Wildlife Biology B.S. - Aquatic
General Degree Requirements
To earn a baccalaureate degree, all students must complete successfully, in addition to any other requirements, the University of Montana General Education Requirements. Please refer to the General Education Requirements page for more information.
Additional requirements for graduation can be found on the Degree/Certificate Requirements for Graduation page.
Unless otherwise noted in individual program requirements, a minimum grade point average of 2.00 in all work attempted at the University of Montana-Missoula is required for graduation. Please see the Academic Policies and Procedures page for information on how your GPA is calculated.
Courses taken to satisfy the requirements of a major, minor, or certificate program must be completed with a grade of C- or better unless a higher grade is noted in the program requirements.
Bachelor of Science - Wildlife Biology; Aquatic Concentration
- This major requires a minimum GPA of 2.5.
Course Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Major Required Courses | ||
| Complete all of the following courses: | ||
| BIOB 160 | Principles of Living Systems | 3 |
| BIOB 161N | Principles of Living Systems Lab | 1 |
| BIOB 170N | Principles of Biological Diversity | 3 |
| BIOB 272 | Genetics and Evolution | 4 |
| BIOE 370 | General Ecology | 3 |
| BIOE 371 | General Ecology Lab (equivalent to 271) | 2 |
| BIOO 320 | General Botany | 4-5 |
| or BIOO 335 | Rocky Mountain Flora | |
| WILD 180 | Careers in Wildlife Biology | 2 |
| WILD 274 | Human Dimensions of Wildlife | 3 |
| WILD 346 | Wildlife Physiological Ecology | 3 |
| WILD 398 | Internship (fulfills the Wildlife Biology Experiential Learning requirement. Alternatives are possible. See the Wildlife Biology Advisor.) | 2 |
| WILD 410 | Wildlife Policy | 3 |
| or NRSM 422 | Natural Resources Policy | |
| or NRSM 427 | Water Policy | |
| or NRSM 428 | Climate Policy | |
| WILD 480 | The Upshot--Applied Wildlife Management | 3 |
| or BIOB 480 | Conservation Genetics | |
| or BIOB 486 | Genomics | |
| or BIOM 460 | Ecology of Infectious Diseases | |
| or NRSM 379 | Collaborations in Natural Resource Decisions | |
| or PTRM 300 | Recreation Behavior | |
| WILD 494 | Senior Wildlife Seminar | 1 |
| Major Required Courses - Aquatic Concentration | ||
| Complete all of the following courses: | ||
| BIOE 428 | Freshwater Ecology | 5 |
| BIOO 340 | Biology and Management of Fishes | 4 |
| NRSM 385 | Watershed Hydrology | 3 |
| WILD 280 | Fisheries Techniques | 3 |
| WILD 408 | Aquatic Habitat Conservation & Restoration | 4 |
| Complete one of the following courses: | 3-4 | |
| Behavior & Evolution | ||
| General Parasitology and General Parasitology Lab | ||
| Entomology | ||
| Aquatic Invertebrate Ecology | ||
| Outside Major Required Courses | ||
| Complete all of the following courses: | ||
| CHMY 121N | Introduction to General Chemistry | 4 |
| COMX 111A | Introduction to Public Speaking | 3 |
| M 162 | Applied Calculus | 4 |
| or M 171 | Calculus I | |
| STAT 216 | Introduction to Statistics | 4 |
| or WILD 240 | Intro to Biostatistics | |
| Writing in the Disciplines Requirement | ||
| Complete any three of the courses from the following lists: | ||
| The following courses are required in the Aquatic Concentration: | ||
| Freshwater Ecology | ||
| Biology and Management of Fishes | ||
| Aquatic Habitat Conservation & Restoration | ||
The following courses are additional options that can also be used to fulfill the Writing in the Disciplines requirement: | ||
| Phylogenics and Evolution | ||
| Field Ecology | ||
| Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy | ||
| Biology and Management of Fishes | ||
| Ornithology | ||
| Mammalogy | ||
| Forest Ecology | ||
| Timber Harvesting & Roads | ||
| Practice of Silviculture | ||
| Forest Stand Management | ||
| Ecosystem Science and Restoration Capstone | ||
| Climate Change Ethics and Policy | ||
| Collaborations in Natural Resource Decisions | ||
| Rangeland Ecology | ||
| Environment & International Development | ||
| Recreation Behavior | ||
| Tourism & Sustainability | ||
| Wilderness & Protected Area Management | ||
| Wildlife Policy | ||
| Conservation of Wildlife Populations | ||
| Thesis | ||
| Total Hours | 74-76 | |
Four Year Plan
| Freshman | ||
|---|---|---|
| Autumn | Hours | |
| BIOB 160 & BIOB 161N |
Principles of Living Systems and Principles of Living Systems Lab |
4 |
| CHMY 121N | Introduction to General Chemistry | 4 |
| WRIT 101 or COMX 111A |
College Writing I or Introduction to Public Speaking |
3-4 |
| WILD 180 | Careers in Wildlife Biology | 2 |
| Electives/General Education | 2-3 | |
| Hours | 15-17 | |
| Spring | ||
| M 162 or M 171 |
Applied Calculus or Calculus I |
4 |
| BIOB 170N | Principles of Biological Diversity | 3 |
| COMX 111A or WRIT 101 |
Introduction to Public Speaking or College Writing I |
3-4 |
| Electives/General Education | 5-6 | |
| Hours | 15-17 | |
| Sophomore | ||
| Autumn | ||
| STAT 216 or WILD 240 |
Introduction to Statistics or Intro to Biostatistics |
4 |
| WILD 280 | Fisheries Techniques | 3 |
| Experiential Learning | 2 | |
| Electives/General Education | 7 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOB 272 | Genetics and Evolution | 4 |
| WILD 274 | Human Dimensions of Wildlife | 3 |
| Writing Across Curriculum Course | 3 | |
| Electives/General Education | 5 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Junior | ||
| Autumn | ||
| BIOE 370 & BIOE 371 |
General Ecology and General Ecology Lab (equivalent to 271) |
5 |
| WILD 346 | Wildlife Physiological Ecology | 3 |
| BIOE 406 |
Behavior & Evolution or General Parasitology and General Parasitology Lab |
4 |
| Elective/General Education Course | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| NRSM 385 | Watershed Hydrology | 3 |
| BIOO 335 | Rocky Mountain Flora | 4 |
| BIOO 340 | Biology and Management of Fishes | 4 |
| Electives/General Education | 4 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Senior | ||
| Autumn | ||
| NRSM 422 |
Natural Resources Policy or Wildlife Policy or Water Policy or Climate Policy |
3 |
| WILD 494 | Senior Wildlife Seminar | 1 |
| WILD 408 | Aquatic Habitat Conservation & Restoration | 4 |
| Electives/General Education | 7 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOE 428 | Freshwater Ecology | 5 |
| WILD 480 |
The Upshot--Applied Wildlife Management or Conservation Genetics or Genomics or Ecology of Infectious Diseases or Collaborations in Natural Resource Decisions or Recreation Behavior |
3 |
| Electives/General Education | 7 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 121-125 | |
Last updated Autumn 2025