Program Requirements
Those interested in pursuing a doctoral degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Biology should have sound undergraduate training in the biological or related sciences and a related master’s degree or equivalent research experience. Initially, applicants should contact the faculty members whose research interests are closest to their own. Programs of study are designed to emphasize relationships between wild animals and their changing environments and conservation of aquatic organisms.
Admission to either the master’s program or the doctoral program requires acceptance by the University and the Graduate Student Admission Committee of Wildlife and Fisheries Biology. This committee will base its acceptance recommendation to the Graduate Admissions Office on previous coursework, GRE scores, letters of recommendation, undergraduate background and current research interests. Students are required to have completed a bachelor’s degree, preferably in a natural science, with a minimum of 30 credit hours in natural sciences. In addition, an MS in wildlife and fisheries biology or related natural resources field is preferred, but not required, for acceptance into the doctoral program. Students accepted without the appropriate course background will be required to make up these deficiencies as outlined by the Graduate Student Admission Committee and consistent with University admission policies.
The PhD degree program requires a minimum of 30 credit hours beyond the student’s master’s degree coursework or 60 credit hours beyond the student’s bachelor’s degree coursework. At least 18 credits of dissertation research (WFB 9910 ) is required. Students are required to take, or have taken, at least two semesters of graduate statistics and two semesters of 8000-level seminars in fisheries and wildlife science or related areas. Other course requirements will be identified by the student’s advisory committee and will include specific courses according to the elected emphasis area: fisheries biology, wildlife biology, or conservation biology.
Research opportunities are enhanced by cooperative programs with the S.C. Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Geological Survey Cooperative Research Unit at Clemson, Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Waddell Mariculture Center and other cooperators. The graduate program is accredited by the Southeastern Section of the Wildlife Society.
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