Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology (BS): Conservation Biology Concentration
Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology (FWCB) major prepares students to manage and conserve populations of fish and wildlife in their natural habitats. This STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) major gives students the skills they need to observe, research, monitor and assess the impact of environmental change, human behavior and public policy on wild populations of animals. Using a combination of lab work, technology and field study, students develop conservation strategies that ensure the long-term health of fish and wildlife populations.
After sophomore year, students spend six weeks in summer field courses. During the 鈥渟ummer camp鈥� experience, students learn hands-on fish and wildlife management techniques in locations across the state. From plant and animal identification and bird mist netting to camera-trapping and radio telemetry, students gain experiences that prepare them for careers after graduation. FWCB students have the option to substitute the summer field course with approved internships or study abroad courses.
The Conservation Biology concentration allows flexibility for students to pursue elements of conservation that align with their specific career goals. The degree requirements include 9 credits of technical electives that compliment the major such as courses in environmental policy, entomology, science communication, or environmental education.
Contact
Dr. Nicole Mihnovets
anmihnov@ncsu.edu
FWCB Undergraduate Coordinator
Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources
Box 8008
North Carolina State 福利逼站
Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-8008
Plan Requirements
| First Year | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| 贰狈痴听100 | Student Success in Environmental First Year | 1 |
| 贰狈痴听101 | Exploring the Environment | 2 |
| 惭础听131 | Calculus for Life and Management Sciences A | 3 |
| 叠滨翱听181 | Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity | 4 |
| 叠滨翱听183 | Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology | 4 |
| 颁贬听101 | Chemistry - A Molecular Science | 3 |
| 颁贬听102 | General Chemistry Laboratory | 1 |
| Acad Writing Research 1 | 4 | |
| 贵奥听221 | Conservation of Natural Resources | 3 |
| 听 | Hours | 25 |
| Second Year | ||
| FOR听172 | Forest System Mapping and Mensuration I | 2 |
| PY听131 | Conceptual Physics | 4 |
| COM听110 or COM听112 | Public Speaking or Interpersonal Communication | 3 |
| Select one of the following Ecology courses: | 4 | |
| Ecology | ||
| Forest Ecology | ||
| Ecology | ||
| Plant Elective | 3 | |
| Quantitative Elective | 3 | |
| Physical Science Elective | 3 | |
| Economics Elective | 3 | |
| 听 | Hours | 25 |
| Summer | ||
| Experiential Learning | 6 | |
| 听 | Hours | 6 |
| Third Year | ||
| GIS听280 | Introduction to GIS | 3 |
| FW听333 | Conservation Biology in Practice | 3 |
| FW听353 | Wildlife Management | 3 |
| FW听373 | Vertebrate Natural History | 3 |
| ST听311 | Introduction to Statistics | 3 |
| FW听411 | Human Dimensions of Wildlife and Fisheries | 3 |
| ENG听333 | Communication for Science and Research | 3 |
| Select one of the following Genetics courses: | 3-4 | |
| Genetics for Wildlife Management | ||
| Genetics in Human Affairs | ||
| Principles of Genetics | ||
| Select one of the following Organic Chemistry combinations: | 4 | |
| Introductory Organic Chemistry and Organic Chemistry I Lab | ||
| Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry I Lab | ||
| 听 | Hours | 28 |
| Fourth Year | ||
