Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences
Ecology & Management of Biological Diversity in Texas and the World
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Graduate Courses

Graduate Courses

  1. Field Herpetology. [Taught Spring Only] (0-3). Credit 1. Field work involving collection and preservation of herpetological specimens; natural history, ecological relations. Prerequisites: graduate classification. *
  1. History of Ecological Thought and Conservation Practice. [Not currently offered] (3-0). Credit 3. Survey of the philosophical roots and evolution of ecological thought and conservation practice; emphasis on theoretical foundations, seminal concepts, classic papers, and historic trends. Prerequisites: Course in general ecology and graduate classification or instructor approval.
  1. Ecological Modeling. [Taught Spring Only] (3-0). Credit 3. Philosophical basis, theoretical framework, and practical application of systems analysis and simulation within the context of ecology and natural resource management; emphasis placed on development, evaluation and use of simulation models by students. Prerequisite: Approval of instructor.
  1. Community Ecology. [Taught Fall Only] (3-0). Credit 3. Overview and in-depth knowledge of community ecology; historical development; current issues, methodologies, and practical applications in natural resource management, biological conservation, agriculture, and human health; practice critical thinking, communication skills, and professionalism. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.
  1. Environmental Conflict Management. [Not currently offered] (3-0). Credit 3. Understand environmental conflict systemically, understand how communication contributes to environmental conflict and develop increased capacity as managers of environmental conflict. Prerequisite: Graduate classification or approval of instructor.
  1. Public Participation in Conservation Policy. [Not currently offered] (3-0). Credit 3. Students will have the opportunity to become familiar with and critique theories and constructs as well as strategies and techniques for enhancing public participation in environmental conservation policy. Prerequisite: Graduate classification or approval of instructor.
  1. Wildlife Research Methods. [Not currently offered] (3-0). Credit 3. Research methods for ecology and conservation; become familiar with the philosophy of natural science and develop skill in study design, grantsmanship, presentation techniques, critical evaluation of others’ work, and publication in refereed journals. Prerequisites: Courses in general ecology and statistics and graduate classification or approval of instructor.
  1. Evolutionary Ecology. (3-0). [Not currently offered] Credit 3. Survey the development of paradigms in evolutionary ecology; incorporates phylogenies into comparative analysis and macroecology; evaluates the roles of historical and local processes in determining species diversity. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.
  1. Estuarine Ecology. (3-3). [Not currently offered] Credit 4. Principles governing the relationships of estuarine organisms to their environment; productivity adaptations to environment, community structure and factors affecting the distribution and abundance of biota. Prerequisite: Invertebrate zoology and ichthyology or approval of instructor.
  1. Animal Ecology. [Taught Fall Only] (2-3). Credit 3. Concepts of animal ecology which emerge at various levels or organization; the ecosystem, the community, the population and the individual; laboratories emphasis on the quantitative analysis of field data and the simulation of population dynamics. Prerequisite: Graduate classification or approval of instructor.*
  1. Biology of Fishes. (3-3). [Not currently offered] Credit 4. Fishes’ physiological and morphological adaptations for life in aquatic systems; physiological and behavioral responses of fish to environments; molecular, cellular, and physiological mechanisms discussed in an evolutionary context that emphasizes the ontogeny of adaptive responses among vertebrates from basic biochemical and biophysical constraints. Prerequisite: Graduate classification or approval of instructor.
  1. Wildlife Study Design and Analysis. [Taught Spring Even-Years Only] (3-0). Credit 3. Fundamental and advanced aspects of study design applicable to terrestrial animals analysis and review of the scientific literature related to study design; and the development of study design for written and oral presentations. Prerequisite: Graduate classification or approval of instructor.
  1. Wildlife Restoration. [Taught Spring Odd-Years Only] (2-3). Credit 3. Study of the fundamentals of the restoration of animal populations and the resources they require; factors that control the distribution and abundances of animals in relation to restoration; and how restoration plans for wildlife are developed. Prerequisite: Graduate classification or approval of instructor.
  1. Vertebrate Ethology. [Not currently offered] (3-2). Credit 4. Mechanisms and control of vertebrate behavior in an ecological context, as shaped by natural selection; classical and current theories regarding the genetic basis, development, specialized sensory systems and organization of responses in changing environment; laboratory emphasizes observational skills and quantitative analysis of behavior occurring in natural settings.*
  1. Behavioral Ecology. [Not currently offered] (3-0). Credit 3. Integration of animal behavior with ecological and evolutionary principles; includes mating, predation, foraging ecology, social behavior, game theory and behavioral genetics; emphasis on quantification of behavior and strategy modeling Prerequisites: Undergraduate ecology course; graduate classification.
