Campuses:
Twin Cities campus
This is archival data. This system was retired as of August 21, 2023 and the information on this page has not been updated since then. For current information, visit catalogs.umn.edu.
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Twin Cities Campus
Conservation Biology Ph.D.Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology
College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences
Link to a list of faculty for this program.
Contact Information
Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, 187 McNeal Hall, 1985 Buford Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108 (612-624-7751)
Email:
consbio@umn.edu
Website: http://www.consbio.umn.edu
Along with the program-specific requirements listed below, please read the
General Information section of
this
website for requirements that apply to all major fields.
The Conservation Biology (CB) Program has two complementary objectives leading to a unique multidisciplinary program. The first is to provide students with sound graduate training in the biological sciences relevant to the global conservation of plants, animals, and ecosystems. The second objective promotes the study of social, political, and economic sciences that relate to recognition and solution of conservation problems. Students may select a named track, fisheries and aquatic biology, which offers an aquatic specialization. Students may also pursue a joint degree in law and conservation biology through the joint law degree program. The overall goal of the program is to prepare students to develop solutions or approaches to address problems that are scientifically and environmentally sound and likely to be acted upon or implemented within their social and political context.
Program Delivery
Prerequisites for Admission
The preferred undergraduate GPA for admittance to the program
is 3.50.
Other requirements to be completed before admission:
A B.S./B.A. degree in biology or a closely related field is preferred. Applicants with a baccalaureate degree in another field are accepted, but these individuals may be required to take selected courses in biology. In general, Ph.D. applicants holding a baccalaureate degree are first expected to complete a master's degree.
Special Application Requirements:
A statement of career goals and three letters of recommendation evaluating the applicant's potential for graduate study are required. Letters of recommendation should be sent directly to the Conservation Biology Program Office. Scores less than five years old from the General Test of the GRE are required. TOEFL is required for applicants who speak English as a second language. Applicants to the joint law degree program must also apply to the Law School. Application deadline is January 1. Typically, students are admitted only for fall semester.
Applicants must submit their test score(s) from the following:
International applicants must submit score(s) from one of the following tests:
Key to test
abbreviations
(GRE, TOEFL, IELTS, MELAB).
For an online application or for more information about graduate education admissions, see the
General Information section of this
website.
Program Requirements
10
credits are required in the major.
12 credits are required outside the major. 24 thesis credits are required.
This program may not be completed with a minor.
Use of 4xxx courses toward program requirements is permitted under certain conditions with adviser approval.
A minimum GPA of 3.00
is required for students to remain in good standing.
At least 1 semesters must be completed
before filing a Degree Program Form.
Ph.D. students complete 46 credits, including 10 credits in courses required as part of the major, 12 credits in a minor or supporting program, and 24 thesis credits. Students are expected to show competency in both the biological and social sciences. With their advisory committee, students develop a program that emphasizes the ecological and social aspects of conservation biology. Dissertation research may require proficiency in supporting areas (e.g., statistics, computing, communications).
Program Sub-plans
A sub-plan is not required for this program.
Students may not complete the program with more than one sub-plan.
Fisheries and Aquatic Biology
Three-quarters of the global ecosystem is water and most is a global commons. Many biologists and economists argue that freshwater is one of the most critical global resources and that the functional integrity and biodiversity within freshwater and marine ecosystems are highly threatened. The Fisheries and Aquatic Biology (FAB) track is available for M.S., Ph.D., and joint degree students wishing to emphasize this concentration within a CB major. The track name can be indicated on the student's transcript (this is optional) and may be useful to the graduate for obtaining jobs with many federal and state agencies where such expertise is specified in job announcements or hiring criteria. The track designation clearly indicates that the student has specialized coursework and research or project experience leading to expertise in fisheries or aquatic biology. Combined with a typical undergraduate degree in biology or natural resource science, careful selection of courses in the graduate program will satisfy the educational requirements for professional certification by the American Fisheries Society.
Students in the track must be advised or co-advised by a faculty member affiliated with the track. Request for admission to the track may be made during the application process or any time after the student is admitted to the CB graduate program. Students in the track must meet all requirements for the Ph.D. in CB.
Students who designate this track will be expected to work closely with their Student Advisory Committee (SAC) to develop an appropriate course of study. The track coordinator will review each student's academic program to examine how track expectations are met and forward it with a recommendation to the DGS for approval.
In addition to course requirements for the conservation biology major, students in the FAB track must take at least three courses from the following list:
EEB 5601 - Limnology (3 cr)
ENT 5361 - Aquatic Insects (3 cr)
FW 5136 - Biology of Fishes (3 cr)
FW 5401 - Fish Physiology and Behavior (3 cr)
FW 5455 - Sustainable Aquaculture (3 cr)
FW 5601 - Fisheries Population Analysis (3 cr)
FW 5604 - Fisheries Ecology and Management (3 cr)
FW 8448 - Fishery Science (3 cr)
FW 8459 - Stream and River Ecology (3 cr)
FW 8465 - Fish Habitats and Restoration (3 cr)
ESPM 5061 - Water Quality: Management of a Natural Resource (3 cr)
ESPM 5575 - Wetlands Conservation (3 cr)
Other advanced courses or colloquia on fisheries or aquatic biology that are not listed here may also satisfy needs of students in the track. In addition, doctoral students are required to enroll for at least two semesters of FW 8200 - Seminar for 1 credit per semester.
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