FISHERY and WILDLIFE SCIENCES

Professor Donald F. Caccamise, department head

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

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

DEGREE: Bachelor of Science in Agriculture
MAJOR: Wildlife Science

The department prepares you 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 science major you are offered three options. The first is Wildlife Management Practice. Course work in this option provides training in the basic sciences but concentrates on applied skills in wildlife and fisheries management. If you complete this option, you will be ready for entry-level positions with government agencies and private enterprises specializing in natural resource management. The option in Natural Resource Management is broad in scope while providing a strong background in the fundamental sciences. It includes sound training in the theory and practice of traditional management as well as a solid grounding in supporting disciplines like economics, geography, and geology. It is intended for students with broader interests than traditional wildlife science. The third option, Preparation for Graduate Studies in Wildlife Science, 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 prepares you for careers in higher education, research, and administration. If you wish to become a certified fishery biologist, you should include the following courses in your curriculum: WLSC 458, WLSC 465, WLSC 482, and WLSC 432. Requirements for becoming a certified wildlife biologist are met by all options.

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.

Core Requirements (total credits: 89-97)
BIOL 111G and 111L, Natural History of Life and Laboratory ..............................4
BIOL 301, Principles of Ecology.............................................................................................3
BIOL 305, Principles of Genetics...........................................................................................3
BIOL 312, Identification and Classification of Western Plants, ............................3
or RGSC 307, Rangeland Grasses, and RGSC 316, Rangeland Plants ...............5
BIOL 313, Structure and Function of Plants ...................................................................3
BIOL 322, Zoology .......................................................................................................................3
CHEM 111, General Chemistry I ...........................................................................................4
CHEM 112, General Chemistry II ..........................................................................................4
COMM 265G, Principles of Human Communication, or AXED 201G,
Effective Leadership and Communication in Agricultural Organizations.....3
C S: Any level computer science course 100 or above including, C S 110G,
Computer Literacy, or AG E 250G, Life with Microcomputers ..................3
ECON 251G, Principles of Macroeconomics, or ECON 252G, Principles of
Microeconomics................................................................................................................3
ENGL 111G, Rhetoric and Composition...........................................................................4
ENGL 311G, Advanced Composition ................................................................................3
ENGL 318G, Advanced Technical and Professional Communication...............3
E ST 311G, Statistical Applications ......................................................................................3
MATH 115, Intermediate Algebra, and 142G, Calculus for Biological and
Management Sciences; or MATH 191, Calculus and Analytical
Geometry I, and MATH 192, Calculus and Analytical Geometry II.......................6
PHYS: Any physiology course from among the following: ANSC 370, BIOL
311, BIOL 314, BIOL 377, BIOL 381, BIOL 442, BIOL 474,
WLSC 110, Introduction to Natural Resources 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
or WLSC 356, Field Techniques of Natural Resource Management, ............2
or RGSC 452, Rangeland Analysis ....................................................................................4
WLSC 402, Seminar in Natural Resource Management ..........................................2
WLSC 409, Population Ecology.............................................................................................3
WLSC 447, Wildlife Law Administration and Policy ...................................................3
WLSC 445, Systems Ecology in Wildlife Management .............................................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
Viewing a Wider World: ECON 337G, Natural Resource Economics .................3
Viewing a Wider World: The second course requirement satisfied by 9
credits in biology

OPTION: Wildlife Management Practice (total credits: 23-25)

General Option Requirements (8 credits)
PHYS 110G, Great Ideas in Physics ................................................................... 4
SOIL 252 and 252L, Soils and Laboratory, or GEOL 111, Geology ....... 4
Required Departmental Electives (any combination totaling 9 credits)
WLSC 310, Managing Ecological Systems for Biodiversity ..................... 3
*WLSC 432, Environmental Biology of Fishes .............................................. 4
WLSC 434, Aquatic Contaminants and Toxicology .................................... 4
WLSC 437, Wildlife Damage Control ............................................................... 3
WLSC 440, Fish and Wildlife Habitat Management ................................... 3
WLSC 448, Problems .......................................................................................... 1-3
WLSC 450, Special Topics ................................................................................. 1-4
*WLSC 458 and 458L, Ecology of Inland Waters and Lab......................... 4
*WLSC 465 Advanced Management of Aquatic Systems ....................... 3
WLSC 466, Advanced Management of Wildlife Mammals ..................... 3
WLSC 488, Communicating Wildlife Resource
Conservation in Society .............................................................................................................. 3

