College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Department of Fisheries and Wildlife

The Bachelor of Science in Fish Ecology and Management is designed for students interested in the research and management of fish populations, other freshwater and marine organisms, and the ecosystems that sustain them.

MSU Registrar's Office: Fish Ecology and Management Course Requirements (DIRECT LINK COMING SOON)

The Department of Fisheries and Wildlife is currently transitioning from 1 undergraduate major (with a choice of 6 concentrations) to 4 distinct undergraduate majors (with no concentrations). Current students (starting Spring semester 2025 or earlier) can choose the B.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife OR one of the 4 new undergraduate majors (including the B.S. in Fish Ecology and Management). Students starting in Fall semester 2025 or later will be required to select one of the 4 new undergraduate majors. 

Admission as a Junior

To be considered for admission to the major, the student must:

1. Complete at least 56 credits.

2. Complete the following courses with a minimum grade of 2.0 in each course:

• FW 101 Fundamentals of Fisheries and Wildlife Ecology and Management (3 cr.)
• FW 101L Fundamentals of Fisheries and Wildlife Ecology and Management Lab (2 cr.)
• FW 293 Undergraduate Seminar in Fisheries and Wildlife (1 cr.)

3. Pass the following courses:

• FW 102 Succeeding in Fisheries and Wildlife – New Student Seminar (1 cr.)
• One of the following courses:
• MTH 124 Survey of Calculus I (3 cr.)
• MTH 132 Calculus I (3 cr.)
• LB 118 Calculus I (4 cr.)

Additional Graduation Requirements of the Major

1. Students must earn a 2.0 or higher in all FW courses taken to complete major requirements.

2. Only credits in courses graded on the numerical or Pass-No Grade system may be counted toward the requirements for the major. Students may not enroll in courses required for the major, including courses in other department, on a Credit-No Credit basis. Only elective courses can be enrolled on a Credit-No Credit basis.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Science Degree in Fish Ecology and Management

Please note that all University and College course requirements for a bachelor's degree are described in detail in the Academic Programs Catalog. These requirements are not listed below. Course requirements specific to the major are as follows:

All of the following courses (29 credits):

• FW 101 Fundamentals of Fisheries and Wildlife Ecology and Management (3 cr.)
• FW 101L Fundamentals of Fisheries and Wildlife Ecology and Management Lab (2 cr.)
• FW 102 Fundamentals of Fisheries and Wildlife – New Student Seminar (1 cr.)
• FW 293 Undergraduate Seminar in Fisheries and Wildlife (1 cr.)
• FW 334 Human Dimensions of Fisheries and Wildlife Management (3 cr.)
• FW 364 Ecological Problem Solving (3 cr.)
• FW 471 Ichthyology (4 cr.)
• FW 474 Field and Laboratory Techniques for Aquatic Studies (3 cr.)
• FW 479 Fish Population Analysis and Management (3 cr.)
• FW 497 Capstone in Fisheries and Wildlife: Conservation and Management Decision Making (W) (3 cr.)
• IBIO 355 Ecology (3 cr.)

One of the following groups of courses (6 or 9 credits):

• BS 161 Cell and Molecular Biology (3 cr.)
  and BS 162 Organismal and Population Biology (3 cr.)
• LB 144 Biology I: Organismal Biology (4 cr.)
  and LB 145 Biology II: Cellular and Molecular Biology (5 cr.)

One course from each group (5 credits):

• CEM 141 General Chemistry (4 cr.)
  or LB 171 Principles of Chemistry (4 cr.)
• CEM 161 Chemistry Laboratory (1 cr.)
  or LB 171L Principles of Chemistry Laboratory I (1 cr.)

*One of the following courses (2 credits):

• BS 171 Cell and Molecular Biology Laboratory (2 cr.)
• BS 172 Organismal and Population Biology Laboratory (2 cr.)

*This requirement is waived if students complete LB 144 or LB 145

At least 7 credits from the following courses:

• CEM 142 General and Inorganic Chemistry (3 cr.)
• CEM 162 Chemistry Laboratory II 1
• CEM 143 Survey of Organic Chemistry (4 cr.)
• CEM 251 Organic Chemistry I (3 cr.)
• CSS 210 Fundamentals of Soil Science (3 cr.)
• *FOR 419 Applications of Geographic Information Systems to Natural Resources Management (4 cr.)
• GEO 203 Introduction to Meteorology (3 cr.)
• GEO 206 Physical Geography (3 cr.)
• GEO 208 Physical Geography of the National Parks (2 cr.)
• GEO 221 Introduction to Geographic Information (3 cr.)
• GEO 221L Introduction to Geographic Information Laboratory (1 cr.)
• GEO 333 Geography of Michigan and the Great Lakes Region (3 cr.)
• GEO 411 Stream Systems and Landforms (3 cr.)
• GLG 201 The Dynamic Earth (4 cr.)
• GLG 411 Hydrogeology (3 cr.)
• LB 172 Principles of Chemistry II (3 cr.)
• LB 172L Principles of Chemistry II – Reactivity Laboratory I (1 cr.)
• LB 271 Organic Chemistry (3 cr.)
• LB 273 Physics I (4 cr.)
• PHY 221 Studio Physics for Life Scientists I (4 cr.)
• PHY 231 Introductory Physics I (3 cr.)
• PHY 251 Introductory Physics Laboratory I (1 cr.)

