Daniel H. Pletscher,
Professor, Wildlife Biology Director
Wildlife Biology is the study of wild animals, their habitats, and
their conservation. The Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Biology degree
constitutes the preprofessional training for future employment in
wildlife biology and management, and provides an excellent background
in general ecology. The educational requirements for certification
by The Wildlife Society can be met within the framework of the undergraduate
program.
While employment opportunities do exist in wildlife conservation for
students with the baccalaureate degree, many students plan to continue
their education through the master's degree to qualify for wildlife
management or research positions.
Three optional curricula are offered in the Wildlife Biology Program:
terrestrial, aquatic, and honors. All three options follow the same
schedule of courses for the freshman and most of the sophomore year,
then pursue different curricula for the last two years. Each leads
to a B.S. in Wildlife Biology.
The University is well suited for instruction in wildlife biology
because of the excellent opportunities for field instruction and research,
and the presence of such facilities as the Lubrecht Experimental Forest,
Yellow Bay Biological Station at Flathead Lake, the Montana Forest
and Conservation Experiment Station, the Montana Cooperative Wildlife
Research Unit, and the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial and Bandy ranches.
High School Preparation: In addition to general University admission
requirements, the student should elect four years of mathematics and
three years of science, including biology, chemistry and physics.
Special Degree Requirements
Refer to graduation requirements listed previously in the catalog.
See index.
The Upper-division Writing Expectation must be met by successfully
completing an upper-division writing course from the approved list
in the Academic Policies and Procedures section of this catalog. See
index.
The student must complete the requirements for one of the options
indicated below. A reading knowledge of a modern foreign language
is suggested for students electing preparation for graduate work leading
to a doctorate.
To obtain the B.S. in Wildlife Biology, the student must have a 2.5
grade point average or higher in all courses taken at The University
of Montana.
Suggested sequence subject to frequent change. Some courses are offered
more than one semester/year.
Terrestrial and Aquatic Options back
to top
First
Year |
Credits
|
BIOL 103N
Diversity of Life |
3
|
BIOL 104N
Diversity of Life Laboratory |
2
|
CHEM 151N
General Chemistry |
3
|
CHEM 152N
General Chemistry |
3
|
CHEM 154N
General Chemistry Laboratory |
2
|
ENEX
101 Composition |
3
|
WBIO 180
Careers in Natural Resources |
2
|
MATH 150
Applied Calculus |
4
|
Electives
and General Education |
8-14
|
Summer |
|
Experiential
Learning
(Most students will attend either Natural Resources
Measurements Camp or the Yellow Bay Biological Station.
For exceptions, see theWildlife Biology Office.)
|
2
|
Second
Year |
|
BIOL 250*
Rocky Mountain Flora |
3
|
BIOL 221
Cell and Molecular Biology |
4
|
BIOL 223
Genetics and Evolution |
4
|
COMM 111A
Introduction to Public Speaking |
2
|
MATH 241
Statistics |
4
|
FOR 220
Technical Writing |
2
|
Electives
and General Education |
11-15
|
*BIOL 250 is not required for the Aquatic option
Terrestrial
Option
Third
Year |
Credits
|
Two
of the following: |
|
BIOL 304
Ornithology |
4
|
BIOL 306
Mammalogy |
4
|
BIOL 308
Biology and Management of Fishes |
4
|
And one
of the following: |
|
WBIO 410
Wildlife Policy and Biopolitics |
3
|
WBIO 475
Case Histories in Conservation Policy |
3
|
FOR 422
Natural Resources Policy and Administration |
3
|
And
one of the following: |
|
FOR 347
Multiple Resource Silviculture |
3
|
FOR 360
Range Management |
3
|
And |
|
BIOL 340
Ecology |
3
|
BIOL 341
Ecology Lab |
2
|
WBIO 370
Wildlife Habitat Conservation |
3
|
Electives
and General Education |
8-14
|
Fourth
Year |
|
WBIO 470
Conservation of Wildlife Populations |
3
|
WBIO 494
Senior Seminar |
1
|
BIOL 345
Principles of Physiology |
3
|
FOR 480
Forest/Range Plan and Design |
3
|
Electives
and General Education |
16-22
|
Aquatic Option back
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Third
Year |
Credits |
BIOL 308
Biology and Management of Fishes |
4 |
BIOL 309
Invertebrate Biology |
5 |
BIOL 340
Ecology |
3 |
BIOL 341
Ecology Lab |
2 |
BIOL 345
Principles of Physiology |
3 |
BIOL 366
Freshwater Ecology |
5 |
WBIO 410
Wildlife Policy and Biopolitics or
FOR 422 Natural Resource Policy and Administration or
WBIO 475 Case Histories in Conservation Policy |
3 |
Electives
and General Education |
5-11 |
Fourth
Year |
|
WBIO 494
Senior Seminar |
1 |
BIOL 311
Survey of Plants I |
5 |
BIOL 408
Advanced Fisheries Science |
2 |
FOR 480
Forest/Range Planning and Design |
3 |
FOR 485
Watershed Management |
3 |
Electives
and General Education |
12-18 |
Wildlife
Biology Honors Emphasis
The honors curriculum is designed particularly for students with strong
academic records who intend to do graduate work. Entrance into this
emphasis is open only to students who, at the beginning of the junior
year of the wildlife biology program, have a grade point average of
3.5 or above and who petition the faculty for entrance.