Requirements in Biodiversity (any two courses totaling 6-8 credits)
BIOL 445, Herpetology ......................................................................................... 4
BIOL 465, Invertebrate Zoology ........................................................................ 4
WLSC 371, Avian Field Ecology, or BIOL 447, Ornithology ...................... 4
WLSC 381, Forest and Range Mammals ........................................................ 3
*WLSC 482, Ichthyology ...................................................................................... 3

Additional Courses

Electives to bring total to 128 credits and college credits to
35 credits .................................................................................................... 6-16
*Courses required to become a Certified Fisheries Associate or Professional.

OPTION: Natural Resource Management (total credits: 33-35)

General Requirements (27 credits)
BIOL 211G and 211L, Cellular and Organismal Biology and Lab.......... 4
ECON 384, Water Resources Economics ........................................................ 3
GEOG 381, Cartography and Geographic Information Systems .......... 3
PHYS 110G, Great Ideas in Physics ................................................................... 4
RGSC 318, Watershed Management ............................................................... 3
SOIL 252 and 252L, Soils and Laboratory, or GEOL 111, Geology ....... 4
WLSC 310, Managing Ecological Systems for Biodiversity, or BIOL 462,
Conservation Biology .................................................................................. 3

Requirement in Aquatic Systems (one course of at least 3 credits)
WLSC 432, Environmental Biology of Fishes ................................................. 4
WLSC 434, Aquatic Contaminants and Toxicology ..................................... 3
WLSC 458 and 458L, Ecology of Inland Waters and Lab........................... 4

Requirement in Terrestrial Systems (one course of 3 credits)
BIOL 470, Plant Community Ecology .............................................................. 3
BIOL 468, Avian Ecology ...................................................................................... 3
RGSC 317, Rangeland Communities ............................................................... 3
RGSC 325, Rangeland Restoration Ecology .................................................. 3
RGSC 440, Rangeland Resource Ecology ....................................................... 3
WLSC 466, Advanced Wildlife Management of Mammals (prerequisite WLSC 381,
Forest and Range Mammals) ............................................. 3

Requirement in Physical Environments (one course of 3 credits)
GEOL 318, Geology of New Mexico ................................................................. 3
GEOG 351, Fundamentals of Biogeography ................................................ 3
GEOG 353, Geomorphology (prerequisite GEOL 111G, Survey of Geology) .................................... 3
GEOG 481, Fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems............ 3
Additional Courses Electives to bring total to 128 credits and college credits to 35 credits ...................................................................................................... 0-6

OPTION: Preparation for Graduate Studies in Wildlife Science (total credits: 26-28)

Option Requirements (20 credits)
BIOL 211G and 211L, Cellular and Organismal Biology and Lab .......... 4
BCHE 341, Survey of Biochemistry, or SOIL 252 and 252L, Soils
and Lab ............................................................................................................ 4
CHEM 211, Organic Chemistry .......................................................................... 4
PHYS 211 and 211L, General Physics I and Lab .......................................... 4
PHYS 212 and 212L, General Physics II and Lab ......................................... 4

Requirements in Biodiversity (any two courses totaling 6 credits)
BIOL 445, Herpetology ......................................................................................... 4
BIOL 465, Invertebrate Zoology ........................................................................ 4
WLSC 371, Avian Field Ecology, or BIOL 447, Ornithology ..................... 4
WLSC 381, Forest and Range Mammals ........................................................ 3
WLSC 482 Ichthyology ......................................................................................... 3

Additional Courses

Electives to bring total to 128 credits and college credits to 35
credits .................................................................................................... 3-13

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