In the face of climate change, rapid population growth and urban development, wildlife conservationists have become an essential force for the management and preservation of the natural world around us.
Program Overview
Develop a broad foundation in natural sciences.
In the Wildlife & Conservation Biology program, you’ll learn the principles and develop the skills needed to manage and conserve wildlife and habitats. For hands-on experience, you’ll have the opportunity to receive funding and work with faculty on original research in the Thornton Biology Research Program or help track lynx as an intern in the Tri Beta and The Wildlife Society. Situated in the Gunnison Basin—82 percent of which is public land—Western Colorado University is an ideal place for you to immerse yourself in an expansive learning laboratory.
Hands-on experience
Student Chloe Beaupre joins the Wildlife Society to help build fences to shut down illegal user-created trails and preserve animal habitats.
Courses
At Western, course rotations are crafted to encompass a variety of subject fields for a comprehensive education and versatile degree. For required courses and degree plans, visit the official University Catalog. Below is a general overview of courses at Western Colorado University related to this area of study.
| Code | Title | Credits | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIOL 302 | Ecology Laboratory and Recitation | 2 | View |
| BIOL 320 | Ornithology (with laboratory and recitation) | 4 | View |
| BIOL 322 | Mammalogy (with laboratory and recitation) | 4 | View |
| BIOL 327 | Field Entomology (with laboratory) | 4 | View |
| BIOL 352 | Botany (with laboratory) | 4 | View |
| BIOL 353 | Rocky Mountain Flora | 3 | View |
| BIOL 362 | Evolution | 3 | View |
| BIOL 430 | Wildlife Ecology and Management (with laboratory) | 4 | View |
| BIOL 431 | Wildlife Techniques Workshop | 1 | View |
| BIOL 440 | Conservation Biology | 3 | View |
| BIOL 467 | Fisheries Biology | 3 | View |
| BIOL 476 | Aquatic Ecology (with laboratory) | 4 | View |
| BIOL 481 | Forest Ecology (with laboratory) | 4 | View |
| BIOL 495 | Senior Seminar | 1 | View |
| BIOL 496 | Senior Thesis | 2-4 | View |
| CHEM 112 | General Chemistry Laboratory I (GT-SC1) | 1 | View |
| CHEM 114 | General Chemistry Laboratory II | 1 | View |
| CHEM 231 | Introduction to Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry | 3 | View |
| CHEM 234 | Introductory Organic and Biochemistry Laboratory | 1 | View |
| MATH 213 | Probability and Statistics | 3 | View |
| PHYS 140 | Introductory Physics (with laboratory) (GT-SC1) | 4 | View |
| Fall (even years) | Spring (odd years) |
| BIOL 130 Environmental Biology BIOL 135 Environmental Biology Lab BIOL 150 Biological Principles (with Lab) BIOL 151 Diversity and Patterns of Life (with Lab) BIOL 301 General Ecology BIOL 302 Ecology Lab and Recitation BIOL 310 Cell Biology BIOL 312 Genetics (with Recitation) BIOL 342 Microbiology (with Lab) BIOL 353 Rocky Mountain Flora BIOL 372 Human Anatomy & Physiology I – (with Lab) BIOL 430 Wildlife Ecology & Management (with Lab) BIOL 431 Wildlife Techniques Workshop BIOL 476 Aquatic Ecology (with Lab) BIOL 495 Senior Seminar |
BIOL 130 Environmental Biology BIOL 135 Environmental Biology Lab BIOL 150 Biological Principles (with Lab) BIOL 151 Diversity and Patterns of Life (with Lab) BIOL 300 Basic Nutrition BIOL 301 General Ecology BIOL 310 Cell Biology BIOL 312 Genetics (with Recitation) BIOL 313 Cell and Genetics Lab BIOL 320 Ornithology (with Recitation and Lab) BIOL 352 Botany (with Lab) BIOL 373 Human Anatomy & Physiology II (with Lab) BIOL 420 Molecular Biology (with Lab) BIOL 440 Conservation Biology BIOL 495 Senior Seminar |
| Fall (odd years) | Spring (even years) |
| BIOL 130 Environmental Biology BIOL 135 Environmental Biology Lab BIOL 150 Biological Principles (with Lab) BIOL 151 Diversity and Patterns of Life (with Lab) BIOL 301 General Ecology BIOL 302 Ecology Lab and Recitation BIOL 310 Cell Biology BIOL 312 Genetics (with Recitation) BIOL 327 Field Entomology BIOL 342 Microbiology (with Lab) BIOL 362 Evolutionary Biology Theory & Application BIOL 372 Human Anatomy & Physiology I (with Lab) BIOL 444 Colorado Ecoregions BIOL 481 Forest Ecology (with Lab) BIOL 495 Senior Seminar |
BIOL 130 Environmental Biology BIOL 135 Environmental Biology Lab BIOL 150 Biological Principles (with Lab) BIOL 151 Diversity and Patterns of Life (with Lab) BIOL 300 Basic Nutrition BIOL 301 General Ecology BIOL 310 Cell Biology BIOL 312 Genetics (with Recitation) BIOL 313 Cell and Genetics Lab BIOL 322 Mammalogy (with Lab) BIOL 352 Botany (with Lab) BIOL 373 Human Anatomy & Physiology II (with Lab) BIOL 420 Molecular Biology (with Lab) BIOL 474 Comparative Animal Physiology (with Lab) BIOL 495 Senior Seminar |
| Some Biology courses are offered sporadically or only in the Summer. Course examples include:
BIOL 120 – Studies in Biology |
|
Spotlight
Ellie Orr
Student
“The people I’ve met, the surrounding environment … and the supportive professors combined have really made [Western] a great place. I know I’m never going to want to leave.”