  1. Aquaculture. [Taught Spring Only] (3-3). Credit 4. Principle of fish production for stock enhancement and human food. Species of fish used for production, cross-breeding and selection; feeds and feeding of fish and nutritional and environmental requirements for optimum productivity; effects of fish production on land and water uses as related to conservation. Prerequisite: Graduate classification or approval of instructor.
  1. Dynamics of Populations. [Taught Fall Only] (3-2). Credit 4. Principles, models and methods for analysis of population dynamics; analysis of contemporary research emphasizing theory and its uses in evaluation and management of animal populations. Laboratory emphasizes mathematical, statistical and computer modeling of population phenomena.
  1. Ecological Risk Assessment. [Taught Fall Odd-Years Only] (3-0). Credit 3. Approaches used to identify, evaluate, and manage ecological risks of chemicals on aquatic and terrestrial environments; emphasis on methods useful to assess effects of contaminants on ecosystems; testing techniques, site assessment and monitoring procedures, regulatory requirements and field and laboratory techniques. Only one of the following can be applied to the requirements for a degree: WFSC 627 and WFSC 639.
  1. Wetland Ecology. [Taught Fall Only] (3-0). Credit 3. Wetlands as ecological systems that are prime habitats for wildlife and fish; geomorphology, hydrology, limnology, plant and animal communities, and human use and management. Prerequisite: WFSC 403 or RLEM 316 or equivalent.*
  1. Ecology and Society. [TBD] (3-0). Credit 3. Study and compare human and natural ecosystems using diversity, interrelations, cycles, and energy as the conceptional organization; central themes of the course are sustainability, stewardship and science. Prerequisite: Graduate classification or approval of instructor.
  1. Ethology. [Not currently offered] (3-0). Credit 3. Survey of the control, ontogeny, function and natural selection of behavior in a variety of vertebrate an invertebrate species; interaction between the organism and its environment with regard to the mechanisms and adaptive significance of behavior; evolution of anti-predator, feeding, reproductive and cooperative traits. Prerequisites: BIOL 112 or equivalent; graduate classification.
  1. Conservation Genetics. [Taught Spring Even-Years Only] (3-0). Credit 3. Genetic concepts and techniques relevant to management and conservation of biological diversity, research and conservation strategies within a conservation genetics framework. Prerequisite: Introductory courses in genetics and ecology or biological conservation. Cross-listed with GENE 633.
  1. Urban Wildlife and Fisheries. [Not currently offered] (3-0). Credit 3. Urban wildlife and fisheries trains students to establish and maintain diverse, self-sustaining urban wildlife and fish populations at levels in harmony with ecological, social, and economic values of the human community and to develop optimal levels of public appreciation and use or urban wildlife and fish resources and associated habitats. Prerequisite: Graduate classification or approval of instructor.
  1. Wildlife Habitat Management. [Taught Fall Only] (3-0). Credit 3. Designed to acquaint with major land use practices on lands that produce wildlife, how these influences wildlife production and alterations or manipulations of habitat used to achieve specific wildlife management goals. Prerequisite: Graduate classification or approval of instructor.*
  1. Techniques of Wildlife Management. [Taught Fall and Spring] (2-3). Credit 3. Techniques available to directly and indirectly manipulate wild animal populations to achieve balance between socioeconomic and aesthetic values. Prerequisite: Graduate classification or approval of instructor.*
  1. Wildlife Ecotoxicology. [Taught Fall Even-Years Only] (3-0). Credit 3. Distribution, fate, and effects of environmental pollutants on wildlife behavior and reproduction. Global distribution of pollutants and effects on near and remote ecosystems. Field studies, biomarkers, stable isotope and various techniques for evaluating pollutant hazards on wildlife. Prerequisites: Courses in CHEM and BICH and graduate classification or approval of instructor.
  1. Human Dimensions of Wildlife and Fisheries Management. [Not currently offered] (3-0). Credit 3. Theory and applications for considering human dimensions in an integrated approach to wildlife and fisheries management; a social science perspective with emphasis to diversity of human values, role of constituency groups, wildlife and fisheries policy development, conflict management, management decision-making, research methods and management case studies.
  1. Sustainable Military Land Management. [Taught Fall Odd-Years Only] (3-0). Credit 3. Overview of the Department of Defense (DOD) lands within a temporal, geographic, and environmental context and perspective; major policies/ laws impacting military land use and areas critical to mission sustainment; management strategies important to sustaining installations and ranges. Prerequisite: Graduate classification or approval of instructor.
