With career options ranging from gamekeeping to pest control, you may need a little help narrowing down what type of degree you need in wildlife management. There are associate's, bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees available. Read on to learn which type of degree will work best for your chosen career.
Wildlife Management Defined
Wildlife management is concerned with maintaining species populations, including the recognition that humankind is a species. The end goal is to find a way for all species to cohabitate the same areas without one obliterating another. Degree programs in wildlife management teach the two primary methods of achieving this.
One of the methods you'll learn is known as manipulative management. This tactic will require you to alter a species' population or territory by moving a food source or introducing a predator factor. Another method is known as custodial management. Custodial management involves methods of protecting a species. You'll most often use this type of wildlife management in places like parks and preserves. Degree programs in wildlife management typically include a mix of classroom-based lectures and hands-on fieldwork or laboratory analysis.
<h3 id="section---ImportantFactsAboutWildlifeManagementDegrees">Important Facts About Wildlife Management Degrees</h3><p></p><table border="1"><tr><td> Prerequisites</td><td> High school math, chemistry, biology, and environmental studies; computer application skills can also be important</td></tr>
<tr><td> Concentrations</td><td> Fisheries, wildlife management, conservation biology</td></tr>
<tr><td> Possible Careers</td><td> Wildlife manager or biologist, fisheries technician, range conservationist, game warden</td></tr>
<tr><td> Online Availability</td><td> Multiple degrees in wildlife management available online</td></tr>
<tr><td>Median Salary (2021)</td><td>$64,650 <i>(Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists)</i></td></tr>
<tr><td>Job Outlook (2021-2031)</td><td>1% <i>(Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists)</i></td></tr>
</table><p><i>Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)</i>
</p><h3 id="section---TypesOfWildlifeManagementDegrees"> Types of Wildlife Management Degrees</h3><h3 id="section---AssociateSDegree">Associate's Degree</h3><p>You can either use an associate's degree to prepare yourself for an entry-level position or as a springboard towards a bachelor's degree. A couple of the jobs that an associate's degree will prepare you for include park aide or wildlife aide. Some of the classes you'll take will teach you about:
</p><ul><li>Field biology
</li><li>Wetland ecology and habitats
</li><li>Aquatic ecology
</li><li>Fish management
</li></ul><h3 id="section---BachelorSDegree">Bachelor's Degree</h3><p>A bachelor's degree can set you on a path to a career in wildlife management. Some schools with wildlife management programs have relationships with wildlife conservation centers where you can get hands-on experience. Some of the subjects you'll likely study in a bachelor's-level program include:
</p><ul><li>Wildlife policy and laws
</li><li>Environment-related ethics
</li><li>Research and management techniques
</li><li>Ornithology, ichthyology and mammalogy
</li><li>Habitat management
</li></ul><h3 id="section---GraduateDegrees">Graduate Degrees</h3><p>Both master's degrees and Ph.D. degree programs are available in wildlife management studies. The master's degree tends to be a professional degree that will prepare you for management positions. A doctorate might be a more fitting degree if you want to pursue a career in advanced research or teaching at a college or university level.</p>
