Wildlife and Fisheries Science

Students who intend to pursue one or more advanced degrees should select this option, as it designed for preparation for graduate school. Employment with this B.S. program is possible, but competition for jobs is intense and salaries can be low. Students who complete this option are eligible for certification by The Wildlife Society but are not qualified to become Registered Foresters in Mississippi. This degree is intended for serious, academically strong students who can maintain an A-B grade record (GPA > 3.00), which is the minimum required for admittance into graduate degree programs.

Scholarship Information

College of Forest Resource Scholarship applications are accepted from January to April 1 of each year. Freshmen should complete the Mississippi State University Scholarship Resume online through their Admission application on the MSU web page. For more information, contact the CFR Office of Academic Affairs at 662.325.2624.

Students must submit a CFR Scholarship Application prior to April 1 to be considered for a departmental scholarship. Renewal of scholarships are based on Fall grade reports each year. Renewal of a scholarship is competitive. Applications are available from the CFR Office of Student Services, Box 9680, Mississippi State, Mississippi 39762.

For more information on CFR scholarships, contact us at the CFR Office of Student Services, Box 9680, Mississippi State, Mississippi 39762 or send an e-mail to rsingleton@cfr.msstate.edu.

 Academics

Click the year for the 2011-2012 curriculum information.
Download the curriculum
Courses in parentheses are prerequisites.

Freshman Year

Fall Semester
  • BIO 1134 Biological Sciences I
  • CH 1043 Survey of Chemistry I
  • CO 1003 Fund. of Public Speaking
  • EN 1103 English Comp. I (ACT subscore 17)
  • WFA 1102 Wildlife and Fisheries Profession

Spring Semester
  • BIO 1144 Biological Sciences II
  • CH 1053 Survey of Chemistry II (CH 1043)
  • EN 1113 English Comp. II (EN 1103)
  • MA 1613 Calc. for Bus. And Life Sci.(C in MA 1313 or ACT math subscore 24)
  • Humanities Elective (3)

Sophomore Year

Fall Semester
  • FO 2113 Dendrology (BIO 1134, BIO 1144)
  • PSS 3303 Soils (CH 1043)
  • PSS 3301 Soils Lab (CH 1043)
  • ST 3123 Intro. to Stat Infer. (C in MA 1313 or ACT math subscore 24)
  • WFA 3133 Appl. Aquatic and Terr. Ecol. (BIO 1144)
  • Economics Elective (3)

Spring Semester
  • BIO 3103 Genetics (MA 1313, BIO 1134 or BIO 2113)
  • BIO 3524 Biology of Vertebrates
  • Fine Arts Elective (3)
  • Humanities Elective (3)
  • Social Science Elective (3)

Junior Year

Fall Semester
  • WFA 4223 ID of Aquatic and Terr. Plant (WFA 3133)
  • WFA 4122 Wildlife and Fisheries Biometrics (ST 3123)
  • WFA 4121 Wildlife and Fisheries Biometrics Lab (ST 3123)
  • WFA 4153 Prin. Wildlife Conservation and Mgt.
  • WFA 4353 Fish and Wildlife Policy and Law Enforcement
  • Professional Elective (3)

Spring Semester
  • AIS 3203 Intro. to Tech Writing in Agricom.
  • FO 4223 Practices of Silviculture (WFA 3133) OR Invertebrate Elective (3)
  • WFA 4463 Human Dim. Fish and WF Mgt.
  • Nutrition/Physiology/Anatomy Elective (3)
  • Professional Elective (3)

Senior Year

Fall Semester
  • WFA 4133 Fisheries Science OR WFA 4313 Fisheries Mgt.
  • WFA 4222 Limnology AND WFA 4221 Limnology Lab OR WFA 4383 Wetlands Ecology and Mgt.
  • Organismal Elective (3)
  • Professional Elective (3)
  • Professional Elective (3)

Spring Semester
  • WFA 4473 Wildlife and Fisheries Practices (Sr.)
  • WFA 4243 Wildlife Techniques (Jr.)
  • WFA 4183 Prin. of Aquacult. OR Organismal Elective (3)
  • Professional Elective (3)
  • Professional Elective (3)