Honors students must complete either WBIO 370, 470 and 494 (terrestrial
option) or BIOL 308, 366 and WBIO 494 (aquatic option). Honors students
are encouraged to enroll also in WBIO 497 Senior Thesis. The balance
of the coursework for the junior and senior years will be developed
in consultation with the honors student's faculty advisor and committee
appointed by the director of the wildlife biology program.
All students in the honors emphasis are required to meet with their
faculty advisors prior to autumn semester registration of their junior
and senior years to work out their course schedules.
Requirements for a Minor
To earn a minor in wildlife biology, the student must successfully
complete the following coursework: BIOL 103N, 104N, 201N, 250; FOR
275; FOR 330 or 360; WBIO 180, 270.
Courses back
to top
U = for undergraduate credit only, UG = for undergraduate or graduate
credit, G = for graduate credit. R after the credit indicates the
course may be repeated for credit to the maximum indicated after the
R.
U 180 Careers in Natural Resources 2 cr. Offered autumn and
spring. Same as FOR 180, RECM 180. Subject matter and fields of study
within natural resources management. Topics include forestry, wildlife
biology, range, water, recreation management, forest products production
and other areas of opportunity for students seeking careers in natural
resources.
U 195 Special Topics Variable cr. (R 6) Offered intermittently.
Experimental offerings of visiting professors, experimental offerings
of new courses, or one time offerings of current topics.
U 240 Ecological Design and Analysis 3 cr. Offered autumn.
Prereq., calculus and consent of instr. An applied introduction to
design and analysis of ecological studies using hypothesis testing
and data-based modeling approaches.
U 245 Science Writing 3 cr. Offered spring. Prereq., ENEX 101
or equiv. Discussion of different types of science writing and focus
on methods to achieve more fluent prose. Includes material on logic,
inference, and developing arguments that rely on data.
U 270 Wildlife Management Issues 2 cr. Offered autumn. An exploration
of wildlife conservation issues and problems facing wildlife managers;
suggestions for solutions. For wildlife biology majors.
U 295 Special Topics Variable cr. (R 6) Offered intermittently.
Experimental offerings of visiting professors, experimental offerings
of new courses, or one time offerings of current topics.
UG 370 Wildlife Habitat Conservation and Management 3 cr. Offered
autumn and spring. Prereq., junior standing in wildlife biology, an
ecology class, or consent of instr. Application of principles of wildlife
biology to conservation and management of wild bird and mammal habitats
including field applications.
UG 373 Wildlife Techniques 2 cr. Offered spring. Prereq., any
statistics course; one 300 level ecology or wildlife biology course.
Lab and field oriented class in commonly used wildlife research and
management techniques.
U 374 Hunter Check Stations 1 cr. (R-2) Offered autumn. Students
learn techniques for determining species, age and sex of game animals,
then work 3-5 days as volunteers at hunter check stations operated
by management agencies.
U 395 Special Topics Variable cr. (R 12) Offered intermittently.
Experimental offerings of visiting professors, experimental offerings
of new courses, or one time offerings of current topics.
U 396 Independent Study 1-6 cr. (R 6) Offered every term.
U 398 Cooperative Education Experience Variable cr. (R-15)
Offered every term. Prereq., consent of department. Extended classroom
experience that provides practical application of classroom learning
during placements off campus. Prior approval must be obtained from
the faculty supervisor and the Center for Work-Based Learning.
