits |
|---|
FOR 3153C Forest Ecology (3) or
PCB 3601C Plant Ecology (3) or
PCB 4043C General Ecology (4) |
3-4 |
| PHY 2053 and 2053L Physics 1 (4) and Physics 1 Laboratory (1) |
5 |
| WIS 3401 Wildlife Ecology and Management |
3 |
| Elective |
3 |
| Total |
14-15 |
| Semester 6 |
Credits |
|---|
AGR 3303 Genetics (3) or
PCB 3063 Genetics (4) |
3-4 |
| PHY 2054 and 2054L Physics 2 (4) and Physics 2 Laboratory (1) |
5 |
| WIS 4501 Introduction to Wildlife Population Ecology |
3 |
| Elective |
4 |
| Total |
15-16 |
| Semester 7 |
Credits |
|---|
| ANS 3440 Principles of Animal Nutrition |
4 |
BCH 4024 Introduction to Biochemistry and Molecular Biology or
CHM 3218 Organic Chemistry/Biochemistry 2 |
4 |
WIS 4523 Human Dimensions of Natural Resource Conservation or
FNR 4070C Environmental Education Program Development or
FOR 3202 Society and Natural Resources or
FOR 4664 Sustainable Ecotourism Development |
3 |
| WIS 4554 Conservation Biology |
3 |
| Elective |
3 |
| Total |
17 |
| Semester 8 |
Credits |
|---|
| AEC 3030C Effective Oral Communication |
3 |
| ANS 3006C Introduction to Animal Science |
4 |
| MCB 3020 and 3020L Basic Biology of Microorganisms (3) and Basic Biology of Microorganisms Laboratory (1) |
4 |
WIS 4203C Landscape Ecology and Conservation or
WIS 4427C Wildlife Habitat Management or
WIS 4601C Quantitative Wildlife Ecology |
3 |
| Total |
14 |
Electives are used to complete the balance of 120 credits required for graduation. Students can choose any courses as electives.
General education courses should be selected to meet the university's requirements for writing, international and diversity focused courses.
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Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
Students in this specialization train in the biological, social, physical and management sciences, and excel at both the scientific and human dimensions of managing wildlife and natural resources. With appropriate choice of electives and course options (below), graduates satisfy requirements for certification as an associate wildlife biologist with The Wildlife Society.
Students select a focus area comprised of four courses (minimum of 12 credit hours) in one of the following areas: ecology, management, human dimensions, quantitative science or urban and regional planning (combined degree program only).
All students must file a plan of study for focus area courses with Wildlife Ecology and Conservation (WEC) Student Services before completing 60 credit hours in the major or before the end of the first term of enrollment for transfer students. The plan must be approved by both the student's faculty adviser and the undergraduate coordinator. Any changes to the plan must be approved by the undergraduate coordinator.
Lists of approved courses are available in the WEC Student Services Office, 102 Newins-Ziegler Hall.
Critical Tracking
To graduate with this major, students must complete all university, college and major requirements.
Equivalent critical tracking courses as determined by the State of Florida Common Course Prerequisites may be used for transfer students
Semester 1
- 2.0 UF GPA required for semesters 1-5
- 2.5 GPA on required math and science courses combined semesters 1-5
- Complete 1 of 6 critical-tracking courses, excluding labs: BSC 2010/2010L,
BSC 2011/2011L, CHM 2045/2045L, AEB 2014 or AEB 3103 or ECO 2023, MAC 2311, STA 2023
Semester 2
- Complete 1 additional critical-tracking course, excluding labs
Semester 3
- Complete 2 additional critical-tracking courses, excluding labs
Semester 4
- Complete 2 additional critical-tracking courses, excluding labs
Semester 5
- Complete all critical-tracking courses, including labs
Recommended Semester Plan
To remain on track, students must complete the appropriate critical-tracking courses, which appear in bold. Students are required to complete HUM 2305 The Good Life (GE-H) in semester 1 or 2.
