Wildlife Specialization

The wildlife specialization is for students who wish to pursue careers in wildlife science, management and administration, zoo biology, terrestrial ecology, environmental assessment, or education. With proper selection of electives, students can meet the education criteria for the Certified Wildlife Biologist designation established by the Wildlife Society, the major professional organization for wildlife 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

  • FW 4603 - Preparing Research Proposals for Wildlife Biologists (1.0 cr)

External Communications

Take 2 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 3152W - Writing on Issues of Science and Technology [WI] (3.0 cr)
  • WRIT 3221W - Communication Modes and Methods [WI] (3.0 cr)
  • WRIT 3257 - Technical and Professional Presentations (3.0 cr)
  • WRIT 3562W - Technical and Professional Writing [WI] (4.0 cr)

Human Dimensions

Take 2 or more course(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)
  • 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)

Animals and Plants

  • PMB 2022 - General Botany (3.0 cr)

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

  • FW 4101 - Herpetology (4.0 cr)
  • EEB 4129 - Mammalogy (4.0 cr)
    • or EEB 4839 - Field Studies in Mammalogy (4.0 cr)
  • EEB 4134 - Introduction to Ornithology (4.0 cr)
    • or EEB 4844 - Field Ornithology (4.0 cr)

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

  • FNRM 1101 - Dendrology: Identifying Forest Trees and Shrubs (3.0 cr)
  • PMB 4321 - Minnesota Flora (3.0 cr)
  • PMB 4511 - Flowering Plant Diversity (3.0 cr)

Community and Ecosystem Ecology

Take 1 or more course(s) totaling 3 or more credit(s) from the following:

  • FNRM 3104 - Forest Ecology (4.0 cr)
  • FNRM 3204 - Landscape Ecology and Management (3.0 cr)
  • EEB 4609W - Ecosystem Ecology [ENV, WI] (3.0 cr)
  • ESPM 3575 - Wetlands (3.0 cr)
  • ESPM 3108 - Ecology of Managed Systems [ENV] (3.0 cr)
  • ESPM 5071 - Ecological Restoration (4.0 cr)
    • or HORT 5071 - Ecological Restoration (4.0 cr)

Wildlife

  • FW 4103 - Principles of Wildlife Management (3.0 cr)
  • FNRM 3131 - Geographical Information Systems (GIS) for Natural Resources [TS] (4.0 cr)
  • FW 5051 - Analysis of Populations (4.0 cr)
  • FW 5603W - Habitats and Regulation of Wildlife [WI] (3.0 cr)

Physical Sciences

Take 1 or more course(s):

  • PHYS 1001W - Energy and the Environment [PHYS, ENV, WI] (4.0 cr)
    • or 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)