About the
Program
What
majors and minors are offered?
Why
should I major in Wildlife Conservation
and Management?
Why
should I choose this biology program?
Are
your programs accredited?
What
are the admission requirements
for the program?
As
a high school student, how should
I prepare for a biology degree?
What
type of student succeeds in the
field of biology?
What
is the typical class size?
How
do students work together with
faculty?
What
student organizations are available?
What
types of grants have your department
received?
What
majors and minors are offered?
The Department of Biology
offers a Bachelor of Science in Biology
degree with a Wildlife Conservation
and Management emphasis.
Why
should I major in Wildlife Conservation
and Management?
If you like to think
about how humans coexist with other
living things, and how we can preserve
their habitats for future generations,
you may want to consider a degree in
Wildlife Conservation and Management.
Careers in that field allow you to
contribute something worthwhile to
society. The very nature of the work
enables you to be involved in projects
that help shape the future of natural
resources.
Why
should I choose this biology program?
The Bachelor of Science
Degree in Wildlife Conservation and
Management is one of only two programs
in the state of Missouri to offer all
of the requisite courses for certification
as a wildlife biologist by the Wildlife
Society.
Wildlife Conservation
and Management students have access
to the Otoe Creek Nature Area, a 180-acre
field study area on campus. The area
contains a network of trails that run
through various habitats, including
ponds and a stream.
The Missouri Department
of Conservation’s Northwest Service
Center is located on Western’s
campus. The Center includes offices
and labs for more than 25 professionals,
modern classrooms, research labs and
a prep room for the Biology Department.
The Biology Department’s Natural
History Collection of museum specimens
is also housed there, along with a
herbarium.
The professors in this
program are dedicated to the students,
and are outstanding teachers and researchers.
They work very closely with students
on research projects, and a high percentage
of students present their findings
at professional meetings.
The Wildlife Conservation
and Management program also provides
a strong background for students in
Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and
Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
Western’s Biology Department
boasts a 25-seat computer lab that
contains the latest GIS software.
Are
your programs accredited?
The Bachelor of Science
in Wildlife Conservation and Management
degree is one of only two programs
in the state of Missouri to offer all
of the required courses for certification
as a Wildlife Biologist by the Wildlife
Society.
What
are the admission requirements for
the program?
The entrance requirements
are the same as those required by the
institution.
As
a high school student, how should
I prepare for a Wildlife Conservation
and Management degree?
High school students
who have completed the college-preparatory
curriculum including at least three
years of high school science, and mathematics
through advanced algebra, are best
prepared for the field.
You may want to talk
to professors in the Biology Department.
They can tell you about career opportunities
and the courses you will take for a
Wildlife Conservation and Management
degree, and they can answer any other
questions you may have. They can also
help connect you with graduates of
the Wildlife Conservation and Management
program.
What
type of student succeeds in the field
of Wildlife Conservation and Management?
Most conservation positions
require excellent communication skills
because of frequent contact with the
public. Often, employees are asked
to speak to groups about conservation
subjects. Public contact also occurs
when employees gather information or
enforce wildlife rules and regulations.
Also, students that are
highly motivated in biology and have
a problem-solving orientation are most
likely to succeed.
What
is the typical class size?
Although first-semester
freshman biology class lectures are
large (60 to 100 students), lab sections
typically have less than 24 students.
Upper division classes often have 10
to 20 students.
How
do students work together with faculty?
Students and faculty
work closely on a one-on-one basis
during faculty-sponsored internships
and student research projects. Faculty
members also make every effort to meet
with students as they work on projects,
study for exams, and plan their schedules
during advisement sessions.
What
student organizations are available?
Western has a student
chapter of the Wildlife Society. The
active group participates in several
activities related to their field,
including prairie restoration work,
deer spotlight surveys at Squaw Creek
National Wildlife Refuge, and quail
surveys. They earned the Best Chapter
Award in the central states in 2004.
The department also hosts
the Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor
Society, which participates in a number
of activities throughout the year.
Last year, at a regional Beta Beta
Beta meeting, two students were awarded
stipend grants to attend and present
their research at the national meeting.
Students may also join
the Biology Department’s Pre-Professional
Club. Along with a variety of activities,
students in the Pre-Professional Club
may learn current information about
professional schools, admission requirements,
and pre-professional exams.
What
types of grants has your department
received recently?
The Biology Department
has received several grants in the
past three years for several of their
programs:
- Grants from the Environmental Systems
Research Institute totaling $160,000
for Geographic Information Systems
(GIS) software.
- Grants from the Missouri Department
of Conservation totaling $7,500.
- Grants from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service totaling $10,000.
- Grants from the National Institutes
of Health totaling $136,000.
- Grants from the National Science
Foundation totaling $61,000.
- One biology professor helped to
write, and two biology faculty members
were instructors, on an $117,000
Coordinating Board of Higher Education
No Child Left Behind grant involving
area secondary science teachers
|