2002-2003 Undergraduate Catalog College of Agriculture and Home Economics - Fishery and Wildlife Sciences

Professor Donald F. Caccamise, department head

Professors Thompson, Valdez; Associate Professor Andersen; Assistant Professors Bender, Cowley, Caldwell, Desmond, Roemer, Turner

(505) 646-7051; natres@nmsu.edu

DEGREE: Bachelor of Science in Agriculture
MAJOR: Wildlife Science

The department prepares students for careers in a variety of natural resource fields related to management of wild animal populations and the natural systems they share.

Within the wildlife major students are offered two options. The first is Preparation for Graduate Studies in Wildlife Science. This option offers a broad foundation in basic sciences. It is intended for students wishing to pursue advanced degrees in wildlife science or related disciplines in the natural sciences. This option is designed for students that seek careers in higher education, research, and administration. The second option is in Wildlife Management Practice. Course work in this option provides essential training in the basic sciences, but concentrates on applied skills in wildlife management. Students completing this option are ready for entry-level positions with government agencies and private enterprises specializing in natural resource management.

Students wishing to become certified fishery biologists should include the following courses in their curriculum: WLSC 458, WLSC 482, and WLSC 434 or WLSC 432. Requirements for becoming a certified wildlife biologist are met by either option.

To graduate with a major in wildlife science, an overall grade point average of 2.00 is required in courses taken in the major field and in all courses taken at NMSU.

The department offers a minor in wildlife science for students majoring in other disciplines. The minor includes a minimum of 19 credits, with 13 credits in required courses and 6 in wildlife electives.

OPTION: Wildlife Management Practice

Core Curriculum (80-83 credits)

(includes university and college requirements)

BIOL 111G, Natural History of Life 3

BIOL 301, Principles of Ecology 3

BIOL 305, Genetics 3

BIOL 312, Plant Taxonomy 3

or RGSC 307, Rangeland Grasses and RGSC 316, Rangeland Plants 3/2

BIOL 313, Structure and Function of Plants 3

BIOL 322, Zoology 3

CHEM 111,112, General Chemistry I, II 8

COMM 265G, Principles of Human Communication, or AXED 201G, Effective Leadership and Communication in Agricultural Organizations 3

C S, any 100-level course, or AG E 250G, Life with Microcomputers 3

ECON 251G, Principles of Macroeconomics 3

E ST 311G, Statistical Applications 3

ENGL 111G, Rhetoric and Composition 4

ENGL 311G, Advanced Composition 3

ENGL 318G, Advanced Technical and Professional Communication 3

Historical Perspectives: one general education course 3

Human Thought and Behavior: one general education course 3

Literature or Fine Arts: one general education course 3

Math 115, Intermediate Algebra, and MATH 142G, Calculus for Biological and Management Sciences I; or Math 191, 192, Calculus and Analytical Geometry I, II 6 PHYS 110G, The Great Ideas of Physics 4

Physiology course from among the following:

WLSC 432, BIOL 311, BIOL 314,BIOL 377, BIOL 381, BIOL 474, BIOL 442, ANSC 370 3/4

SOIL 252, Soils 3

SOIL 252L, Soils Laboratory 1

Viewing a Wider World:

ECON 337G, Natural Resource Economics 3

and one other general education course from outside the College of Agriculture and Home Economics and the College of Business Administration and Economics 3

Departmental Requirements (25 credits)

WLSC 110, Introduction to Natural Resource Management 3

WLSC 230, Natural History of the Vertebrates 4

WLSC 255, Principles of Natural Resource Management 3

WLSC 355, Techniques of Natural Resource Management 3

WLSC 356, Field Techniques in Natural Resource Management 2

WLSC 445, Systems Ecology and Management 3

WLSC 402, Seminar in Natural Resource Management 1

WLSC 409, Population Ecology or WLSC 458, Ecology of Inland Waters 3

WLSC 447, Wildlife Law, Policy, and Administration 3

WLSC 448, Problems 1-3

Required Departmental Electives (6 credits)

WLSC 310, Managing Ecological Systems for Biodiversity 3

WLSC 432, Environmental Biology of Fishes 4

WLSC 434, Aquatic Contamination and Toxicology 4

WLSC 437, Wildlife Damage Control 3

WLSC 450, Special Topics 1-4

WLSC 458, Ecology of Inland Waters 4

WLSC 466, Advanced Wildlife Management/Mammals 4

WLSC 488, Communicating Wildlife Resource Conservation 3

Additional Requirements: Animal Diversity (minimum of 6 credits)

