Rebecca Rowe
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
Our graduate advising faculty and their research interests are listed here.
Natural Resources: Wildlife and Conservation Biology (M.S.)
Natural Resources: Wildlife and Conservation Biology (M.S.)
Why get a master’s degree in natural resources with a wildlife and conservation biology option?
Climate and human land-use practices are continuously affecting wildlife species. If you’re passionate about the conservation of wildlife and its habitat, then a natural resources M.S. with the wildlife and conservation biology option may be for you. In this graduate program, you’ll take an integrated field-laboratory approach to the study of population ecology and conservation, community and landscape ecology, conservation genetics, and applied wildlife management. You’ll develop skills in inventory and monitoring, data analysis,and science communication that prepare you for work in a variety of government agencies, private conservation organizations, and academic positions in the United States and internationally.
Why choose UNH for your degree?
You’ll be supported by a productive and internationally recognized faculty, as well as outstanding laboratory facilities, as you advance toward either a professional career in wildlife and biology conservation or doctoral studies. Our main campus is located near the White Mountains and the Atlantic Ocean with access to a diverse array of terrestrial, marine and freshwater field sites. UNH also is ranked among the nation’s highest-performing research universities, having earned a Carnegie Classification R1. The university’s research portfolio brings in more than $110 million in competitive external funding each year.
Potential career areas
- Academia
- Environmental consulting
- Environmental education/extension
- Federal/state government agencies
- Land stewardship
- Nongovernmental conservation organizations
- Wildlife/natural resource management
Contact
Wendy Rose
BUSINESS MANAGER II
Curriculum & Requirements
NATURAL RESOURCES: WILDLIFE AND CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
The MS option in Wildlife and Conservation Biology is typically pursued by those with a BS in Wildlife, Biology, Zoology, Environmental Studies, or related field. Research often takes an integrated field-laboratory approach to study population ecology and conservation, community and landscape ecology, conservation biology and genetics, and applied wildlife management issues.
Degree Requirements
An M.S. degree is conferred upon successful completion of a program of not less than 30 credits for natural resources and the environment options: forestry, environmental conservation and sustainability, environmental economics, ecosystem science, and wildlife and conservation biology.
Course Requirements or Equivalents
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| NR 903 | Approach to Research | 2 |
| Choose one of the following additional research methods classes: | 2 | |
NR 905 | Grant Writing | |
BIOL 902 | Writing and Publishing Science | |
BIOL 950 | Scientific Communication | |
Or an alternative with approval from the Graduate Coordinator | ||
| NR 993 | Natural and Environmental Resources Seminar | 2 |
| NR 996 | Natural Resource Education (or Teaching Assistantship) 1 | 2 |
| Select one of the following Data Analysis courses: 2 | 3-4 | |
ANFS 933 | Design, Analysis, and Interpretation of Experiments | |
BIOL 811 | Experimental Design & Analysis | |
DATA 800 | Introduction to Applied Analytic Statistics | |
ECON 926 | Econometrics I | |
EDUC 904 | Qualitative Inquiry in Research | |
ESCI 801 | Quantitative Methods in Earth Sciences | |
MATH 835 | Statistical Methods for Research | |
MATH 839 | Applied Regression Analysis | |
MATH 840 | Design of Experiments I | |
NR 909 | Analysis of Ecological Communities and Complex Data | |
NR 913 | Hierarchical Modeling in Ecology | |
POLT #905 | Introduction to Statistical Analysis | |
PPOL 908 | Quantitative Methods for Policy Research | |
PSYC 805 | Research Methodology and Statistics I | |
PSYC 907 | Research Methods and Statistics III | |
SOC 901 | Sociological Methods I: Intermediate Social Statistics | |
SOC 903 | Sociological Methods III: Advanced Social Statistics | |
SOC 904 | Sociological Methods IV: Qualitative and Historical Research Methods | |
| Select one of the following: | ||
| NR 899 | Master's Thesis 3 | 6 |
| NR 998 | Directed Research 4 | 4 |
- 1
If you are on a Teaching Assistantship, you are not required to take NR 996, Natural Resource Education.
- 2
Or other alternative with approval from the Graduate Coordinator.
- 3
The thesis option will provide a research-based thesis that is the foundation for a peer-reviewed publication.
- 4
The directed research option shall consist of a project, designed and conducted by the student, culminating in a scholarly paper or report that is suitable for publication in the respective field of scholarship.
