New Master's Degree in Population and Conservation Biology

Overview: The M.S. with a major in Population and Conservation Biology will be a research degree that will require a minimum of two years full-time course work and research leading to a thesis. The program is envisioned as an interdisciplinary course of study that combines principles of population biology with strong training in measurement and analysis of biological systems, augmented with the student's choice of study in particular specialties. Incoming students will be required to complete a two-semester core-course sequence in Principles of Population Biology. Students will also be required to complete a two-semester series in statistics and experimental design in the first year. The course of study in the second year of the program includes a two-semester seminar sequence in population biology as well as elective courses. The Population Biology seminar courses will pair small groups of students with faculty who conduct research in population and/or conservation biology. These seminars will explore current topics in the field, including theoretical advances, contemporary research and methodological issues. Elective courses in the second year allow students to specialize in particular sub-disciplines of the field, including: ecology of populations, population management, conservation biology or evolutionary ecology and genetics. (Degree Requirements)

Objectives: The objectives of the degree are to provide a high quality, quantitatively rigorous M.S. with a major in Population and Conservation Biology; to provide students with knowledge and skills to enter a highly competitive, but growing job market in natural resource management and ecology; and, to prepare students for advanced studies in ecology, behavioral ecology, conservation biology, population and evolutionary biology, systematics and biodiversity studies.

Program Philosophy: The Population and Conservation Biology Program emphasizes rigorous training in population biology and the application of theory and analytical tools to conservation problems. The program is structured around a two-semester core course (Principles of Population Biology I and II) which is required for incoming students and is intended to create a cohort of scholars that becomes an integral component of the scientific community in the Department of Biology at Texas State University. The program also introduces students to the most contemporary issues in population and conservation biology through its Visiting Scholars Program which will bring nationally recognized experts to the department for week-long workshops on specialized topics. We strongly value the independence of students in their intellectual pursuits and the creativity it engenders. We also value and expect students to participate in all aspects of the program, including helping to guide the continued growth of the program, the Department of Biology and our intellectual community.

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