Approved Substitutions and Electives

  • Agriculture-Wildlife Professional Elective
  • AEC 4343 Advanced Farm Mgt. (Fall)
  • AEC 4413 Public Prob. in Agriculture (Spring)
  • FO 3202/3201 Forest Fire and Lab
  • FO 4483 Forest Soils (SP Odd)
  • GG 3613 Water Resources
  • GG 4613 Physical Hydrology
  • PSS 4373 Geospatial Agronomic Mgt.
  • PSS 4603 Soil Chemistry (Spring)
  • PSS 4813 Herbicide Technology
  • WFA 4133 Fisheries Science (ST 3123) (SP Even)
  • WFA 4183 Principles & Pract. of Aquaculture (SP Even)
  • WFA 4273 Eco. & Mgt. of Human-Wildlife Conflicts (FL Odd)
  • WFA 4283 Human-Wildlife Conflict Techniques (FL Odd)
  • WFA 4383 Wetlands Ecology and Mgt. (FL Even)
  • WFA 4394 Waterfowl Eco. & Mgt. (WFA 3133, WFA 4153) (FL Odd)
  • WFA 4463 Hum. Dim. of Fish & Wildlife Mgt. (Jr.) (SP Even)
  • WFA 4484 Upland Avian Eco. & Mgt. (WFA 3133, WFA 4153) (SP Even)
  • WFA 4494 Lg Mammal Eco. & Mgt. (WFA 3133, WFA 4153)(FL Even)

  • Crop Science Elective
  • PSS 4103 Forage Pasture (Fall)
  • PSS 4153 Fiber and Oilsee Crops (Spring)
  • PSS 4453 Vegetable Production (Fall)
  • PSS 4123 Grain Crops (Spring)

  • Animal Science Elective
  • ADS 3312 Livestock Management and Practice
  • ADS 4115 Animal Nutrition
  • ADS 4123 Animal Breeding
  • ADS 4222 Small Animal Production
  • ADS 4324 Beef Cattle Production
  • ADS 4814 Dairy Farm Management

  • Economics Elective:
  • AEC 2713 Intro. to Agricultural Economics
  • EC 2113 Prin. Macroeconomics (So.)
  • EC 2123 Prin. Microeconomics (EC 2113, So.)

  • Ethics Electives:
  • PHI 1123 Intro. Ethics
  • PHI 1193 Honors Ethics

  • Fine Arts (3 hours):
  • ARC 1013 Architectural Appreciation
  • ART 1013 Art History
  • ART 1113 Art Appreciation
  • CO 1503 Intro. to Theater
  • LA 1803 Landscape Architecture Appr.
  • MU 1113 History and Appr. of Music
  • PE 1323 History and Appr. of Dance
  • PSS 2343 Floral Design
  • TKI 2413 Hist. and Appr. of the Artcrafts

  • Human Resources Management Electives:
  • AIS 3803 Lead Dev. Agr. and Life Science
  • CO 3293 Corporate Comm. (Jr.)
  • FO 4343 For. Admin. and Organization
  • MGT 3114 Prin. Mgt. and Prod. (EC 2113, BQA 2113, Jr.)
  • MGT 3213 Organizational Comm. (EN 1113, Jr.)
  • MGT 3513 Intro. to Human Resource Mgt.
  • WFA 4363 Wildlife and Fish Adm. and Comm. (Jr.)

