Program Overview

Wildlife Biology and Conservation B.S.

The Wildlife Biology and Conservation B.S. program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of wildlife ecology, conservation, and management. The program requires a minimum of 120 credits and includes coursework in biology, ecology, mathematics, and statistics.

Program Requirements

• General University Requirements: Complete the general university requirements.
• General Education Requirements: Complete the general education requirements (35-40 credits).
  • Communication: Complete one of the following:
    • COM F131X: Fundamentals of Oral Communication: Group Context
    • COM F141X: Fundamentals of Oral Communication: Public Context
  • Mathematics: Complete the following:
    • MATH F251X: Calculus I
    • or MATH F230X: Essential Calculus with Applications in the Life Sciences
  • Natural Sciences: Complete the following:
    • CHEM F105X: General Chemistry I
    • CHEM F106X: General Chemistry II
• B.S. Degree Requirements: Complete the B.S. degree requirements (15 credits).
  • BIOL F115X: Fundamentals of Biology I
  • BIOL F116X: Fundamentals of Biology II
  • STAT F200X: Elementary Statistics
  • or STAT F300: Statistics
• Wildlife Biology and Conservation Program Requirements: Complete the following:
  • BIOL F239: Introduction to Plant Biology (4 credits)
  • BIOL F260: Principles of Genetics (4 credits)
  • BIOL F310: Animal Physiology (4 credits)
  • BIOL F371: Principles of Ecology (4 credits)
  • BIOL F425: Mammalogy (3 credits)
  • or BIOL F426: Ornithology
  • BIOL F471: Population Ecology (3 credits)
  • or WLF F421: Ecology and Management of Large Mammals
  • ENGL F314: Technical Writing (3 credits)
  • or ENGL F414: Research Writing
  • PHYS F123X: College Physics I (3-4 credits)
  • or CHEM F321: Organic Chemistry I
  • or GEOS F101X: The Dynamic Earth
  • or NRM F338: Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
  • or NRM F380: Soils and the Environment
  • STAT F401: Regression and Analysis of Variance (4 credits)
  • or STAT F402: Scientific Sampling
  • WLF F101: Survey of Wildlife Science (2 credits)
  • WLF F301: Design of Wildlife Studies (3 credits)
  • WLF F322: Principles and Techniques of Wildlife Management (3 credits)
  • WLF F470: Human Dimensions of Wildlife Management 1 (3 credits)
• Complete two of the following:
  • BIOL F190: Introduction to Alaska Flora
  • BIOL F331: Systematic Botany
  • BIOL F430: Plant Physiology and Development
  • BIOL F488: Arctic Vegetation Ecology: Geobotany
• Complete two of the following:
  • BIOL F406: Entomology
  • BIOL F427: Ichthyology
  • BIOL F441: Animal Behavior
  • WLF/BIOL F104X: Natural History of Alaska
  • WLF F305: Wildlife Diseases
  • WLF F385: Global Change Biology
  • WLF F421: Ecology and Management of Large Mammals
  • WLF F425: Ecology and Management of Birds
  • WLF F469: Landscape Ecology and Wildlife Habitat
• Complete one of the following:
  • ECON F235X: Introduction to Natural Resource Economics
  • HIST F411: Environmental History
  • NRM F204: Public Lands Law and Policy
  • NRM F407: Environmental Law
  • PS F447: U.S. Environmental Politics
• One elective course at the F300 level or higher in biology, wildlife biology, fisheries, or natural resources management (3-4 credits)
• Electives: General Electives (0-10 credits)
• Total Credits: 120

Roadmaps

Roadmaps provide suggested semester-by-semester study plans for programs and are based on full-time enrollment, unless otherwise specified.