| Semester 1 |
Credits |
|---|
| BSC 2010 and 2010L Integrated Principles of Biology 1 (3) and Integrated Principles of Biology 1 Laboratory (1) (GE-B) |
4 |
| WIS 2920 Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Colloquium |
1 |
| Composition (GE-C, WR) |
3 |
| Elective |
2 |
| Humanities (GE-H) |
3 |
| Total |
13 |
| Semester 2 |
Credits |
|---|
AEB 2014 Economic Issues, Food and You (3) or
AEB 3103 Principles of Food and Resource Economics (4) or
ECO 2023 Principles of Microeconomics (4) (GE-S) |
3-4 |
| BSC 2011 and 2011L Integrated Principles of Biology 2 (3) and Integrated Principles of Biology 2 Laboratory (1) (GE-B) |
4 |
| HUM 2305 What is the Good Life (GE-H) |
3 |
| STA 2023 Introduction to Statistics 1 (GE-M) |
3 |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (GE-S) |
3 |
| Total |
16-17 |
| Semester 3 |
Credits |
|---|
| AEC 3030C Effective Oral Communication |
3 |
| AEC 3033C Research and Business Writing in Agricultural and Life Sciences (WR) |
3 |
| CHM 2045 and 2045L General Chemistry 1 (3) and General Chemistry 1 Laboratory (1) (GE-P) |
4 |
FOR 3153C Forest Ecology (3) or
PCB 3601C Plant Ecology (3) or
PCB 4043C General Ecology (4) |
3-4 |
| Humanities (GE-H) or Social and Behavioral Sciences (GE-S) |
3 |
| Total |
16-17 |
| Semester 4 |
Credits |
|---|
| MAC 2311 Analytic Geometry and Calculus 1 (GE-M) |
4 |
| WIS 3402 and 3402L Wildlife of Florida (3) and Wildlife of Florida Laboratory (1) |
4 |
| SWS 3022 and 3022L Introduction to Soils in the Environment (3) and Soils in the Environment Laboratory (1) (GE-P) |
4 |
| Elective |
3 |
| Total |
15 |
| Semester 5 |
Credits |
|---|
Plant Diversity and Taxonomy Course (1 of 2):
BOT 2011C Plant Diversity (4) or
BOT 2710 Practical Plant Taxonomy (3) or
BOT 3151C Local Flora of North Florida (3) or
FNR 3131C Dendrology/Forest Plants (3) or
ORH 3513C Environmental Plant Identification and Use (3) |
3-4 |
ENY 3005 and 3005L Principles of Entomology (2) and Laboratory (1) or
ENY 4210 Insects and Wildlife (3) or
ZOO 2203C Invertebrate Zoology (4) or
ZOO 4205C Invertebrate Biodiversity (4) |
3-4 |
FOR 3434C Forest Resources Information Systems (3) or
GIS 3043 Foundations of Geographic Information Systems (4) or
SUR 3393 and 3393L Geographic Information Systems (2) and Laboratory (1) or
URP 4273 Survey of Planning Information Systems (3) |
3-4 |
| WIS 3401 Wildlife Ecology and Management |
3 |
WIS 4934 Reptiles and Amphibians (3-4) or
ZOO 2303C Vertebrate Zoology (4) or
ZOO 4307C Vertebrate Biodiversity (4) or
ZOO 4472C Avian Biology (4) or
ZOO 4926 Mammalogy (3-4) |
3-4 |
| Total |
15-19 |
| Semester 6 |
Credits |
|---|
Plant Diversity and Taxonomy Course (2 of 2):
BOT 2011C Plant Diversity (4) or
BOT 2710 Practical Plant Taxonomy (3) or
BOT 3151C Local Flora of North Florida (3) or
FNR 3131C Dendrology Forest Plants (3) or
ORH 3513C Environmental Plant Identification and Use (3) |
3-4 |
| WIS 3553C Introduction to Conservation Genetics |
4 |
| WIS 4945C Wildlife Techniques |
4 |
| One focus course |
3 |
| Total |
14-15 |
| Semester 7 |
Credits |
|---|
FNR 4660 Natural Resource Policy and Economics (3) or
ECP 3302 Environmental Economics and Resource Policy (4) |
3-4 |
FNR 4070C Environmental Education Program Development or
FOR 3202 Society and Natural Resources or
FOR 4664 Sustainable Ecotourism Development or
WIS 4523 Human Dimensions of Natural Resource Conservation |
3 |
WIS 4554 Conservation Biology or
WIS 4203C Landscape Ecology and Conservation |
3 |
| WIS 4601C Quantitative Wildlife Ecology |
3 |
| One focus course |
3 |
| Total |
15-16 |
| Semester 8 |
Credits |
|---|
| Two focus courses |
6 |
| WIS 4501 Introduction to Wildlife Population Ecology |
3 |
| Electives |
6 |
| Total |
15 |
Electives are used to complete the balance of 120 credits required for graduation. Students can choose any courses as electives.
General education courses should be selected to meet the university's requirements for writing, international and diversity focused courses.
Wildlife Society Certification: Nine credits of physical science are required for certification as an associate wildlife biologist through The Wildlife Society (TWS). Students who wish to meet the requirements for certification and do not have these credits should choose one of the following physical science courses as an elective.
Approved Physical Science Courses
CHM 2046 and CHM 2046L General Chemistry 2 (3) and General Chemistry 2 Lab (1)
EES 4370 Environmental Meteorology and Oceanography (3)
GEO 3250 Climatology (3)
GLY 2030C Environmental and Engineering Geology (3)
PHY 2004 and 2004L Applied Physics 1 (3) and Applied Physics 1 Laboratory (1)
PHY 2053 and 2053L Physics 1 (4) and Physics 1 Laboratory (1)
One course in the biology of birds and mammals is also required by TWS: Students should choose ZOO 4472C Avian Biology in semester 8.
Details of certification requirements and application materials are available at www.wildlife.org.
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