  • Humanities (6 hours):
  • EN 2203 Intro. to Literature
  • EN 2213 English Literature I
  • EN 2243 American Literature I
  • EN 2273 World Literature I
  • FL 1113 Elem. Foreign Language
  • HI 1063 Early US History
  • HI 1073 Modern US History
  • HI 1163 World History before 1500
  • HI 1173 World History after 1500
  • HI 1213 Early Western World
  • HI 1223 Modern Western World
  • HI 1313 East Asian Civilizations I
  • HI 1323 East Asian Civilizations II
  • PHI 1103 Intro. to Philosophy
  • PHI 1113 Intro. to Logic
  • PHI 1123 Intro. to Ethics
  • REL 1103 Intro. to Religion
  • REL 3213 World Religions I

  • Invertebrate Electives:
  • BIO 3514 Invertebrate Zoology (BIO 1134, BIO 1144)
  • EPP 3124 Forest Pest Management
  • EPP 4154 General Entomology
  • EPP 4234 Field Crop Insects (EPP 2132 or FPP 4154)
  • EPP 4244 Aquatic Entomology (EPP 4154)

  • Natural Resources Management Electives:
  • FO 3113 Forest Recreation Management
  • FO 4472/4471 GIS Natural Resource Management
  • GR 4303 Principles of GIS
  • GR 4313 Advanced GIS
  • WFA 4153 Prin. of Wildlife Conservation and Mgt.
  • WFA 4183 Prin. and Practices of Aquaculture
  • WFA 4253 App. Spatial Tech. to Wild. and Fish Mgt. (Sr.)
  • WFA 4273 Eco. & Mgt. of Human-Wildlife Conf. (FL Odd)
  • WFA 4283 Human-Wildlife Conf. Techniques (FL Odd)
  • WFA 4313 Fisheries Mgt. (WFA 3133)
  • WFA 4363 Wildlife and Fish. Admin. and Comm.
  • WFA 4383 Wetlands Ecology and Mgt.
  • WFA 4394 Waterfowl Eco. and Mgt. (WFA 3133, WFA 4153)
  • WFA 4463 Human Dim. of Fish and Wildlife Mgt.
  • WFA 4484 Upland Avian Ecology and Mgt. (WFA 3133, WFA 4153)
  • WFA 4494 Large Mammal Ecology and Mgt.(WFA 3133, WFA 4153)

  • Nutrition/Physiology/Anatomy/Electives:
  • ADS 4115 Animal Nutrition
  • BIO 3504 Comparative Anatomy (BIO 1134 and BIO 1144)
  • BIO 4514 Animal Physiology (Spring odd years)
  • PO 4843 Avian Physiology
  • VS 3014 Anatomy and Physiology
  • WFA 4173 Fish Physiology
  • WFA 4323 Wildlife Nutrition and Physiology

  • Organismal Electives:
  • WFA 4423 Herpetology (8 hrs. zoology)
  • WFA 4433 Mammalogy (8 hrs. zoology)
  • WFA 4443 Ornithology (8 hrs. zoology)
  • WFA 4453 Ichthyology (8 hrs. zoology)

  • Policy Electives:
  • FO 4343 Forest Admin. and Organization
  • FO 4353 Natural Resource Law
  • FO 4413 Natural Resources Policy (Sr. )
  • PS 4743 Environmental Policy
  • WFA 4353 Fish and Wildlife Policy and Law Enforcement (Sr.)
  • WFA 4363 Wildlife and Fisheries Admin. and Comm. (Jr.)
  • WFA 4463 Human Dim. of Wildlife and Fisheries Mgt. (Jr.)

