Conservation Biology

Conservation Biology Concentration

Students interested in managing and conserving biodiversity, ecosystems, habitats and threatened species along with developing potential solutions or advocacy should consider this concentration. Students enrolled in this concentration are encouraged to pursue an advanced degree.

Apply Now Download the Curriculum Courses & descriptions

Courses in parentheses are prerequisites.

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Scholarship Information

• Students may apply for university, college and departmental scholarships through one application. You can find the scholarship application once you logon to myState. Under the banner tab, select Financial Aid and Scholarships. The application is listed as Submit/Revise General Scholarship Application.
• Freshmen-only scholarships: Priority date for application is December 1.
• All other students: Scholarship application close date is March 1.
• New freshmen and transfer students who need information should contact Cory Bailey. All other students should contact Lanna Miller, Office of Student Services at 662.325.9376.

View All Available Scholarships

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Certifications

Become a certified professional biologist: If interested, students can be certified as an Associate Wildlife Biologist (from The Wildlife Society), Associate Fisheries Biologist (from the American Fisheries Society) or Associate Ecologist (by the Ecological Society of America) upon completion of specific sets of classes. In addition to your degree, these certifications may help in securing certain positions or pay scales within state or federal agencies. Please visit with your advisor during your freshman or sophomore year regarding your interest in receiving certifications.

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Internships

Cooperative Education - Through its Cooperative Education program, Mississippi State University encourages students to receive practical on-the-job training along with their academic studies. Typically, students in this program accumulate one year of work experience in their chosen fields before graduation by alternating between studying at Mississippi State for a semester and working with a cooperating organization for a semester.

Students must complete two semesters of study and earn a minimum 2.5 grade-point average before entering the cooperative education program, and they must maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA. Generally, students begin work during the summer following their freshman year and work alternate semesters thereafter.

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Thrive in Five

With MSU's Thrive in Five accelerated degree program, scholars can earn their bachelor's and master's degrees concurrently in only five years. And by completing the required course load in less than the typical six years, they'll enter the workforce and start earning sooner. Undergraduate students who have completed at least 60 hours of coursework and have at least a 3.25 GPA may begin the process of earning their bachelor's and master's degrees at an accelerated pace.

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Living-Learning/Theme Community

The College of Forest Resources Themed Community for natural resource majors is housed in Cresswell Hall. The community provides students an opportunity to attend the same classes, establish study groups, and network and live with like-minded students. The College of Forest Resources is a small college with career paths that provide students continuous interaction with classmates from the first day of college throughout their careers. Students in this community will find a valuable opportunity to ease the transition to college and to build relationships within the natural resource field. Students must be in the College of Forest Resources to participate in this community.

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Potential Careers