Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology (BS): Conservation Biology Concentration
Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology (FWCB) major prepares students to manage and conserve populations of fish and wildlife in their natural habitats. This STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) major gives students the skills they need to observe, research, monitor and assess the impact of environmental change, human behavior and public policy on wild populations of animals. Using a combination of lab work, technology and field study, students develop conservation strategies that ensure the long-term health of fish and wildlife populations.
After sophomore year, students spend six weeks in summer field courses. During the “summer camp” experience, students learn hands-on fish and wildlife management techniques in locations across the state. From plant and animal identification and bird mist netting to camera-trapping and radio telemetry, students gain experiences that prepare them for careers after graduation. FWCB students have the option to substitute the summer field course with approved internships or study abroad courses.
The Conservation Biology concentration allows flexibility for students to pursue elements of conservation that align with their specific career goals. The degree requirements include 9 credits of technical electives that compliment the major such as courses in environmental policy, entomology, science communication, or environmental education.
Contact
Dr. Nicole Mihnovets
anmihnov@ncsu.edu
FWCB Undergraduate Coordinator
Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources
Box 8008
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-8008
Plan Requirements
| First Year | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| ENV 100 | Student Success in Environmental First Year | 1 |
| ENV 101 | Exploring the Environment | 2 |
| MA 131 | Calculus for Life and Management Sciences A | 3 |
| BIO 181 | Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity | 4 |
| BIO 183 | Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology | 4 |
| CH 101 | Chemistry - A Molecular Science | 3 |
| CH 102 | General Chemistry Laboratory | 1 |
| COM 110 | Public Speaking | 3 |
| ENG 101 | Academic Writing and Research 1 | 4 |
| Hours | 25 | |
| Second Year | ||
| FOR 172 | Forest System Mapping and Mensuration I | 2 |
| FW 221 | Conservation of Natural Resources | 3 |
| PY 131 | Conceptual Physics | 4 |
| Choose one of the following Economics electives: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics | ||
| Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics | ||
| Principles of Microeconomics | ||
| Fundamentals of Economics | ||
| Choose one of the following Ecology electives: | 4 | |
| Ecology | ||
| Forest Ecology | ||
| Ecology | ||
| Plant Elective | 3 | |
| Quantitative Elective | 3 | |
| Physical Science Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 25 | |
| Summer | ||
| FW 311 | Piedmont Wildlife Ecology and Management | 3 |
| FW 312 | Fisheries Techniques and Management | 1 |
| FW 313 | Mountain Wildlife Ecology and Management | 1 |
| FW 314 | Coastal Ecology and Management | 1 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Third Year | ||
| GIS 280 | Introduction to GIS | 3 |
| FW 333 | Conservation Biology in Practice | 3 |
| FW 353 | Wildlife Management | 3 |
| FW 373 | Vertebrate Natural History | 3 |
| ST 311 | Introduction to Statistics | 3 |
| Select one of the following Organic Chemistry courses: | 4 | |
| Introductory Organic Chemistry and Organic Chemistry I Lab | ||
| Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry I Lab | ||
| GN 301 or GN 311 | Genetics in Human Affairs or Principles of Genetics | 3 |
| FW 411 | Human Dimensions of Wildlife and Fisheries | 3 |
| ENG 333 | Communication for Science and Research | 3 |
| Hours | 28 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| FW 415 | Professional Development in Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology | 1 |
| FW 453 or AEC 420 | Principles of Wildlife Science or Introduction to Fisheries Science | 3 |
| ENT 201 | Insects and People | 3 |
| Policy Elective | 3 | |
| Conservation Biology Elective | 3 | |
| Fisheries & Wildlife Elective | 3 | |
| Technical Electives | 9 | |
| Hours | 25 | |
| Total Hours | 109 | |
- 1
A grade of C- or better is required.
