Academic Programs Catalog

College of Agriculture and Natural Resources

Department of Fisheries and Wildlife

Undergraduate Programs
Fisheries and Wildlife (this program is in moratorium Fall 2024 through Fall 2027)

Requirements for the Bachelor of Science Degree in Fisheries and Wildlife

  1. The University requirements for bachelor's degrees as described in the Undergraduate Education section of this catalog; 120 credits, including general elective credits, are required for the Bachelor of Science degree in Fisheries and Wildlife.

    The University’s Tier II writing requirement for the Fisheries and Wildlife major is met by completing Fisheries and Wildlife 434 referenced in item 3. below.

    Students who are enrolled in the Fisheries and Wildlife major leading to the Bachelor of Science degree in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife may complete an alternative track to Integrative Studies in Biological and Physical Sciences by completing items 3. a. and 3. b. below. The completion of Biological Sciences 171 or 172 or Lyman Briggs 144 and Chemistry 161 or Lyman Briggs 171L satisfies the laboratory requirement. Completion of items 3. a. and 3. b. below will be counted toward both the alternative track and the requirements for the major.

    The completion of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources mathematics requirement may also satisfy the University mathematics requirement.
  2. The requirements of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources for the Bachelor of Science degree.

    Certain courses referenced in requirement 3. below may be counted toward College requirements as appropriate.  The completion of item 3. d. below satisfies the College's mathematics requirement.
  3. The following requirements for the major:
    1. a. One of the following groups of courses (9 or 10 credits): 
      1. (1) BS 161 Cell and Molecular Biology (3)
        1. BS 171 Cell and Molecular Biology Laboratory (2)
        2. BS 162 Organismal and Population Biology (3)
        3. BS 172 Organismal and Population Biology Laboratory (2)
      2. (2) LB 144 Biology I – Organismal Biology (4)
        1. LB 145 Biology II: Cellular and Molecular Biology  (5)
    2. b. One of the following groups of courses (5 credits):
      1. (1) CEM 141 General Chemistry (4)
        1. CEM 161 Chemistry Laboratory I (1)
      2. (2) CEM 151 General and Descriptive Chemistry (4)
        1. CEM 161 Chemistry Laboratory I (1)
      3. (3) LB 171 Principles of Chemistry I (4)
        1. LB 171L Introductory Chemistry Laboratory I (1)
    3. c. One course from each group (6 to 8 credits): 
      1. (1) PHY 231 Introductory Physics I (3)
        1. PHY 183 Physics for Scientists and Engineers I (4)
        2. LB 273 Physics I (4)
      2. (2) CSS 210 Fundamentals of Soil Science (3)
        1. GLG 201 The Dynamic Earth (4)
        2. GEO 203 Introduction to Meteorology (3)
        3. GEO 206 Physical Geography (3)
    4. d. One course from each group (6 or 7 credits): 
      1. (1) MTH 124 Survey of Calculus I (3)
        1. MTH 132 Calculus I (3)
        2. LB  118 Calculus I (4)
      2. (2) STT 231 Statistics for Scientists (3)
        1. STT 224 Introduction to Probability and Statistics for Ecologists (3)
        2. STT 421 Statistics I (3)
    5. e. Two of the following courses (6 credits): 
      1. COM 100 Human Communication (3)
      2. COM 225 Introduction to Interpersonal Communication (3)
      3. COM 275 Effects of Mass Communication (3)
      4. CSUS 433 Grant Writing and Fund Development (W) (3)
      5. FW  435 Integrated Communications for the Fisheries and Wildlife Professional (3)
      6. JRN 472 Environment, Science and Health Reporting (3)
      7. WRA 320 Technical Communication (W) (3)