UG 410 Wildlife Policy and Biopolitics 3 cr. Offered autumn.
Overview of the laws affecting wildlife and how those laws are initiated,
implemented, and enforced; impact of politics, interest groups, and
agency jurisdictions.
UG 441 Field Methods in Fishery Biology and Management 1-4 cr.
Offered autumn and spring. Prereq., BIOL 308 or 357; consent of
instr. Same as BIOL 415. Field instruction by practicing biologists
in techniques for evaluating and managing aquatic habitats and fish
populations.
UG 446 Wildlife Physiological Ecology 3 cr. Offered spring.
Same as BIOL 446. Prereq., BIOL 221, 223 and 340. How physiological
and biochemical processes in animals influence behavior and ecology.
Application of physiological approaches to wildlife conservation such
as assessment of animal health, nutritional condition, and physiological
performance.
UG 460 International Wildlife Conservation Issues 2 cr. Offered
spring. Prereq., a course in wildlife biology and/or conservation
biology. Review of major international wildlife conservation issues
with emphasis on the social context of the issues and applied solutions.
UG 470 Conservation of Wildlife Populations 3 cr. Offered autumn
and spring. Prereq., 300 level animal ecology class, WBIO 370, and
senior standing. The mandate for and the management of rare, over
abundant, and harvested wild bird and mammal populations.
UG 472 Wildlife Handling and Veterinary Perspectives 2 cr.
Offered spring. Field techniques associated with wildlife capture
and handling. Ethical and legal issues, field organization, animal
care and handling, chemical immobilization, veterinary emergencies
and human safety.
UG 475 Case Histories in Conservation Policy 3 cr. Offered
spring. Prereq., senior or graduate standing in conservation major
or consent of instr. Understanding development and primary aspects
of conservation policy. Exercises in policy analysis as individuals
and in team efforts.
UG 494 Senior Wildlife Seminar 1 cr. Offered autumn and spring.
Prereq., senior standing in wildlife biology or consent of instr.
Analysis and discussion led by students of current topics in wildlife
biology.
UG 495 Special Topics Variable cr. (R 12) Offered intermittently.
Experimental offerings of visiting professors, new courses, or one
time offerings of current topics.
U 496 Independent Study Variable cr. (R 10) Offered every term.
Prereq., consent of instr. Original investigations or problems not
related to student's thesis.
U 497 Senior Thesis 1-3 cr. (R 6) Offered autumn and spring.
Prereq., consent of instr.; senior standing. Preparation of major
paper based on study or research of a topic selected with an advisor
according to needs and objectives of student.
U 498 Cooperative Education Experience 1-6 cr. (R 6) Offered
every term. Prereq., consent of department. Extended classroom experience
that provides practical application of classroom learning during placements
off campus. Prior approval must be obtained from the faculty supervisor
and the Center for Work-Based Learning.
G 540 Experimental Design 3 cr. Offered autumn even-numbered
years. Prereq., introductory statistics course or consent of instr.
Examination of study designs for experiments, quasi-experiments, observational
studies, and sampling surveys with an emphasis on application.
G 542 Current Issues in Biometrics 1 cr. (R-3) Offered every
term. Prereq., introductory statistics course or consent of instr.
Exploration of current topics in biometrics through discussions, student
presentations, and analysis.
G 562 Wildlife Habitat, Structure and Function 3 cr. Offered
spring. Prereq., For 330, 360; WBIO 370; or consent of instr. Study
of selected topics in habitat classification and analysis, and animal
habitat interactions.
G 570 Applied Population Ecology 3 cr. Offered spring even-numbered
years. Prereq., courses in ecology, statistics, and calculus. Application
of advanced population ecology tools and concepts to the evaluation
of human perturbations on wildlife populations. Topics include methods
to detect declining trends, the interacting components of population
viability analysis, and identification of strategies to reverse declines.
G 572 Analysis of Vertebrate Populations 3 cr. Offered autumn
odd-numbered years. Prereq., introductory statistics course or consent
of instr. An examination of modeling approaches for estimating and
analyzing demographic parameters of vertebrate populations, particularly
populations with marked individuals.