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| GEP Courses | |||
| GEP Humanities | 6 | ||
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 2 | ||
| GEP US Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | 3 | ||
| GEP Global Knowledge (Verify Requirement) | |||
| World Language Proficiency (Verify Requirement) | |||
| Total Hours | 11 | ||
Acad Writing Research
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acad Writing Research | |||
| ENG 101 | Academic Writing and Research | 4 | |
| FLE 101 | Academic Writing and Research | 4 | |
| Transfer Sequence | |||
| ENG 202 | Disciplinary Perspectives in Writing | 3 | |
| ENG 1GEP | 3 | ||
Plant Electives
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| FOR 339 | 4 | ||
| PB 220 | Local Flora | 3 | |
| PB 250 | Plant Biology | 4 | |
| PB 403 | Systematic Botany | 4 | |
| PB 503 | Systematic Botany | 4 |
Quantitative Electives
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| CSC 200 | 3 | ||
| MA 231 | Calculus for Life and Management Sciences B | 3 | |
| MA 241 | Calculus II | 4 | |
| NR 300 | Natural Resource Measurements | 4 | |
| ST 312 | Introduction to Statistics II | 3 |
Physical Science Electives
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| CH 201 | Chemistry - A Quantitative Science | 3 | |
| CH 202 | Quantitative Chemistry Laboratory | 1 | |
| CH 223 | Organic Chemistry II | 3 | |
| MEA 100 | Earth System Science: Exploring the Connections | 4 | |
| MEA 130 | Introduction to Weather and Climate | 3 | |
| MEA 200 | Introduction to Oceanography | 3 | |
| MEA 210 | Oceanography Lab | 1 | |
| MEA 220 | Marine Biology | 3 | |
| MEA 250 | Introduction to Coastal Environments | 3 | |
| MEA 323 | Geochemistry of Natural Waters | 3 | |
| PY 212 | College Physics II | 4 |
Policy Electives
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARE 309 | Environmental Law & Economic Policy | 3 | |
| FOR 472 | Forest Soils | 4 | |
| NR 460 | Renewable Natural Resource Management and Policy | 3 | |
| NR 560 | Renewable Natural Resource Management and Policy | 3 | |
| PS 320 | U.S. Environmental Law and Politics | 3 | |
| PS 336 | Global Environmental Politics | 3 |
Conservation Biology Electives
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| AEC 761 | Conservation and Climate Science | 3 | |
| FW 403 | Urban Wildlife Management | 3 | |
| FW 460 | International Wildlife Management and Conservation | 3 | |
| FW 560 | International Wildlife Management and Conservation | 3 | |
| NR 406 | Conservation of Biological Diversity | 3 |
Fisheries & Wildlife Electives
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| AEC 420 | Introduction to Fisheries Science | 3 | |
| AEC 441 | Biology of Fishes | 3 | |
| AEC 501 | Avian Ecology | 4 | |
| FW 444 | Mammalogy | 3 | |
| FW 453 | Principles of Wildlife Science | 4 | |
| FW 544 | Mammalogy | 3 | |
| ZO 410 | Introduction to Animal Behavior | 3 | |
| ZO 542 | 3 |
Technical Electives
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| AEC 419 | Freshwater Ecology | 4 | |
| AEC 519 | Freshwater Ecology | 4 | |
| ENT 201 | Insects and People | 3 | |
| ENT 402 | Forest Entomology | 3 | |
| ENT 425 | General Entomology | 3 | |
| FOR 252 | Introduction to Forest Science | 3 | |
| FOR 304 | Theory of Silviculture | 4 | |
| FOR 402 | Forest Entomology | 3 | |
| FW 403 | Urban Wildlife Management | 3 | |
| FW 404 | Wildlife Habitat Management | 3 | |
| FW 465 | African Ecology and Conservation | 4 | |
| FW 565 | African Ecology and Conservation | 4 | |
| SSC 200 | Soil Science | 3 |
Semester Sequence
This is a sample.
Critical Path Courses – Identify using the code (CP) which courses are considered critical path courses which represent specific major requirements that are predictive of student success in a given program/plan. Place the (CP) next to the credit hours for the course.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hours | |
| ENV 100 & ENV 101 | Student Success in Environmental First Year and Exploring the Environment | 3 |
| ENG 101 | Academic Writing and Research 1 | 4 |
| MA 131 | Calculus for Life and Management Sciences A | 3 |
| BIO 181 | Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity | 4 |
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 1 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| CH 101 & CH 102 | Chemistry - A Molecular Science and General Chemistry Laboratory | 4 |
| BIO 183 | Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology | 4 |
| COM 110 or COM 112 | Public Speaking or Interpersonal Communication | 3 |
| GEP Humanities | 3 | |
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 1 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| Plant Elective | 3 | |
| FW 221 | Conservation of Natural Resources (CP) | 3 |
| PY 131 | Conceptual Physics | 4 |
| FOR 172 | Forest System Mapping and Mensuration I | 2 |
| Physical Science Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| Economics Elective | 3 | |
| Ecology Elective (CP) | 4 | |
| GEP US Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | 3 | |
| Quantitative Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 13 | |
| Summer | ||
| FW 311 | Piedmont Wildlife Ecology and Management | 3 |
| FW 312 | Fisheries Techniques and Management | 1 |
| FW 313 | Mountain Wildlife Ecology and Management | 1 |
| FW 314 | Coastal Ecology and Management | 1 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| GIS 280 | Introduction to GIS | 3 |
| FW 333 | Conservation Biology in Practice (CP) | 3 |
| ST 311 | Introduction to Statistics | 3 |
| FW 353 | Wildlife Management | 3 |
| GN 301 or GN 311 | Genetics in Human Affairs or Principles of Genetics | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| GEP Humanities | 3 | |
| Select one of the following: | 4 | |
| Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry I Lab | ||
| Introductory Organic Chemistry and Organic Chemistry I Lab | ||
| FW 373 | Vertebrate Natural History (CP) | 3 |
| FW 411 | Human Dimensions of Wildlife and Fisheries (CP) | 3 |
| ENG 333 | Communication for Science and Research | 3 |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| Technical Elective | 3 | |
| Fish & Wildlife Elective | 3 | |
| Policy Elective | 3 | |
| ENT 201 | Insects and People (GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives) | 3 |
| FW 415 | Professional Development in Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology | 1 |
| Hours | 13 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| FW 453 or AEC 420 | Principles of Wildlife Science (CP) or Introduction to Fisheries Science | 3-4 |
| Conservation Biol Elective | 3 | |
| Technical Elective | 6 | |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
- 1
A grade of C- or better is required.
- 2
Can be met by summer camp (courses listed in adjacent block), a combination of internship and/or study abroad, or other courses that provide hands-on conservation biology experience.
Career Opportunities
Graduates are prepared for graduate school and entry-level professional positions in state and federal government agencies, non-profit organizations and private industry. Upon graduation, students are qualified to seek certification from The Wildlife Society or the American Fisheries Society.
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