Coursework

Wildlife Science to Policy 5-Year Degree Plan

Description of Coursework

Undergraduate Coursework

• • WFSC 101. Introduction to Wildlife and Fisheries. Introduction to a variety of topics in the wildlife and fisheries disciplines to prepare to be successful both in the field and in further studies; case studies will guide through current issues and laboratory concepts will provide hands-on experience in methods and skills important in the field of wildlife and fisheries. Prerequisite: Open only to students with less than 36 hours at Texas A&M University. Registration through the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences only.
  • WFSC 302. Natural History of the Vertebrates. Introduction to life histories of fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals; covers vertebrate groups on a worldwide scale and emphasizes a comparative approach to the study of adaptation to the environment; topics include behavior, reproduction, feeding specializations, evolutionary history, locomotion, hibernation, migration, endangered species, zoogeography and importance to man; laboratory emphasizes the recognition of Texas vertebrates. Designed for both science and non-science majors. Prerequisites: BIOL 111 and BIOL 112 or BIOL 101 and BIOL 107 or equivalent.
  • WFSC 303. Fish and Wildlife Laws and Administration. Writing Intensive credit for WFSC majors. A review and analysis of state and federal laws and international treaties and conventions affecting fish and wildlife; their application and administration; organizational structure of state, federal and international agencies; their objectives, policies, and practices. Prerequisite: RENR 205 or BIOL 357; junior classification.
  • WFSC 304. Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation. Ecological principles used to conserve and manage wildlife and fisheries resources at the individual, population and community levels; topics include conservation biology, species interactions, animal-habitat relationships, population dynamics and harvesting, habitat management and restoration and human dimensions of fish and wildlife conservation. Prerequisites: RENR 205 and junior or senior classification or approval of instructor.
  • WFSC 311. Ichthyology.  Introduction to the study of fishes, their biology, classification, evolution, distribution, ecology, and economic importance. Prerequisite: WFSC 302 or BIOL 318.
  • WFSC 401. General Mammalogy. Mammalian biology; evolution, classification, biogeography, reproduction, physiology, ecology, and behavior; focus on basic concepts necessary for a foundation in both wildlife science and biology. Prerequisites: WFSC 302 or BIOL 318; junior classification.
  • WFSC 402. General Ornithology. Introduction to study of birds, their structure, classification, geographic distribution, ecological relations, and economic status; the foundation of wildlife science, also for museum work. Prerequisites: WFSC 302 or BIOL 318; junior classification.
  • WFSC 403. Animal Ecology. Concepts of animal ecology which emerge at various levels of 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. Prerequisites: RENR 205 or approval of instructor; junior classification.
  • WFSC 408. Techniques of Wildlife Management. Techniques available to directly and indirectly manipulate wild animal populations to achieve balance between socioeconomic and aesthetic values. Prerequisites: Senior classification; WFSC 403 and WFSC 406 or registration therein or approval of instructor.
  • WFSC 433. Molecular Ecology in Wildlife and Fisheries. Fundamentals of molecular ecology applied to conservation and management of wildlife and fisheries; presentation and discussion of scientific papers on wildlife and fisheries molecular ecology; topics in conservation, management, and aquaculture. Prerequisites: BIOL 112 or equivalent; junior or senior classification.
  • WFSC 484. Internship. Practical experience working in a professional wildlife or fisheries facility. Prerequisite: Approval of department head.

Graduate Coursework

• • WFSC 619. Wildlife Restoration. 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.
  • WFSC 628. Wetland Ecology.  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.
  • WFSC 639. Wildlife Ecotoxicology. 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.
  • WFSC 655. Applied Biodiversity Science. (3-0). Credit 3. Students will study in the areas of Conservation genetics, metapopulations, landscape ecology, and ecosystem management. Prerequisite: Graduate classification. Cross-listed with RPTS 655.
  • WFSC 685. 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.
  • BUSH 631. Quantitative Methods in Public Management I. Introduction to the common methods for social and policy analysis with a focus on application of methods such as analysis of variance and regression, to tasks including policy analysis, evaluation and survey research; emphasis on the performance of social and policy analysis, although some statistical theory is introduced.
  • BUSH 632. Quantitative Methods in Public Management II. Continuation of BUSH 631. Numerous formal aspects and methods of decision-making useful in public management including benefit-cost analysis, program evaluation, and survey sampling; emphasis on theoretical foundation and practical application; collection and analysis of information, formulation of results and presentation of conclusions.
  • BUSH 635. Quantitative Methods in Public Management II: Policy Analysis Emphasis. Continuation of BUSH 631. Advanced instruction in making useful policy recommendations based on regression analysis, survey design, data analysis, and techniques for interpreting statistical output from multiple disciplines; application of analysis software.
  • PSAA 601. Foundations of Public Service. Different perspectives on management and leadership in public service; provides an overview of how public and nonprofit organizations work; discuss ethical dilemmas that occur in public service careers.
  • PSAA 611. Public Policy Formation. Examination of public policy formation processes in the United States, with an emphasis on national government.
  • PSAA 615. Policy Analysis. Provides solid working knowledge of the techniques involved in public policy analysis; gives both the theoretical framework and practical experience necessary for a public manager to analyze public policy effectively.
  • PSAA 621. Economic Analysis. Microeconomic analysis of consumers, firms and markets; macroeconomic analysis of growth and stabilization policies; the government’s role in the economy.
  • PSAA 622. Public Finance. Framework for positive and normative economic analysis of public sector spending and taxation; application of fundamental analytical principles of public finance to current issues in public policy.
  • PSAA 623. Budgeting in Public Service. Designed to introduce selected topics in public administration and political science literature on the politics of public finance and budgeting; introduce the practice of budgeting by learning language and issues common to budgeting in government.
  • PSAA 630. Program Evaluation in Public and Nonprofit Organizations. Organizations today are responding to increasing demands for accountability; demands come from an increasingly sophisticated public, clientele, and from funding sources including government, foundations, and corporations; designed to introduce theories, research, and practice for program evaluation and systems that support the organization’s information needs.
  • PSAA 632. Fiscal Management for Nonprofits. Introduction to the underlying fundamental principles, concepts and methods of managerial finance in nonprofit organizations; interpretation and evaluation of the financial reports to inform strategic decision-making in planning and budgeting.
  • PSAA 634. Public Management. Addresses three critical aspects of public management; the role of management in the public sector, validity of the argument that government should be run like a business and the tools public managers need to be effective. Application of organizational theory concepts applied to case studies.
  • PSAA 643. Foundations of the Nonprofit Sector. Overview of the origins, size, scope, and composition of the nonprofit and voluntary sector in American society today; introduction to the historical, political and religious foundations of the nonprofit sector; examines theoretical and conceptual framework.
  • PSAA 644. Management and Leadership of Nonprofit Organizations. Introduction and overview of nonprofit organizations and the environment they operate in; examination of the distinctiveness of these organizations and the special skills required for effective management of them; empirical and normative issues surrounding nonprofit management and leadership.
  • PSAA 675. Public Service and Administration Capstone Seminar. Provides a capstone experience for students as they operate in teams to address important policy and administrative issues; draws on the coursework and experiences of their Bush School education to develop specific recommendations for design, implementation, and evaluation of this project task.
  • PSAA 676. Public Service and Administration Capstone Seminar II. Continuation of PSAA 675. Provides a capstone experience as they operate in teams to address important policy and administrative issue; draws on the coursework and experiences of their Bush School education to develop specific recommendations for design, implementation, and evaluation of this project task.