Other Information Information About this Department List of Faculty Degree Requirements Apply Online Visit the Department's Website

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

The M.A. program in Conservation Biology is housed in the Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology (E3B). The program requires two Residence Units and normally two semesters of Extended Residence. This program may be completed on a full-time or a part-time basis; full-time students complete the program in two years; part-time students must complete the program in no more than four years. The thesis-based option requires 49 credits in courses taken for a letter grade. The course-based option requires 47 credits in courses taken for a letter grade. See below for details.

Tracks: Students have the option of tailoring their course work to follow an academic, professional, or education track. The academic track is designed for students who plan to pursue a Ph.D. or who are interested in being involved in applied and academic research in the future. The professional track is for students who plan to enter a more policy-oriented aspect of the conservation profession immediately after obtaining the M.A. degree, or who are already working in this area. The education track is for students who will popularize conservation biology by working in the public education departments of zoos, museums, schools, or conservation organizations.

Specific required courses: All three tracks require seven specific courses: two semesters of conservation biology (EEEB G6905, Graduate Seminar in Conservation Biology and EEEB G6990, Topics in Conservation Biology); EEEB W4122 Fundamentals of Ecology and Evolution; INAF U6241 (Environmental Policy, Politics, and Management); and four semesters of EEEB G6300 (Research Methods Seminar).In addition, students must complete the following requirements depending on the track in which they are enrolled.

Students in the academic track:

Three additional science electives and 2 additional policy electives

Students in the professional track:

ECON G4625 (Economics of the Environment)

Three additional science electives and 2 additional policy electives

Students in the education track:

Teaching Conservation in Biology

Three education-oriented electives

One science elective, one policy elective

Students in all tracks take additional elective courses (or directed readings or directed research) in science, policy or education to complete the required credits.

Students must maintain a GPA of at least 3 (B average) over the course of their studies in the program. Students failing to maintain an adequate score average will be automatically placed in probation for the following semester, and their performance will be strictly monitored. A GPA of at least 3 is required for graduation.