Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Specialization

The fisheries and aquatic sciences area of specialization is for students who wish to pursue careers in fisheries and aquatic resource science, management and administration, fish hatchery management or aquaculture, aquatic education, and aquatic environmental assessment. The curriculum meets the education criteria for the Certified Fisheries Professional designation established by the American Fisheries Society, the major professional organization for fisheries scientists and managers in North America. All required courses in the specialization must be taken A-F and completed with a grade of at least C-.

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Communications (3-4 credits)

Take 1 or more course(s) from the following:

  • AECM 2421W - Professional and Oral Communication for Agriculture, Food & the Environment [WI] (3.0 cr)
  • COMM 1101 - Introduction to Public Speaking [CIV] (3.0 cr) 
  • WRIT 3562W - Technical and Professional Writing [WI] (4.0 cr)

Human Dimensions (6 credits)

Take 2 or more course(s) totaling 6 or more credit(s) from the following:

  • ESPM 3011W - Ethics in Natural Resources [CIV, WI] (3.0 cr)
  • ESPM 3014 - Tribal and Indigenous Natural Resource Management (3.0 cr)
  • ESPM 3202W - Environmental Conflict Management, Leadership, and Planning [WI] (3.0 cr)
  • ESPM 3241W - Natural Resource and Environmental Policy [SOCS, CIV, WI] (3.0 cr)
  • ESPM 3245 - Sustainable Land Use Planning and Policy [ENV] (3.0 cr)
  • ESPM 3271 - Environmental Policy, Law, and Human Behavior [CIV, SOCS] (3.0 cr)
  • FW 3925 - Human Dimensions of Fisheries and Wildlife Management (3.0 cr)
  • ESPM 3921 - Science and Critical Thinking for Understanding Our World [CIV] (3.0 cr)
  • FNRM 4232W - Managing Recreational Lands [WI] (4.0 cr)
  • ESPM 3261 - Economics and Natural Resources Management [SOCS, ENV] (4.0 cr)
    • or APEC 3611W - Environmental and Natural Resource Economics [ENV, WI] (3.0 cr)

Fisheries and Aquatic Biology (6 credits)

Take 2 or more course(s) from the following:

  • FW 4401 - Fish Physiology and Behavior (3.0 cr)
  • FW 5459 - Stream and River Ecology (3.0 cr)
  • FW 5051 - Analysis of Populations (4.0 cr)

Principles (10 credits)

  • FW 4136 - Ichthyology (4.0 cr)
  • FW 4107 - Principles of Fisheries Science and Management (3.0 cr)

Take exactly 1 course(s) from the following:

  • EEB 3603 - Science, Protection, and Management of Aquatic Environments (3.0 cr)
  • EEB 5601 - Limnology (3.0 cr)
  • FW 2003 - Introduction to Marine Biology (3.0 cr)

Community and Ecosystem Ecology

Take 1 or more course(s) from the following:

Community and Ecosystem Ecology (FW 2003 can only be used to satisfy one requirement).

  • FW 2003 - Introduction to Marine Biology (3.0 cr) 
  • FW 4101 - Herpetology (4.0 cr)
  • ENT 5361 - Aquatic Insects (4.0 cr)
  • ESPM 3015 - Invasive Plants and Animals: Ecology and Management (3.0 cr)

Physical Sciences

Depending on your course selection, you will need to take 3 or 4 courses to meet the minimum 11-credit requirement.

Option 1

Recommended for students interested in a graduate degree or planning a career focused on research

  • PHYS 1101W - Introductory College Physics I [PHYS, WI] (4.0 cr)
    • or PHYS 1201W - Introductory Physics for Biology and Pre-medicine I [PHYS, WI] (5.0 cr)
  • CHEM 1062 - Chemical Principles II [PHYS] (3.0 cr)
  • CHEM 1066 - Chemical Principles II Laboratory [PHYS] (1.0 cr)
Take 1 or more course(s) totaling 3 or more credit(s) from the following:
  • ESPM 3131 - Environmental Physics (3.0 cr)
  • BIOC 2011 - Biochemistry for the Agricultural and Health Sciences (3.0 cr)
  • BIOC 3021 - Biochemistry (3.0 cr)
  • CHEM 2101 - Introductory Analytical Chemistry Lecture (3.0 cr)
  • CHEM 2111 - Introductory Analytical Chemistry Lab (2.0 cr)
  • CHEM 2301 - Organic Chemistry I (3.0 cr)
  • CHEM 2311 - Organic Lab (4.0 cr)

 

Option 2

Recommended for students planning on a career in professional or managerial fields such as the fisheries aspects of watershed management, applied fisheries management, or fisheries within the broader ecosystem.

  • PHYS 1001W - Energy and the Environment [PHYS, ENV, WI] (4.0 cr)
Take 1 or more course(s) from the following:
  • BIOC 2011 - Biochemistry for the Agricultural and Health Sciences (3.0 cr)
  • CHEM 1062 - Chemical Principles II [PHYS] (3.0 cr)
    • and CHEM 1066 - Chemical Principles II Laboratory [PHYS] (1.0 cr) 
Take 1 or more course(s) from the following:
  • ESPM 3111 - Hydrology and Water Quality Field Methods (3.0 cr)
  • FNRM 3114 - Hydrology and Watershed Management (3.0 cr)