Bachelor of Science in Fisheries & Wildlife Sciences
The fisheries and wildlife science program is a professional program designed to prepare
qualified field and research biologists, as well as to provide a sound foundation
for those students who intend to pursue graduate studies in wildlife biology, fisheries
biology or field ecology. Through selection of elective courses, graduates are required
to meet certification requirements of The Wildlife Society or the American Fisheries
Society.
Field biologists are employed by various state and federal agencies concerned with
natural resources management including the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, Arkansas Department of Environmental
Quality, National Park Service, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Employment opportunities
in the private sector are also available. Timber, mining, and utility companies hire
field biologists for advice and management of industrial lands. Environmental consulting
firms, commercial fish and game farms, and nature centers require qualified researchers,
technicians, and educators.
Majors in fisheries and wildlife science must complete a minimum of 120 semester hours
as specified in the following curriculum outline and no more than 12 hours of “D’s”
may be applied toward the degree. Note, this set of courses will also satisfy requirements
for a minor in biology, but students should see their advisor to complete the associated
degree audit form for the minor. Candidates for graduation are expected to complete
a comprehensive series of practical and technical exams to assess mastery of program
objectives.
Dr. Tom Nupp, Director
McEver Hall, Room 205
(479) 968-0313
tnupp@atu.edu
Curriculum
The matrix below is a sample plan for all coursework required for this program.
1See appropriate alternatives or substitutions in "General Education Requirements".
One of the social sciences must be ECON 2003 Principles of Macroeconomics.
2Statistics must be taken either fall or spring term.
3F and W superscripts designate courses required for certification in fisheries and
wildlife, respectively. Students seeking wildlife certification must choose one course
from each of the following course sequences: (1) FW 3154 Mammalogy or FW 3144 Ornithology (2) FW 4014 Forest Ecology and Management or FW 4064 Wetland Ecology and Management. Students seeking fisheries certification must choose FW 3084 Ichthyology and FW 4024 Limnology Meeting requirements for fisheries or wildlife certification is a requirement for
graduation.
4Must include at least two courses from the biology group (BIOL 3174 Physiological Ecology, BIOL 3034 Genetics, BIOL 4064 Evolutionary Biology, BIOL 3064 Parasitology, AGPM 3104 Introduction to Entomology, BIOL 3184 Animal Behavior, BIOL 3004 Plant Taxonomy, BIOL 3033 Bioinformatics, BIOL 4043 Conservation Genetics, BIOL 4044 Dendrology, BIOL 4094 Coastal Ecology) one course from the physical science group elective (any physics course, AGSS 2014 Soils, GEOL 1014 Physical Geology), and three 3000-4000 level fisheries and wildlife elective courses. Sufficient additional
electives to produce 120 total credit hours are required for graduation.
5Must include one of the following courses: FW 3173 Biostatistics, STAT 2304 Programming Languages for Data Science, STAT 3113 Regression Analysis, STAT 4153 Experimental Design and Analysis or Calculus.