*Students who select FOR 419 to fulfill this requirement may not also use GEO 221 and 221L.

One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits):

• MTH 124 Survey of Calculus I (3 cr.)
• MTH 132 Calculus I (3 cr.)
• LB 118 Calculus I (4 cr.)

One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits):

• STT 201 Statistical Methods (4 cr.)
• STT 224 Introduction to Probability and Statistics for Ecologists (3 cr.)
• STT 231 Statistics for Scientists (3 cr.)
• STT 421 Statistics I (3 cr.)

One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits):

• CSUS 310 History of Environmental Thought and Sustainability (3 cr.)
• FW 439 Conservation Ethics (3 cr.)
• HST 391 Environmental History of North America (3 cr.)
• PHL 214 Indigenous Philosophy (3 cr.)
• PHL 340 Ethics (3 cr.)
• PHL 342 Environmental Ethics (3 cr.)
• PHL 380 Nature of Science (3 cr.)
• PHL 442 Ethics and Animals (3 cr.)
• PHL 480 Philosophy of Science (4 cr.)

Two of the following courses (6 or 7 credits):

• COM 100 Human Communication (3 cr.)
• COM 225 An Introduction to Interpersonal Communication (3 cr.)
• COM 240 Introduction to Organizational Communication (4 cr.)
• COM 275 Effects of Mass Communication (3 cr.)
• CSUS 433 Grant Writing and Fund Development (3 cr.)
• JRN 472 Environmental, Science and Health Reporting (3 cr.)
• WRA 331 Writing in the Public Interest (W) (3 cr.)
• WRA 333 Writing in Corporate Contexts (3 cr.)
• WRA 335 Writing in Scientific Contexts (3 cr.)
• WRA 337 Writing and Public Policy (3 cr.)
• WRA 453 Grant and Proposal Writing (3 cr.)

One of the following courses (3 credits):

• CSUS 464 Environmental and Natural Resource Policy in Michigan (3 cr.)
• CSUS 465 Environmental and Natural Law (3 cr.)
• FOR 466 Natural Resource Policy (3 cr.)
• FW 445 Biodiversity Conservation Policy and Practice (3 cr.)
• FW 481 Global Issues in Fisheries and Wildlife (3 cr.)
• IBIO 446 Environmental Issues in Public Policy (3 cr.)
• MC 450 International Environmental Law and Policy (3 cr.)

Two of the following courses (6 or 7 credits):

• CSUS 354 Water Resources Management (3 cr.)
• FW 416 Marine Ecology and Management (3 cr.)
• FW 417/417L Wetland Ecology and Management with Lab (4 cr.)
• FW 420 Stream Ecology (3 cr.)
• FW 472 Limnology (3 cr.)
• GLG 303 Oceanography (3 cr.)

One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits):

• PLB 218 Plants of Michigan (3 cr.)
• PLB 418 Plant Systematics (3 cr.)
• ENT 404 Fundamentals of Entomology (4 cr.)
• ENT 422 Aquatic Entomology (3 cr.)
• IBIO 306 Invertebrate Biology (4 cr.)

One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits):

• FW 423 Principles of Fish and Wildlife Disease (3 cr.)
• FW 431 Ecophysiology and Toxicology of Fishes (3 cr.)
• FW 463 Wildlife Disease Ecology (3 cr.)
• IBIO 313 Animal Behavior (3 cr.)
• IBIO 328 Comparative Anatomy and Biology of Vertebrates (4 cr.)
• IBIO 341 Fundamental Genetics (4 cr.)
• IBIO 483 Environmental Physiology (3 cr.)

One of the following courses (3 credits):

• FOR 360 Forest Ecosystems, Carbon and Climate Change (3 cr.)
• GEO 409 Global Climate Change and Variability (3 cr.)
• IBIO 357 Global Change Biology (W) (3 cr.)
• SOC 478 Climate Change and Society (3 cr.)

Complete a minimum of 3 credits from the following courses (3 or 4 credits):

• FW 480 International Studies in Fisheries and Wildlife (1 to 3 cr.)
• FW 490 Independent Study in Fisheries and Wildlife (1 to 3 cr.)
• FW 493 Professional Internship in Fisheries and Wildlife (1 to 3 cr.)
• FW 494 Marine Biology and Ecosystem Experience (1 to 3 cr.)
• FW 499 Senior Thesis in Fisheries and Wildlife (4 cr.)