      8. WRA  331 Writing in the Public Interest (W) (3)
      9. WRA 341 Nature and Environmental Writing (3)
      10. WRA 453 Grant and Proposal Writing (3)
    6. f. One of the following courses (3 credits): 
      1. FW 439 Conservation Ethics (3)
      2. PHL 340 Ethics (3)
      3. PHL 342 Environmental Ethics (3)
      4. PHL 380 Nature of Science (3)
      5. GEO 432 Environmental Ethics (W) (3)
    7. g. Complete at least 3 credits from the following courses: 
      1. FW 493 Professional Internship in Fisheries and Wildlife (3)
      2. FW 490 Independent Study in Fisheries and Wildlife (3)
      3. FW 480 International Studies in Fisheries and Wildlife (3)
      4. FW 499 Senior Thesis in Fisheries and Wildlife (4)
    8. h. All of the following courses (17 credits): 
      1. FW 101 Fundamentals of Fisheries and Wildlife Ecology and Management (3)
      2. FW 293 Undergraduate Seminar in Fisheries and Wildlife (1)
      3. FW 364 Ecological Problem Solving (3)
      4. FW 424 Population Analysis and Management (4)
      5. FW 434 Human Dimension of Fisheries and Wildlife Management (W) (3)
      6. IBIO 355 Ecology (3)
    9. i. One of the following courses (2 or 3 credits):
      1. FW 101L Fundamentals of Fisheries and Wildlife Ecology and Management Laboratory (2)
      2. FW 238 Introductory Fisheries and Wildlife Field Experience (3)
    10. j. One of the following concentrations: 
      1. Conservation Biology (27 to 29 credits):
      2. (1) All of the following courses (12 credits):
        1. FW 444 Conservation Biology (3)
        2. FW 445 Biodiversity Conservation Policy and Practice (3)
        3. IBIO 445 Evolution (W) (3)
        4. PLB 443 Restoration Ecology (3)
      3. (2) One of the following courses (3 credits):
        1. FOR 404 Forest Ecology (3)
        2. IBIO 485 Tropical Biology (W) (3)
        3. PLB 441 Plant Ecology (3)
      4. (3) One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits):
        1. CSS 350 Introduction to Plant Genetics (3)
        2. IBIO 341 Fundamental Genetics (4)
      5. (4) One of the following courses (3 credits):
        1. FW 410 Upland Ecosystem Management (3)
        2. FW 414 Aquatic Ecosystem Management (3)
        3. FW 416 Marine Ecosystem Management (3)
        4. FW 417 Wetland Ecology and Management (3)
        5. FW 454 Environmental Hydrology for Watershed Management (3)
        6. FW 479 Fisheries Management (3)
      6. (5) One of the following courses (3 credits):
        1. CSUS 464 Environmental and Natural Resource Policy in Michigan (3)
        2. CSUS 465 Environmental and Natural Resource Law (3)
        3. EEM 255 Ecological Economics (3)
        4. FW 449 Wildlife Policy (3)
        5. FW 481 Global Issues in Fisheries and Wildlife (3)
        6. FOR 466 Natural Resource Policy (3)
        7. IBIO 446 Environmental Issues and Public Policy (3)
        8. MC 450 International Environmental Law and Policy (3)
      7. (6) One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits):
        1. ENT 422 Aquatic Entomology (3)
        2. FOR 204 Forest Vegetation (3)
        3. FW 471 Ichthyology (4)
        4. IBIO 360 Biology of Birds (4)
        5. IBIO 365 Biology of Mammals (4)
        6. IBIO 384 Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles (W) (4)
        7. PLB 218 Plants of Michigan (3)
        8. PLB 418 Plant Systematics (3)
      8. Fisheries Biology and Management (25 to 28 credits):
      9. (1) One of the following courses (3 credits): 
        1. FW 472 Limnology (3)
        2. FW 420 Stream Ecology (3)
      10. (2) All of the following courses (10 credits):
        1. FW 471 Ichthyology (4)
        2. FW 479 Fisheries Management (3)
        3. FW 474 Field and Laboratory Techniques for Aquatic Studies (3)