| FW听415 | Professional Development in Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology | 1 |
| FW听453 or FW听404 | Principles of Wildlife Science or Wildlife Habitat Management | 3 |
| ENT听201 | Insects and People | 3 |
| Policy Elective | 3 | |
| Conservation Biology Elective | 3 | |
| Fisheries & Wildlife Elective | 3 | |
| Technical Electives | 9 | |
| 听 | Hours | 25 |
| 听 | Total Hours | 109 |
- 1
A grade of C- or better is required.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| GEP Courses | ||
| GEP Humanities | 6 | |
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 2 | |
| GEP Elective | 3 | |
| GEP Global Knowledge (Verify Requirement) | ||
| GEP Foundations of American Democracy (verify requirement) | ||
| World Language Proficiency (Verify Requirement) | ||
| Total Hours | 11 | |
Acad Writing Research
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Acad Writing Research | ||
| ENG听101 | Academic Writing and Research | 4 |
| FLE听101 | Academic Writing and Research | 4 |
| Transfer Sequence | ||
| ENG听202 | Disciplinary Perspectives in Writing | 3 |
| ENG听1GEP | 3 | |
Plant Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| FOR听401 | Dendrology | 4 |
| PB听200 | Plant Life | 4 |
| PB听220 | Local Flora | 3 |
| PB听250 | Plant Biology | 4 |
Quantitative Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MA听231 | Calculus for Life and Management Sciences B | 3 |
| MA听241 | Calculus II | 4 |
| NR听300 | Natural Resource Measurements | 4 |
| ST听312 | Introduction to Statistics II | 3 |
| MA听107 | Precalculus I (Only for cases when math placement exam results determine that pre-calculus is necessary before enrolling in 惭础听131.) | 3 |
Physical Science Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CH听201 | Chemistry - A Quantitative Science | 3 |
| CH听202 | Quantitative Chemistry Laboratory | 1 |
| CH听223 | Organic Chemistry II | 3 |
| ES听200 | Climate Change and Sustainability | 3 |
| ES听300 | Energy and Environment | 3 |
| MEA听100 | Earth System Science: Exploring the Connections | 4 |
| MEA听130 | Introduction to Weather and Climate | 3 |
| MEA听200 | Introduction to Oceanography | 3 |
| MEA听210 | Oceanography Lab | 1 |
| MEA听220 | Marine Biology | 3 |
| MEA听250 | Introduction to Coastal Environments | 3 |
| MEA听323 | Geochemistry of Natural Waters | 3 |
| PY听212 | College Physics II | 4 |
Economics听 Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ARE听201 | Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics | 3 |
| ARE听201A | Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics | 3 |
| EC听201 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| EC听205 | Fundamentals of Economics | 3 |
| NR听219 | Natural Resource Markets | 3 |
Experiential Learning
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
Summer Camp 2 | ||
| FW听311 | Piedmont Wildlife Ecology and Management | 3 |
| FW听312 | Fisheries Techniques and Management | 1 |
| FW听313 | Mountain Wildlife Ecology and Management | 1 |
| FW听314 | Coastal Ecology and Management | 1 |
Internship 2 | ||
| FW听492 | External Learning Experience | 3-6 |
Study Abroad 2 | ||
| FW听405 | Tropical Wildlife Ecology | 3 |
| FW听445 | Human Dimensions of Conservation Biology in the Bahamas | 3 |
- 2
Six credits of experiential learning can be accomplished by completing听one听of the following four options:
1) Summer Camp field courses (FW 311, FW 312, FW 313, FW 314)
2) Two FWCB approved internships (FW 492)
3) Two study abroad experiences (FW 405, FW 445, or other FWCB-approved wildlife study abroad)
4) One FWCB-approved internship and one study abroad experience.