  • Professional Electives:
  • AEC 4413 Public Problems in Agriculture
  • ADS 4314 Meats Processing
  • AN 3313 Hum. Identification (AN 1103, AN 1343)
  • BCH 4013 Elem. Biochem. (CH 2503 and BIO 1144)
  • BIO 3013 Professional Writing for Biologists
  • BIO 3303 Parasitology
  • BIO 3304 General Microbiology (CH 1053 or 1223)
  • BIO 4113 Evolutionary Biology
  • BIO 4213 Plant Ecology (BIO 4203)
  • BIO 4514 Animal Physiology (Spring odd years)
  • CO 4213 Political Communication (CO 1223)
  • CO 4323 Mass Media and Society (Jr.)
  • FO 3113 Forest Recreation Management
  • FO 3123 Forest Ecol. and Global Environ.
  • FO 3202/3201 Forest Fire/Lab
  • FO 4223/4221 Practice of Silviculture/Lab (FO 4123)
  • FO 4313 Spatial Tech. in Nat. Res. (FO 3015)
  • FO 4353 Natural Resource Law (Jr.)
  • FO 4463 Forest Hydro. and Water Shed Mgt. (PSS 3303, FO 3012, FO 4123)
  • FO 4472/4471 GIS Nat. Res. Mgt./Lab (Jr.)
  • FO 4483 Forest Soils (PSS 3303, FO 3012, FO 4123)
  • FST 4164 Quality Assur. of Food Prod. (BIO 3304)
  • GG 3613 Water Resources
  • GG 4613 Physical Hydrology
  • GR 3113 Conservation of Natural Resources
  • GR 4303 Principles of GIS
  • GR 4313 Advanced GIS
  • PHI 4143 Philosophy of Science
  • PSS 4633 Weed Biology/Ecology
  • PSY 3073 Psy. of Interpersonal Relations (Jr.)
  • SO 4173 Env. and Society (AN 1103 or SO 1003)
  • SO 4703 Population Prob. and Processes (SO 1003)
  • SO 4993 Law and Society
  • ST 4213 Nonparametric Methods (ST 2113)
  • WFA 4133 Fisheries Science (ST 3123 or equiv.)
  • WFA 4183 Prin. and Practices of Aquaculture
  • WFA 4222/4221 Limnology and Lab (WF 3133)
  • WFA 4263 Wildlife Diseases (SP Even)
  • WFA 4273 Ecology & Mgt of HWC (FL Odd)
  • WFA 4283 HWC Techniques (FL Odd)
  • WFA 4363 Wildlife and Fish Admin. and Comm. (Jr.)
  • WFA 4373 Prin. and Prac. of Cons. in Ag Landscapes
  • WFA 4383 Wetlands Ecology and Mgt.
  • WFA 4394 Waterfowl Ecol. and Mgt. (WF 3133, WF 4153)
  • WFA 4423 Herpetology (8 hrs. zoology)
  • WFA 4433 Mammalogy (8 hrs. zoology)
  • WFA 4443 Ornithology (8 hrs. zoology)
  • WFA 4453 Ichthyology (8 hrs. zoology)
  • WFA 4463 Human Dimensions of Fish and Wildlife Mgt.
  • WFA 4483 Seminar in Tropical Biology (WFA 3133) (SP Even)
  • WFA 4484 Upland Avian Ecol. and Mgt. (WFA 3133, WFA 4153) (SP Even)
  • WFA 4494 Large Mammal Ecol. and Mgt. (WFA 3133, WFA 4153) (FL Even)

  • Social Science Electives:
  • AN 1103 Intro. to Anthropology
  • AN 1343 Intro. Biological Anthropology
  • CO 1223 Intro. to Comm. Theory (CO 1003 or 2253)
  • CO 1403 Intro. to Mass Media
  • GR 1123 Intro. to World Geography
  • GR 2013 Cultural Geography
  • PSS 1113 American Government
  • PSY 1013 General Psychology
  • PSY 3073 Psy. of Interpersonal Relations (Jr.)
  • SO 1003 Intro. to Sociology
  • SO 1103 Contemporary Social Problems

Approved Substitutions List for Wildlife and Fisheries Science Option
Required Courses Approved Substitutions
AIS 3203 Technical Writing BIO 3013 Prof. Writ. for Biologists, EN 3313 Writing for the Workplace, or MGT 3213 Organizational Comm.
MA 1613 Calc. Bus. Life Science MA 1713 Calculus I
WFA 4223 ID of A/T Plants BIO 4203 Tax. of Spermatophytes, or BIO 4214 Gen. Plant Physiology
Options
Graduate Programs
Carrers
carrer
Resource Analyst
Resource Information Manager
Senior Marketing Manager
Terrestrial Ecologist
Vegetation Manager
Wetland Manager
Wildlife Manager
Extension Specialist
Zoologist
Environmental Auditor
Environmental Coordinator
Game Manager
Ornithologist
Conservation Biologist