      11. (3) One of the following courses (3 credits):
        1. FW 414 Aquatic Ecosystem Management (3)
        2. FW 416 Marine Ecosystem Management (3)
        3. FW 417 Wetland Ecology and Management (3)
        4. FW 454 Environmental Hydrology for Watershed Management (3)
      12. (4) One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits):
        1. ENT 404 Fundamentals of Entomology (3)
        2. ENT 422 Aquatic Entomology (3)
        3. IBIO 306 Invertebrate Biology (4)
      13. (5) One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits):
        1. PLB 418 Plant Systematics (3)
        2. PLB 424 Algal Biology (4)
      14. (6) One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits):
        1. CSS 350 Introduction to Plant Genetics (3)
        2. FW 431 Ecophysiology and Toxicology of Fishes (3)
        3. IBIO 328 Comparative Anatomy and Biology of Vertebrates (W) (4)
        4. IBIO 341 Fundamental Genetics (4)
      15. Wildlife Biology and Management (26 or 27 credits):
      16. (1) All of the following courses (9 credits):
        1. FW 410 Upland Ecosystem Management (3)
        2. FW 417 Wetland Ecology and Management (3)
        3. FW 413 Wildlife Research and Management Techniques (3)
      17. (2) Two of the following courses (8 credits):
        1. IBIO 360 Biology of Birds  (4)
        2. IBIO 365 Biology of Mammals (4)
        3. IBIO 384 Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles (W) (4)
      18. (3) One of the following courses (3 credits):
        1. FOR 204 Forest Vegetation (3)
        2. PLB 218 Plants of Michigan (3)
        3. PLB 418 Plant Systematics (3)
      19. (4) One of the following courses (3 credits):
        1. FOR 404 Forest Ecology (3)
        2. PLB 105 Plant Biology (3)
        3. PLB 203 Biology of Plants (3)
        4. PLB 441 Plant Ecology (3)
      20. (5) One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits):
        1. CSS 350 Introduction to Plant Genetics (3)
        2. IBIO 328 Comparative Anatomy and Biology of Vertebrates (W) (4)
        3. IBIO 341 Fundamental Genetics (4)
      21. Water Sciences (24 to 28 credits):
      22. (1) Two of the following courses (6 credits):
        1. FW 417 Wetland Ecology and Management (3)
        2. FW 420 Stream Ecology (3)
        3. FW 472 Limnology (3)
      23. (2) The following course (3 credits): 
        1. FW 474 Field and Laboratory Techniques for Aquatic Studies (3)
      24. (3) One of the following courses (3 credits):
        1. FW 414 Aquatic Ecosystem Management (3)
        2. FW 416 Marine Ecosystem Management (3)
        3. FW 454 Environmental Hydrology for Watershed Management (3)
        4. FW 479 Fisheries Management (3)
      25. (4) One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits):
        1. ENT 404 Fundamentals of Entomology (3)
        2. ENT 422 Aquatic Entomology (3)
        3. FW 471 Ichthyology (4)
        4. IBIO 306 Invertebrate Biology (4)
      26. (5) One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits):
        1. PLB 418 Plant Systematics (3)
        2. PLB 424 Algal Biology (4)
      27. (6) Two of the following courses (6 to 8 credits):
        1. CSS 350 Introduction to Plant Genetics (3)
        2. FW 431 Ecophysiology and Toxicology of Fishes (3)
        3. GLG 421 Environmental Geochemistry (4)
        4. IBIO 303 Oceanography (4)
        5. IBIO 341 Fundamental Genetics (4)
        6. IBIO 353 Marine Biology (W) (4)
        7. MMG 425 Microbial Ecology (3)
      28. Fish and Wildlife Disease Ecology and Management (30 or 31 credits):
      29. (1) All of the following courses (20 credits):
        1. FW 423 Principles of Fish and Wildlife Disease (3)
        2. FW 423L Principles of Fish and Wil