Program Overview

The Ecology and Conservation Biology track is designed to meet the needs of students interested in pursuing careers with natural resource agencies, conservation and environmental organizations, environmental consulting firms, and education and research institutions as well as a graduate degree in natural sciences. Students enrolled in this track gain an understanding of the core body of knowledge and acquire the tools for understanding issues related to conserving, managing, and restoring species, habitats, and ecosystems in ecological concepts, ecological practices, human-environmental interactions, and biodiversity exploration and conservation. This track accomplishes this by offering a diversity of courses, including higher-level electives that allow students to tailor their education to fit their interests, including the option to become certified through organizations such as the Ecological Society of America and the Society for Ecological Restoration. Students completing this track will have a strong background in ecosystem functioning, field experience, human and ethical dimensions, organism biology, and quantitative applications.