Program Overview

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Fish & Wildlife Biology (Graduate)

The Fish & Wildlife Biology graduate program at Montana State University conducts applied research on the ecology and management of diverse mammal, bird, and fish species within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Established in 1936, the Fish & Wildlife Management Program at Montana State is one of the oldest and most successful resource management programs in the United States.

Fish & Wildlife Biology Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Candidates within the Fish & Wildlife Biology graduate program conduct applied research on the ecology and management of the diverse mammal, bird, and fish species within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Graduates of the Fish & Wildlife Biology program often go on to research careers in federal or state fish and wildlife agencies, as well as academia.

Research Opportunities

Students within the Fish & Wildlife Biology graduate program are able to work with researchers such as professor Al Zale, who collaborated with other MSU researchers on a recently completed artificial waterway at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services Fish Technology Center in Bozeman to refine the design of waterways intended to assist grayling and other species to overcome irrigation structures that would otherwise block the fishes seasonal movements.

Institution Classification

The prestigious Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education ranks Montana State University among the Top 5 public, 4-year universities for Very High Research Activity with a STEM-dominant research doctoral program.

Location and Recreation

Montana State students make Montana, including nearby Yellowstone National Park, their classroom, laboratory, and playground. The university's proximity to world-class skiing, blue-ribbon rivers for fishing, and seemingly endless hiking opportunities provides students with unique recreational opportunities.

Fund Your Education

The Graduate School at Montana State is dedicated to helping students secure funding during their time at MSU. Some resources the College of Letters & Sciences and the Graduate School offer include:

• Internal Fellowship and Funding Opportunities
• External Fellowship and Funding Opportunities

Recent Areas of Study

Graduates within the Fish & Wildlife Biology program conducted research on such projects as:

• Relationships between deer and other wild and domestic ungulates
• Ecology and habitat management of waterfowl
• Raptor habitat studies
• Ecology of warm- and cold-water fisheries
• Management of whirling disease

Admissions Requirements

Each program within the Graduate School at Montana State has its own particular requirements for admission, and the Fish & Wildlife Biology program is no different. The admissions requirements for the Fish & Wildlife Biology program include any additional deadlines that the College of Letters & Sciences may have aside from the Graduate School, which practices rolling admissions. Note that no GRE is required.