Master of Fisheries & Wildlife Sciences

The Master of Fisheries & Wildlife Sciences degree is a professional degree, designed to prepare the graduate to enter a position in management, administration, or education. The professional degree normally is not pursued in preparation for study at the Ph.D. level. The candidate will be expected to obtain an internship to gain experience in the field of concentration, and submit a professional paper in partial fulfillment of degree requirements.

REQUIREMENTS

A Plan of Work must consist of a minimum of 36 hours to include the following:

• 20 of the 36 hours must be 500-800 level courses

• No more than 6 hours, or fewer that 4 hours of Special Problems (FW & ZO 631) are to be included in the 36 hour minimum

• No more than 2 hours, or less than 1 hour, of seminar hours are to be included on the Plan of Work. Seminar courses do not need to be FW courses

• No more than three 400 level courses may be included in the 30 hour minimum, and those cannot be FW courses

• There is no 600 level course work requirement

• Research hours (FOR 695, ZO 695) cannot be included on a Plan of Work.

A candidate will complete an internship of at least 3 months in the field of study and prepare a professional paper for submission to the advisory committee in advance of the Final Exam. Credit for the internship and professional paper may be given under Special Problems courses. Comparable experience in prior full-time employment may be substituted for the internship requirement, but a professional paper must be submitted.

All students will present a final seminar summarizing the internship experience/professional paper, either in conjunction with the Final Exam or at a programmatic seminar. If given in conjunction with the Final Exam, the seminar will be open to all faculty, graduate students and guests.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

• While teaching experience for graduate students at the Masters level is considered valuable and is encouraged, any requirement for teaching experience is at the discretion of the advisory committee.

• Each student is encouraged to carry the professional paper to publication, both in the scientific literature and in popular outlets.

• Proficiency in a foreign language is not a requirement for the Master of Fisheries & Wildlife Sciences.