Wildlife Ecology and Conservation department

Undergraduate Program Overview

Wildlife Science for a Sustainable Future

Our undergraduate program emphasizes ecological principles and their application to the challenges of biodiversity conservation, especially with regard to wildlife and their habitat.

Our department offers the only Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation in the state of Florida; and students from other disciplines may obtain a minor in Wildlife Ecology & Conservation. Through our undergraduate coursework, with its strong emphasis on problem solving, students learn ecological theory and management principles, and gain practical experience in research and management techniques.

Known for the excellence and rigor of our teaching, research, and extension, our undergraduate program prepares students for a wide variety of careers in wildlife and natural resources education, research, management, and advocacy, law enforcement, and veterinary medicine.

Our graduates will, in many cases, work for federal or state agencies, but a significant number pursue careers in the private sector. Some graduates seek advanced degrees in the sciences; however, students can find national, entry-level employment with the B.S. degree in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation.

WEC also provides academic advisement for the Natural Resource Conservation (NRC) major, a major co-sponsored by the UF School of Forest Resources and Conservation (SFRC). NRC offers a flexible, often interdisciplinary curriculum with one-on-one advising provided by either a WEC or SFRC faculty advisor, allowing students to tailor the major to his or her particular interests and career trajectory. This major is available at the University of Florida's main campus in Gainesville, FL, and at the West Florida Research and Education Center (WFREC) campus in Milton, FL. More information about the NRC major may be found here.

Prospective NRC students who wish to apply to the Gainesville campus program should contact Ms. Kristina Haselier, SFRC Academic Coordinator, at khaselier@ufl.edu or 352-846-0847. Prospective NRC students who wish to apply to the Milton campus program should contact Dr. Debbie Miller at dlmi@ufl.edu or (850) 983-7128. NRC students who seek advisement related to WEC courses and wildlife conservation careers may contact Maureen Cox, WEC Student Services, mjcox@ufl.edu or 352-846-0554. NRC students who seek advisement related to all other areas of natural resource conservation careers and SFRC courses may contact Dr. Michael Andreu, SFRC Undergraduate Coordinator, mandreu@ufl.edu or (352) 846-0355.

Contact

Maureen Cox
Academic Support Services
102 Newins-Ziegler Hall
Phone: 352-846-0554
Email: mjcox@ufl.edu