An approved program of study plan is required during the first semester.
Key Learning Objectives:
- Knowledge and skills outcomes to ensure graduates of the MS program have mastered their discipline: demonstrate knowledge of theory and practice, as well as critical thinking skills and creativity, in conducting ecological, economic, and policy assessment of natural resource and environmental issues and developing solutions to environmental problems;
- successfully employ the field, laboratory, data analysis, and social science skills necessary to perform research concerning natural resources and their management;
- design, propose, and execute research addressing fundamental or critical issues in natural resources;
- contribute to scholarship through publication and presentation of research findings using diverse media.
Professional outcomes to ensure graduates of the MS program successfully compete for jobs in the public and private sectors:
- demonstrate mastery of theory and empirical knowledge in their research concentration and, more generally, in the relevant natural and/or social;
- use written and oral skills to communicate effectively with colleagues, stakeholders, and the public;
- integrate theory and practice to analyze, assess, and solve environmental and social problems and answer questions across diverse scales from local to global;
- develop and employ interdisciplinary relationships and approaches to addressing environmental issues;
- interact with professional peers honestly and ethically, and in ways that show cultural sensitivity, inquisitiveness, and propensity for teamwork.
Deadline
Applications must be completed by the following deadlines in order to be reviewed for admission:
- Fall: February 15
- Spring: December 1
- Summer: N/A
- Special: N/A
Application fee: $65
Campus: Durham
New England Regional: No
Accelerated Masters: Yes (for more details see the accelerated masters information page)
New Hampshire Residents
Students claiming in-state residency must also submit a Proof of Residence Form. This form is not required to complete your application, but you will need to submit it after you are offered admission or you will not be able to register for classes.
Transcripts
If you attended UNH after September 1, 1991, and have indicated so on your online application, we will retrieve your transcript internally; this includes UNH-Durham, UNH-Manchester and UNH Non-Degree work.
If you did not attend UNH, or attended prior to September 1, 1991, then you must request one official transcript be sent directly to our office from the Registrar's Office of each college/university attended. International transcripts must be translated into English. We accept transcripts both electronically and in hard copy:
- Electronic Transcripts: Please have your institution send the transcript directly to grad.school@unh.edu. Please note that we can only accept copies sent directly from the institution.
- Paper Transcripts: Please send hard copies of transcripts to: UNH Graduate School, Thompson Hall- 105 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824. You may request transcripts be sent to us directly from the institution or you may send them yourself as long as they remain sealed in the original university envelope.
Transcripts from all previous post-secondary institutions must be submitted and applicants must disclose any previous academic or disciplinary sanctions that resulted in their temporary or permanent separation from a previous post-secondary institution. If it is found that previous academic or disciplinary separations were not disclosed, applicants may face denial and admitted students may face dismissal from their academic program.
Letters of recommendation: 3 required
Recommendation letters submitted by relatives or friends, as well as letters older than one year, will not be accepted.
Personal Statement/Essay Questions
Prepare a brief but careful statement regarding:
- Reasons you wish to do graduate work in this field, including your immediate and long-range objectives.
- Your specific research or professional interest and experiences in this field.
Important Notes
All applicants are encouraged to contact programs directly to discuss program-specific application questions.
Applicants should visit the Natural Resources program website and review the list of faculty in their area of interest. The applicant should contact potential faculty advisors to discuss their interests and determine whether the faculty member(s) may be willing and able to serve as the student’s advisor before applying to the program. See the Natural Resources Faculty List for a current list of faculty.
GRE Optional
The GRE scores are optional, if you wish to provide scores please email the scores directly to the department once you have submitted your application online.
International Applicants
Some academic departments recommend that international applicants, living outside of the United States, and planning on pursuing a research based degree, submit a preapplication form before submitting a full application. If your desired program is not on the form, departments prefer a full application be submitted. Preapplication requests will be carefully reviewed and a decision usually provided within 3 weeks. If your preapplication is approved then it is recommended you then submit a full application. If you are currently living in the United States (on a H1B visa, etc.), or you plan on pursuing a professional master’s degree, then you do not need to submit a preapplication.
Prospective international students are required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or equivalent examination scores. English Language Exams may be waived if English is your first language. If you wish to request a waiver, then please visit our Test Scores webpage for more information.