BIOL 445, Herpetology 4

BIOL 465, Invertebrate Zoology 4

WLSC 371, Introduction to Birds or BIOL 447, Ornithology 4/3

WLSC 381, Mammalogy 3

WLSC 482, Ichthyology 3

Additional Courses

Electives to bring total to 128 credits and total college credits to 35 credits 8-11

OPTION: Preparation for Graduate Studies in Wildlife Science

Core Curriculum (93-96 credits)

BCHE 341, Biochemistry, or SOIL 252, 252L Soils 4

BIOL 111G, Natural History of Life 3

BIOL 111L, Natural History of Life Lab 1

BIOL 211G, Cellular and Organismal Biology 3

BIOL 211L, Cellular and Organismal Biology Lab 1

BIOL 301, Principles of Ecology 3

BIOL 305 Genetics 3

BIOL 312, Plant Taxonomy 3

or RGSC 307, Rangeland Grasses, and RGSC 316, Rangeland Plants 3/2 BIOL 313, Structure and Function of Plants 3

BIOL 322, Zoology 3

CHEM 111,112, General Chemistry I, II 8 CHEM 211, Organic Chemistry 4

COMM 265G, Principles of Human Communication, or AXED 201G, Effective Leadership and Communication in Agricultural Organizations 3

C S, any 100-level course, or AG E 250, Life with Microcomputers 3

ECON 251G, Principles of Macroeconomics 3

E ST 311G, Statistical Applications 3

ENGL 111G, Rhetoric and Composition 4

ENGL 311G, Advanced Composition 3

ENGL 318G, Advanced Technical and Professional Communication 3

Historical Perspectives: one general education course 3

Human Thought and Behavior: one general education course 3

Literature or Fine Arts: one general education course 3

Math 115, Intermediate Algebra, and MATH 142G, Calculus for Biological and Management Sciences I, or Math 191, 192, Calculus and Analytical Geometry I,II 6

Physics 211, 211L 4

Physics 212, 212L 4

Physiology course from among the following: WLSC 432, BIOL 311, BIOL 314, BIOL 377, BIOL 381, BIOL 474, BIOL 442, ANSC 370 3/4

Viewing a Wider World:

ECON 337G, Natural Resource Economics 3

and one other general education course from outside the College of Agriculture and Home Economics and the College of Business Administration and Economics 3

Departmental Requirements (20 credits)

WLSC 110, Introduction to Natural Resource Management 3

WLSC 230, Natural History of the Vertebrates 4

WLSC 255, Principles of Natural Resource Management 3

WLSC 402, Seminar in Natural Resource Management 1

WLSC 409, Population Ecology 3

WLSC 445, Systems Ecology in Wildlife Management 3

WLSC 447, Wildlife Law, Policy, and Administration 3

Additional Requirements (6 credits)

BIOL 445, Herpetology 4

BIOL 465, Invertebrate Zoology 4

WLSC 355, Techniques of Natural Resource Management 3

WLSC 356, Field Techniques in Natural Resource Management 2

WLSC 371, Avian Field Ecology, or BIOL 447, Ornithology 4

WLSC 381, Mammalogy 3

WLSC 432, Environmental Biology of Fishes 4

WLSC 434, Aquatic Contamination and Toxicology 4

WLSC 448, Problems 1-3

WLSC 450, Special Topics 1-4

WLSC 458, Ecology of Inland Waters 4

WLSC 465, Advanced Management of Aquatic Systems 3

WLSC 466, Advanced Wildlife Management of Mammals 4

WLSC 482, Ichthyology 3

WLSC 488, Communicating Wildlife Resource Conservation 3

Additional Courses

Electives to bring total to 128 credits and total college credits to 35 credits 6-9

Minor in Wildlife Science (19 credits)

WLSC 230, Natural History of the Vertebrates 4

WLSC 255, Principles of Natural Resource Management 3

WLSC 355, Techniques of Natural Resource Management 3

WLSC 455, Systems Ecology and Management 3

Electives in Fishery and Wildlife Science 6