Wildlife Ecology College of Natural Resources Sue Kissinger, Coordinator of Advising and Recruitment Room 180, College of Natural Resources UW - Stevens Point, Stevens Point, WI  54481 (715) 346-4081 email: skissing@uwsp.edu College of Natural Resources Webpage: http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/ Catalog page: http://www.uwsp.edu/news/uwspcatalog/wildlife.htm

Introduction
With over 350 students enrolled in the major, UWSP’s undergraduate Wildlife Ecology program is one of the largest in the country and is nationally recognized for preparing students for entry-level wildlife positions and for further graduate study. Two options are available to students who select a major in Wildlife: Ecology: Research and Management and Information and Education.

Why Study Wildlife Ecology at UWSP?
The program is ecologically based, with a strong field emphasis, and focuses on developing students’ problem-solving skills within an integrated resource management context. Practical, hands-on experiences complement strong theoretical backgrounds in all classes. Research, management, and law enforcement internships with the state, federal, and private agencies provide on-the-job training. All graduates meet the educational requirements for certification by the Wildlife Society.

High School Preparation
To prepare for a major in wildlife ecology, high school students should focus on courses in biology, chemistry, mathematics, computers, and communication.

Department Features
The six members of the wildlife ecology program have expertise in conservation biology, avian ecology, predator ecology, wetland ecology, animal behavior, captive wildlife, urban wildlife, population dynamics, and landscape ecology. The student chapter of the Wildlife Society provides students with a variety of practical experiences and has been recognized numerous times as the largest and most active chapter in the country.

Career Opportunities
Placement of graduates in wildlife-related jobs and graduate school has fluctuated between 70-90% in recent years. Jobs in research and many management positions require a master of science degree. Relevant summer employment and geographic mobility are crucial to permanent job placement. Placement with the master of science degree has been excellent.

In Wildlife Ecology: Research and Management, the typical bachelor’s degree recipient is qualified for federal, state, and private management positions. Temporary jobs have often led to full-time employment. The experiences and references acquired during temporary employment greatly enhance placement opportunities. Increasing numbers of students have found employment with business and private consulting firms, which prepare environmental impact statements.

Students who graduate with a major in Wildlife Ecology: Information and Education gain knowledge and expertise to work in zoos, wildlife rehabilitation centers, and other facilities with wildlife. They also gain valuable communication and public relations skills to lead them in a variety of directions.

* Check individual options for specific course requirements.

All Wildlife Ecology majors are required to attend summer camp after the sophomore year, where the integration of wildlife is emphasized through hands-on field exercises in forestry, resource management, water resources and soil science. There are two options for the summer camp program:

• Treehaven is a 1,400-acre field station near Tomahawk, WI, that serves as a base for our six-week summer camp program. Each summer over 200 CNR majors participate in this six-week field-oriented program.
  
• European Environmental Studies Program in Poland and Germany is the alternative to Treehaven. Each summer 42 students travel to Europe to study natural resource management practices and environmental problems.

During the junior and senior years of the Wildlife program, students complete courses to specialize in a variety of fields. These courses include:

Wildlife Management Techniques - WLDL 350 Population Dynamics - WLDL 353 Mammology - Bio 378 Ornithology - Bio 377

Management of Wildlife Habitats - WLDL 451 Quantitative Methods for Wildlife - WLDL 311 Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Biology - WLDL 458 Plant Taxonomy - Bio 342