Course Overview!

The Wildlife Biology and Conservation concentration at Ball State University is a Bachelor of Science degree program focusing on the management and conservation of wildlife and their habitats. The curriculum emphasizes hands-on learning through field experiences integrated into upper-level courses. Students will study diverse subjects, including forestry, plant classification, wildlife biology, ecology, ornithology, and mammalogy. The program benefits from extensive resources, including on-campus collections like the Don and Brenda Ruch Herbarium and the Rinard Orchid Greenhouse, multiple research properties across several acres, and collaborations with local state parks. The program prepares students for careers in governmental agencies, non-profit organizations, or private consulting firms, and also serves as a strong foundation for graduate studies in related fields. The program emphasizes small class sizes, providing opportunities for close interaction with faculty engaged in active research, enabling students to participate in research projects in areas such as herpetology, camera trapping, and avian and mammal ecology.

Course Structure

The program is structured to fulfill the requirements of a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Biology. It comprises multiple components: the Biology Core Curriculum (37-38 credits), the Wildlife Biology and Conservation Concentration (34-35 credits), and the University Core Curriculum (66-70 credits). The Biology Core Curriculum provides foundational knowledge in biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics, including courses such as Principles of Biology I & II, Genetics, Ecology, and a methods course (Methods in Ecology is obligatory for this concentration). The Concentration includes courses in Botany, Forestry, Biometry, Population Ecology or Conservation Biology, Taxonomy of Vascular Plants, Dendrology or Aquatic Botany, Ornithology, Mammalogy, Wildlife Biology and Geographic Information Systems (GIS).