G 575 Frontiers in Conservation Research 2 cr. (R-6) Offered
autumn. Prereq., upper-level course in conservation genetics or populations
genetics. Same as BIOL 575. Exploration of current topics in conservation
biology with emphasis on genetic issues in conservation.
G 580 Readings in Population Dynamics 1 cr. (R-6) Offered autumn
and spring. Prereq., consent of instr. Discussion of recent papers
on interface of population dynamics, ecological interactions, and
wildlife management.
G 594 Graduate Seminar in Wildlife Biology 1 cr. (R 3) Offered
autumn and spring. Prereq., graduate standing in wildlife biology
or consent of instr. Analysis of selected problems in wildlife biology
and conservation.
G 595 Special Topics Variable cr. (R 12) Offered intermittently.
Experimental offerings of visiting professors, experimental offerings
of new courses, or one time offerings of current topics.
G 596 Independent Study Variable cr. (R 10) Offered every term.
Prereq., graduate standing and consent of instr. Original investigations
or problems not related to student's thesis.
G 597 Research Variable cr. Offered every term. Prereq., graduate
standing in wildlife biology or consent of instr. Graded pass/not
pass only.
G 599 Professional Paper Variable cr. (R 6) Offered every term.
Prereq., graduate standing in wildlife biology and consent of instr.
Professional paper written in the area of the student's major interest
based on either primary or secondary research. Subject matter must
be approved by graduate committee. Graded pass/not pass only.
G 697 Research 1-15 cr. (R 15) Offered every term.
G 699 Thesis Variable cr. (R 10) Offered every term. Prereq.,
graduate standing in wildlife biology. Preparation of thesis.
Faculty back
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Professors
Donald J. Bedunah, Ph.D., Texas Tech University, 1982
Perry J. Brown, Ph.D., Utah State University, 1971 (Dean)
Edwin J. Burke, Ph.D., Colorado State University, 1978
David H. Jackson, Ph.D., University of Washington, 1975
C. Les Marcum, Ph.D., The University of Montana, 1975
Stephen F. McCool, Ph.D., University of Minnesota, 1970
Alan McQuillan, Ph.D., University of Montana, 1981
Kelsey Milner, Ph.D., The University of Montana, 1987
Thomas J. Nimlos, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, 1959 (Emeritus)
Robert D. Pfister, Ph.D., Washington State University, 1972 (Emeritus)
Daniel H. Pletscher, Ph.D., Yale University, 1982 (Director, Wildlife
Biology Program)
Donald F. Potts, Ph.D., State University of New York, 1979 (Associate
Dean)
LLoyd Queen, Ph.D., University of Nebraska, Lincoln, 1988
Robert R. Ream, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, 1963 (Emeritus)
Steven W. Running, Ph.D., Colorado State University, 1979
Robert W. Steele, Ph.D., Colorado State University, 1975 (Emeritus)
Jack Ward Thomas, Ph.D., University of Massachusetts, 1972
Ronald H. Wakimoto, Ph.D., University of California, 1978
E. Earl Willard, Ph.D., Utah State University, 1971
Hans R. Zuuring, Ph.D., Iowa State University, 1975
Associate Professors
Paul B. Alaback, Ph.D., Oregon State University, 1980
William T. Borrie, Ph.D., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State
University, 1995
James A. Burchfield, Ph.D., University of Michigan, 1991
Thomas H. DeLuca, Ph.D., Iowa State University, 1993
Carl Fiedler, Ph.D., University of Minnesota, 1990 (Research)
Wayne A. Freimund, Ph.D., University of Minnesota, 1993
Paul L. Hansen, Ph.D., South Dakota State University, 1985 (Research)
L. Scott Mills, Ph.D., University of California, Santa Cruz, 1993
Ramakrishna Nemani, Ph.D., The University of Montana, 1987 (Research)
Norma Nickerson, Ph.D., University of Utah, 1989 (Research)
Mike Patterson, Ph.D., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University,
1993
Stephen F. Siebert, Ph.D., Cornell University, 1990
Assistant Professors
Elizabeth Crone, Ph.D., Duke University, 1995
John M. Goodburn, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1999
Hayley Hesseln, Ph.D., Colorado State University, 1996
R. Neil Moisey, Ph.D., The University of Montana, 1997
David Naugle, Ph.D., South Dakota State University, 1998
Diana Six, Ph.D., University of California, Riverside, 1997
Scott Woods, Ph.D., Colorado State University, 2001