Click听听and听听for more information about FWCB's experiential learning opportunities. Click听听to view additional opportunities offered through NCSU's Pack Abroad portal.听
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ARE听309 | Environmental Law & Economic Policy | 3 |
| NR听460 | Renewable Natural Resource Management and Policy | 3 |
| PS听320 | U.S. Environmental Law and Politics | 3 |
| PS听336 | Global Environmental Politics | 3 |
Conservation Biology Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| FW听403 | Urban Wildlife Management | 3 |
| FW听405 | Tropical Wildlife Ecology | 3 |
| FW听460 | International Wildlife Management and Conservation | 3 |
| NR听406 | Conservation of Biological Diversity | 3 |
| AEC听245 | Practicing Conservation Ecology | 3 |
| AEC听384 | Tropical Ecology in a Changing World | 3 |
| AEC听390 | Community Ecology | 3 |
| AEC听400 | Applied Ecology | 3 |
| AEC听409 | Ecology and Conservation of Freshwater Invertebrates | 4 |
| AEC听424 | Marine Fisheries Ecology | 3 |
| AEC听460 | Field Ecology and Methods | 4 |
| AEC听470 | Urban Ecology | 3 |
| MEA听350 | Marine Conservation Biology ! | 3 |
Fisheries & Wildlife Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| FW听402 | Genetics for Wildlife Management | 3 |
| FW听413 | Herpetology | 4 |
| FW听444 | Mammalogy | 3 |
| FW听453 | Principles of Wildlife Science | 4 |
| AEC听420 | Introduction to Fisheries Science | 3 |
| AEC听501 | Avian Ecology | 4 |
| AEC听441 | Biology of Fishes | 3 |
| ZO听410 | Introduction to Animal Behavior | 3 |
| AEC听424 | Marine Fisheries Ecology ! | 3 |
| MEA听252 | Biology of Marine Mammals ! | 3 |
- !
Course offered only during Semester at CMAST, a 'study away' program at NC State's Center for Marine Sciences and Technology, in Morehead City.听听for more information about this program.
Technical Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| FW听402 | Genetics for Wildlife Management | 3 |
| FW听403 | Urban Wildlife Management | 3 |
| FW听404 | Wildlife Habitat Management | 3 |
| AEC听245 | Practicing Conservation Ecology | 3 |
| AEC听370 | Parasite and Disease Ecology | 3 |
| AEC听380 | Water Resources: Global Issues in Ecology, Policy, Management, and Advocacy | 3 |
| AEC听384 | Tropical Ecology in a Changing World | 3 |
| AEC听390 | Community Ecology | 3 |
| AEC听400 | Applied Ecology | 3 |
| AEC听409 | Ecology and Conservation of Freshwater Invertebrates | 4 |
| AEC听419 | Freshwater Ecology | 4 |
| AEC听424 | Marine Fisheries Ecology | 3 |
| AEC听441 | Biology of Fishes | 3 |
| AEC听460 | Field Ecology and Methods | 4 |
| AEC听470 | Urban Ecology | 3 |
| ANS听230 | Animal Nutrition | 3 |
| COM听289 | Science Communication and Public Engagement | 3 |
| CS听230 | Introduction to Agroecology | 3 |
| CS听415 | Integrated Pest Management | 3 |
| DSC听201 | Introduction to R/Python for Data Science | 1 |
| DSC听202 | Introduction to Data Visualization | 1 |
| DSC听205 | Data Communication | 1 |
| EMS听350 | Teaching Environmental Education | 3 |
| ENT听207 | Insects and Human Disease | 3 |
| ENT听212 | Basic Entomology | 1 |
| ENT听401 | Honey Bee Biology and Management | 3 |
| ENT听402 | Forest Entomology | 3 |
| ENT听425 | General Entomology | 3 |
| ES听150 | Water and the Environment | 3 |
| ES听200 | Climate Change and Sustainability | 3 |
| ES听300 | Energy and Environment | 3 |
| FOR听248 | Forest History, Technology and Society | 3 |
| FOR听252 | Introduction to Forest Science | 3 |
| FOR听304 | Theory of Silviculture | 4 |
| FOR听318 | Forest Pathology | 3 |
| FOR听330 | North Carolina Forests | 3 |
| FOR听353 | GIS and Remote Sensing for Environmental Analysis and Assessment | 3 |
| FOR听402 | Forest Entomology | 3 |
| FOR听414 | World Forestry | 3 |
| FOR听472 | Forest Soils | 4 |
| MEA听409 | Watershed Forensics | 3 |
| NR听203 | Humans and the Environment | 3 |
| NR听350 | International Sustainable Resource Use | 4 |
| NR听400 | Natural Resource Management | 4 |
| NR听420 | Watershed and Wetlands Hydrology | 4 |
| NR听421 | Wetland Science and Management | 3 |
| NR听484 | Environmental Impact Assessment | 4 |
| PB听403 | Systematic Botany | 4 |
| NR听300 | Natural Resource Measurements | 4 |
| PRT听485 | Environmental Education in Practice | 3 |
| SSC听185 | Land and Life | 3 |
| SSC听200 | Soil Science | 3 |
| ZO听233 | Human-Animal Interactions | 3 |
| ZO听250 | Animal Anatomy and Physiology | 4 |
| ZO听317 | Primate Ecology and Evolution | 3 |
| ZO听350 | Animal Phylogeny and Diversity | 4 |
| ZO听402 | Invertebrate Biology | 4 |
Semester Sequence
This is a sample.