First Year

• Fall:
  • BIOL F115X: Fundamentals of Biology I (4 credits)
  • CHEM F105X: General Chemistry I (4 credits)
  • WLF F101: Survey of Wildlife Science (2 credits)
  • WRTG F111X: Introduction to College Writing (3 credits)
  • General Education Requirement - Arts (3 credits)
• Spring:
  • BIOL F116X: Fundamentals of Biology II (4 credits)
  • CHEM F106X: General Chemistry II (4 credits)
  • COM F131X or F141X: Fundamentals of Oral Communication (3 credits)
  • LS F101X: Library and Information Research (1 credit)
  • MATH F151X: Calculus I (4 credits)

Second Year

• Fall:
  • BIOL F239: Introduction to Plant Biology (4 credits)
  • MATH F230X or F251X: Essential Calculus with Applications in the Life Sciences or Calculus I (3-4 credits)
  • WRTG F211X, F212X, F213X, or F214X: Writing About Literature (3 credits)
  • Degree Requirement - Alaska Native-themed (3 credits)
  • General Education Requirement - Social Sciences (3 credits)
• Spring:
  • BIOL F260: Principles of Genetics (4 credits)
  • BIOL F190, F331, F430, or F488: Introduction to Alaska Flora, Systematic Botany, Plant Physiology and Development, or Arctic Vegetation Ecology: Geobotany (2-3 credits)
  • STAT F200X or F300: Elementary Statistics or Statistics (3 credits)
  • WLF F301: Design of Wildlife Studies (3 credits)

Third Year

• Fall:
  • BIOL F190, F331, F430, or F488: Introduction to Alaska Flora, Systematic Botany, Plant Physiology and Development, or Arctic Vegetation Ecology: Geobotany (2-3 credits)
  • BIOL F371: Principles of Ecology (4 credits)
  • ENGL F314 or F414: Technical Writing or Research Writing (3 credits)
  • WLF F322: Principles and Techniques of Wildlife Management (3 credits)
  • General Education Requirement - Humanities (3 credits)
• Spring:
  • BIOL F310: Animal Physiology (4 credits)
  • BIOL F425 or F426: Mammalogy or Ornithology (3 credits)
  • Degree Requirement - Ethics (3 credits)
  • Complete one of the following:
    • BIOL F471: Population Ecology
    • WLF F421: Ecology and Management of Large Mammals
  • Complete one of the following:
    • STAT F401: Regression and Analysis of Variance
    • STAT F402: Scientific Sampling

Fourth Year

• Fall:
  • ECON F235X, HIST F411, NRM F204, NRM F407, or PS F447: Introduction to Natural Resource Economics, Environmental History, Public Lands Law and Policy, Environmental Law, or U.S. Environmental Politics (3 credits)
  • General Education Requirement - Social Sciences (3 credits)
  • General Education Requirement - Additional Arts, Humanities, or Social Sciences (3 credits)
  • Program Elective (3 credits)
• Spring:
  • CHEM F321, GEOS F101X, NRM F338, NRM F380, or PHYS F123X: Organic Chemistry I, The Dynamic Earth, Introduction to Geographic Information Systems, Soils and the Environment, or College Physics I (4 credits)
  • WLF F469: Landscape Ecology and Wildlife Habitat (3 credits)
  • WLF F470: Human Dimensions of Wildlife Management 1 (3 credits)
  • Program Elective (3 credits)

Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Demonstrate a breadth and depth of knowledge of wildlife ecology that includes an understanding of the structure, function, and interactions of wildlife organisms, communities, populations, and ecosystems.
• Effectively communicate their knowledge on application of the fundamentals of wildlife ecology, including the principles and techniques of wildlife research and management.
• Apply modern methods and quantitative approaches to examine questions pertaining to wildlife ecology and the monitoring and managing of wildlife populations.

Requirements for Biology Teachers (Grades 7-12)

Prospective secondary science teachers should seek advising from the Alaska College of Education early in their undergraduate degree program. The following courses are required:

• BIOL F342: Microbiology (4 credits)
• BIOL F481: Principles of Evolution (4 credits)
• CHEM F321 and CHEM F325: Organic Chemistry I and II (8 credits)
• PHIL F481: Philosophy of Science (3 credits)
• Total Credits: 19