Careers
Career preparation starts your first year at Western and is the primary focus of every degree.
Visit Career Services in Library 120 or online to discover your interests, define your goals, and land the career of your dreams.
The data below is automatically collected by Burning Glass Technologies, a firm that sources job market data and provides analytics. The statistics illustrate general trends in U.S. careers, but do not precisely represent every job and salary.
Scholarships
Alumni Association Future Alumni Scholarship
The Alumni Association Scholarship is a one-time scholarship of $1,000 and is applicable for the student’s junior or senior year at Western.
Any child or grandchild of an alumni is eligible to receive the Future Alumni Scholarship.
- This is a one-time non-renewable scholarship of $1,000.
- Only one Future Alumni Scholarship will be awarded per academic year.
- GPA must be 3.2 or above (college).
Due date has been extended to April 15 for 2021. An Alumni selection committee, appointed by the Alumni Advisory Board, will review applicants and select awardee by June 1.
Alumni Legacy Scholarship
The Alumni Legacy Scholarship is a one-time non-renewable scholarship and is only applicable for the student’s first year at Western (incoming freshman or new transfer students are eligible).
Do you have a son or daughter looking at college? Have they considered attending Western? As an alumni, your son, daughter and/or grandchildren are eligible for certain benefits distributed through this scholarship, as follows:
- This is a one-time scholarship of $1,000.
- Nominee must be an incoming freshman or new transfer.
- The cost of orientation is reduced by half (a $45 value).
- The admission application fee is waived (a $30 value).
- GPA must be 2.5 or above (high school or college of transfer).
The applicant must fill out the application form found here (click). Application forms are accepted year-round. If the applicant meets the GPA guidelines, the scholarship will be awarded.
Mountaineer Alumni Recommendation Scholarship
The Mountaineer Alumni Recommendation Scholarship is a one-time non-renewable scholarship and is only applicable for the student’s first year at Western. This scholarship is not available to midyear transfers or students beginning in the spring semester.
Are you an alumni or employee of Western and know a prospective (or incoming) student who would be a great fit at Western? A recommendation from alumni and employees can support any new student and provide them a $500 scholarship their first year. (Western employees may not recommend a spouse or dependent receiving tuition benefits).
- Any Western alumni/employee may nominate only one student per academic year to receive the $500 scholarship (distributed $250 per semester).
- The scholarship is good for the first year only and is non-renewable.
- The recommended student must be a full-time undergraduate student, attending Western for the first time.
The applicant must fill out the application form found here. The nominating alumni/employee must fill out the application form and submit the required documents by June 1. The recommended student must meet university admissions acceptance standards and complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
The Presidential Promise is guaranteed to students who have received a scholarship through the Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF) and/or GearUp—and are eligible for a Pell Grant.
For students who meet these criteria, Western will cover the cost of tuition and fees through the combination of federal, state and institutional aid. For more information on the Presidential Promise, visit our scholarships page.
Description
The Western Presidential Honors Scholarships, established by the Jack and Marilyn MacAllister Foundation shall be an elite class of scholarships awarded to Western’s highest achieving and most deserving students, celebrating the ideals of academic excellence and service to the campus and community. Recipients of the Scholarships will be members of the Western Colorado University Honors Program.
There are eight Presidential Honors Scholarships of $2500 each. Each year two new Presidential Honors Scholarships will be awarded to two incoming freshmen.
Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) or Central Plains (CP) tuition represents a substantial savings relative to normal, out-of-state tuition. Students eligible for the WUE or CP program will be charged 150% of Western’s total in-state tuition. For 2018-19, total in-state tuition was $8,934. WUE/CP tuition was $13,401. The WUE/CP discount is valued at $4,695.
For more information about the WUE and CP geography-based programs, visit Western’s Tuition Discount Programs Page.
Immediately upon acceptance at Western, every student is considered for a merit scholarship worth between $2,500-$4,500 per year for in-state students and $8,000-$10,000 for out-of-state students. The amount is based on the student’s GPA and ACT/SAT scores. Visit our Net Price Calculator at western.edu/cost to determine whether you qualify for a merit scholarship.
For more information about merit scholarships at Western, visit our scholarships page.
Get Involved
Apply your education to the real-world.
Take your education outside of the classroom—build your professional network, gain practical experience and jump-start your career.
- Research Assistantships: Many professors conduct externally-funded research and are always looking for student help.
- Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory: Western biologists and students collaborate with the world-renowned research station seven miles north of Crested Butte.
- Thornton Biology Research Program: Students can receive funding and work with faculty on original research.
- Tri Beta and The Wildlife Society: Student-run club that helps provide internships such as lynx tracking and watching wildlife.
Wildlife research
A wildlife ecology lab rafts the Gunnison River for a river otter survey.
News & Research
Additional Resources
Department Information
Natural & Environmental Sciences (NES) Department
Department Chairperson
Robin A. Bingham, Ph.D.Professor of Biology
Administrative Assistant
Samantha SiegfriedAdministrative Assistant for NES
Campus Location
Western Colorado University
Hurst Hall 128
1 Western Way
Gunnison, CO 81231