Critical Path Courses 鈥� Identify using the code (CP) which courses are considered critical path courses which represent specific major requirements that are predictive of student success in a given program/plan.听
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hours | |
| 贰狈痴听100 &听贰狈痴听101 | Student Success in Environmental First Year and Exploring the Environment | 3 |
| 惭础听131 | Calculus for Life and Management Sciences A | 3 |
| 叠滨翱听181 | Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity | 4 |
| 贵奥听221 | Conservation of Natural Resources | 3 |
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 1 | |
| 听 | Hours | 14 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| 颁贬听101 &听颁贬听102 | Chemistry - A Molecular Science and General Chemistry Laboratory | 4 |
| 叠滨翱听183 | Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology | 4 |
| ENG听101 | Academic Writing and Research 1 | 4 |
| GEP Humanities | 3 | |
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 1 | |
| 听 | Hours | 16 |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| PY听131 | Conceptual Physics | 4 |
| FOR听172 | Forest System Mapping and Mensuration I | 2 |
| COM听110 or COM听112 | Public Speaking or Interpersonal Communication | 3 |
| Plant Elective (CP) | 3 | |
| Physical Science Elective | 3 | |
| 听 | Hours | 15 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| Economics Elective | 3 | |
| Ecology Elective (CP) | 4 | |
| GEP Elective | 3 | |
| Quantitative Elective | 3 | |
| 听 | Hours | 13 |
| Summer | ||
| Experiential Learning | 6 | |
| 听 | Hours | 6 |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| FW听333 | Conservation Biology in Practice (CP) | 3 |
| FW听353 | Wildlife Management (CP) | 3 |
| GIS听280 | Introduction to GIS | 3 |
| ST听311 | Introduction to Statistics | 3 |
| Select one of the following Genetics courses: | 3-4 | |
| Genetics for Wildlife Management | ||
| Genetics in Human Affairs | ||
| Principles of Genetics | ||
| 听 | Hours | 15 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| FW听373 | Vertebrate Natural History (CP) | 3 |
| FW听411 | Human Dimensions of Wildlife and Fisheries (CP) | 3 |
| ENG听333 | Communication for Science and Research | 3 |
| GEP Humanities | 3 | |
| Select one of the following Organic Chemistry combinations: | 4 | |
| Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry I Lab | ||
| Introductory Organic Chemistry and Organic Chemistry I Lab | ||
| 听 | Hours | 16 |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| FW听415 | Professional Development in Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology | 1 |
| ENT听201 | Insects and People (GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives) | 3 |
| Technical Elective | 3 | |
| Fish & Wildlife Elective | 3 | |
| Policy Elective | 3 | |
| 听 | Hours | 13 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| FW听453 or FW听404 | Principles of Wildlife Science (CP) or Wildlife Habitat Management | 3-4 |
| Conservation Biol Elective | 3 | |
| Technical Elective | 6 | |
| 听 | Hours | 12 |
| 听 | Total Hours | 120 |
- 1
A grade of C- or better is required.
Career Opportunities
Graduates are prepared for graduate school and entry-level professional positions in state and federal government agencies, non-profit organizations and private industry. Upon graduation, students are qualified to seek certification from The Wildlife Society or the American Fisheries Society.
Career Titles
- Conservation Scientist
- Environmental Scientist
- Environmental Scientist and Protection Technician
- Fisheries Manager
- Forest and Conservation Technician
- Forester
Learn More About Careers
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