Distance Education in Wildlife Forensic Sciences & Conservation
Distance Education in Wildlife Forensic Sciences & Conservation
Wildlife Forensic Sciences & Conservation Master’s Degree Program
The University of Florida’s online Master of Science program in Wildlife Forensic Sciences and Conservation is open to qualified local, national, and international professionals who work in the fields of ecology, wildlife management, conservation biology, forensic science, veterinary medicine, and related disciplines. Students can graduate with a MS degree in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation with a concentration in Wildlife Forensic Sciences and Conservation.
This program is offered through UF’s Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. Students gain hands‑on experience addressing wildlife‑related crimes such as poaching and illegal trade, guided by faculty who have worked directly with law‑enforcement agencies and wildlife organizations.
Complete courses from the comfort of your home, on your own time. The master’s degree requires 33 total credit hours, with 12 core credits and 21 elective credits. It is a non‑thesis degree, but the comprehensive final exam includes both written and oral components. Graduates will receive a Master of Science in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation with a concentration in Wildlife Forensics Science and Conservation.
Students are expected to maintain a cumulative 3.0 GPA in the program as well as a 3.0 GPA in all the major courses.
Admission Qualifications
Prospective applicants must meet one of the following criteria:
- A bachelor’s degree in any subject from an accredited institution with an upper-division GPA of 3.0 or better. Prior coursework in biology, health and/or animal sciences is preferred.
- A Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) or Veterinariae Medicinae (VMD) degree from a regionally accredited institution or its international equivalent.
- Students currently enrolled in a DVM or VMD degree program from a regionally accredited institution or its international equivalent.
Explore full admissions requirements and processes on our Master’s Degree Admissions page.
Master’s Degree Benefits
- Completely online, interactive courses
- Flexible for working professionals
- Earn a master’s degree in as little as two years
- Build core skills in historical and contemporary laws and legislation, crime scene processing, and conservation medicine.
Why Wildlife Forensic Sciences & Conservation?
The online graduate program in Wildlife Forensic Sciences and Conservation is designed for professionals such as fish and wildlife officers, conservationists, and park rangers, and for recent college graduates seeking to specialize their skills or prepare for a doctoral program. Adding graduate-level coursework to your resume can enhance your expertise, open opportunities for higher-paying roles and career advancement.
What will you learn?
Students will master a wide variety of topics that dive into historical and contemporary wildlife laws and legislation, crime scene processing, and conservation medicine. Courses cover the following key areas:
- Overview of crime scene procedures and protocols
- Various types of evidence unique to wildlife forensics
- Evidence recognition and handling
- Crime scene test methods and techniques
- Conservation and ecology issues in wildlife crime
- Current trends in wildlife and biodiversity threats
- Legalities in domestic and international wildlife issues
Wildlife Forensic Sciences & Conservation Master’s Degree Required Courses
(33 total credit hours required)
Core Courses – 12 Credit Hours Required
| Course # | Course Title | Credits | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WIS 6561 | Wildlife Crime Scene Processing | 3 | X | ||
| WIS 6559 | Forensic Science for Conservation Biology | 3 | X | ||
| Either 6557 or 6558: | |||||
| WIS 6557 | International Wildlife Conservation Law, Policy and Ethics – OR – | 3 | X | ||
| WIS 6558 | U.S. Wildlife Law, Policy and Ethics | 3 | X | ||
| Either SUR, STA, or WIS: | |||||
| SUR 6395 | Topics in Geographic Information Systems (GIS Fundamentals) – OR – | 3 | X | ||
| STA 6093 | Introduction to Applied Statistics for Agricultural and Life Sciences – OR – | 3 | X | ||
| WIS 6934 | Forensic DNA Statistics and Applied Population Genetics | 3 | X | ||
(Master’s students must take EITHER WIS 6557 OR WIS 6558 and ONE OF THE FOLLOWING: SUR 6934 OR STA 6093 OR WIS6934 )
Electives – 21 Credit Hours Required
| Course # | Course Title | Credits | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VME 6574 | Aquatic Animal Pathology & Forensic Science | 3 | X | ||
| VME 6617 | Environmental Risk Assessment of Veterinary Drugs | 3 | X | ||
| WIS 5562 | Conservation Medicine | 3 | X | ||
| WIS 6052 | Bird Language | 3 | X | ||
| WIS 6306 | Applied Wildlife Forensic Genetics | 3 | X | ||
| WIS 6905** | Research Problems in Wildlife and Range Sciences (Supervised Research) | 1-5 | X | X | X |
| VME 6581 | Working Dogs in Conservation and Forensic Sciences | 3 | X | ||
| WIS 6946** | Wildlife Forensics Internship | 1-6 | X | X | X |
| VME 6053 | Skeletal Trauma Analysis in Animals | 3 | X | ||
| VME 6580 | Cybercrime in Wildlife Investigations | 3 | X | ||
| WIS 6050 | Professional Communication in Wildlife Forensic Sciences | 3 | X | ||
| WIS 6051 | Wildlife Tracks and Sign | 3 | X | ||
| WIS 6421 | Wildlife Toxicology: The Ecohealth Perspective | 3 | |||
| WIS 6425 | Carrion Ecology and Evolution | 3 | X | ||
| WIS 6563 | Wildlife Forensic Pathology | 3 | X | ||
| WIS 6565 | Negative and Suboptimal Research Findings in Wildlife Forensics | 3 | X | ||
| WIS 6576 | Human-Wildlife Conflict | 3 | X |
Students may take any electives from UF’s online Veterinary Forensic Sciences program to satisfy any elective requirements for the online Wildlife Forensic Sciences and Conservation program.