  1. Field Military Land Management. [Taught Summer Even-Years Only] (0-2). Credit 1. Review of land management practices and challenges on military and adjacent private lands through field visits of select military installations. Field trips required during Spring Semester. Prerequisite: Graduate classification or approval of instructor. Previous or concurrent registration in WFSC 636 is strongly encouraged.
  1. Geospatial Technology in Military Land Management. [Not currently offered] (3-0). Credit 3. Tools for visualizing, creating, managing and analyzing geographic data on military lands and outside areas critical to mission sustainment; familiarization with ArcMap and ArcCatalog in military-related land management scenarios. Prerequisites: Graduate classification or approval of instructor; previous experience with ArcMap and ArcCatalog helpful.
  1. Wildlife and Natural Resource Policy. [Taught Spring Even-Years Only] (3-0). Credit 3. Review formation and implementation of major natural resource laws and policies that impact land uses; overview of natural resource laws/policies followed by presentations of a selected case study; current natural resource management (including forestry, air, water, wildlife, climate change and energy) programs and institutions analyzed and related to current natural resource policy challenges.
  1. Quantitative Phylogenetics. [Taught Spring Even-Years Only] (2-3). Credit 3. Designed to provide the theory and tools required for inference of phylogenetic (evolutionary) relationships among biological taxa using various types of comparative data including morphological characters, biochemical and molecular characters, and DNA sequences; hands-on analysis of data using contemporary tools. Prerequisites: ENTO 601 or approval of instructor. Cross-listed with ENTO 606 and GENE 606.
  1. Nutritional Biochemistry of Fishes. [Taught Fall Only] (3-0). Credit 3. Principles of nutritional biochemistry including nutrient metabolism and biochemical energetics with special emphasis on finfish and shell fish. Prerequisite: BICH 410 or equivalent. Cross-listed with NUTR 647.
  1. Molecular Evolution. [Taught Spring Odd-Years Only] (2-2). Credit 3. Theory and tools used in the analysis of molecular evolutionary patterns of DNA and protein sequences; format combines lecture presentations by instructor discussion of relevant scientific literature, computer exercises, preparation of research proposal or independent research project, and practice in peer-review process. Prerequisite: Basic courses in general Genetics and Evolution. Cross-listed with GENE 648.
  1. Principles of Fisheries Management. [Not currently offered] (3-3). Credit 4. Basic knowledge of ichthyology, biology of fishes and limnology related to applied aspects of freshwater and marine fishery science; management techniques applicable to streams, ponds, reservoirs, estuaries and the oceans. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.
  1. Amazon Field School. [Taught Summer Only] (3-0). Credit 3. Introduction to social and ecological complexities of biodiversity conservation in tropical ecosystems; field methods from biological and social sciences evaluate causes, consequences and solutions to biodiversity loss through lenses of ecology, culture and governance. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.
  1. Applied Biodiversity Science. [Not currently offered] (3-0). Credit 3. Students will study in the areas of Conservation genetics, metapopulations, landscape ecology, and ecosystem management. Prerequisite(s): Graduate classification. Cross-listed with RPTS 655.
  1. Excel Biometry. [Taught Summer Odd-Years Only] (3-0). Credit 3. Rational and mathematics behind upper level biometrical methods; construct spreadsheets and analyze a common data set; topics include multiple regressions, principle components analysis, multivariate analysis of variance and others. Prerequisites: Graduate classification; STAT 651 or equivalent.
  1. Seminar. Credit 1 each semester. Important current developments in wildlife or fisheries fields with special reference to literature. Students may register up to but no more than two sections of this course in the same semester.
  1. Professional Internship. Credit 1 to 16 each semester. On-the-job training in fields of wildlife and fisheries sciences. Prerequisite: Graduate classification in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences.
  1. Directed Studies. Credit 2 to 6 each semester. Individual study and research on selected problem approved by instructor and graduate advisor. Credit adjusted in accordance with requirements of each individual case. Prerequisite: Approved proposal.
  1. Special Topics in… Credit 1 to 4. Special topics in wildlife ecology, fisheries ecology, vertebrate systematics, evolutionary biology of vertebrates and conservation education. May be repeated for credit.*
  1. Research. Credit 1 or more each semester. Original research on selected wildlife and/or fisheries problem to be used in thesis or dissertation.

*Field trips required for which departmental fees may be assessed to cover costs.