Interdepartmental Program in Ecology
Director: Nancy Huntly
Location: Natural Resources 314
Phone: (435) 797-2555
FAX: (435) 797-3872
E-mail: nancy.huntly@usu.edu
WWW: http://www.usu.edu/ecology/
Degrees offered: Master of Science (MS) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in the following departments: Biology; Environment and Society; Plants, Soils, and Climate; Watershed Sciences; and Wildland Resources
Graduate Program
The ecology program at Utah State University is administered by the interdepartmental Ecology Center. Its goals are to promote research and graduate education in the science of ecology and to provide expert, professional information and advice for decision-makers. The research carried out by the center’s associates covers the full spectrum of ecology.
Students earn their degrees in ecology while maintaining residence in one of the participating departments; the Center itself does not grant degrees. The candidate selects a major professor from the department appropriate to his or her interests.
Ecology MS and PhD Degree Course Requirements
Requirements for graduate degrees in ecology include the university and departmental degree requirements, as well as the Ecology Center requirements outlined below.
The ecology MS and PhD are research degrees requiring a research thesis or dissertation. Students receiving graduate degrees in ecology are expected to have some breadth and sophistication in modern science as well as depth in ecology.
For further details, see the USU Ecology Center website: http://www.usu.edu/ecology/.
Ecology Course Requirements
Master of Science
- MS candidates are required to pass the 1-credit Ecology Seminar (BIOL 6870 or ENVS 6870 or PSC 6870 or WATS 6870 or WILD 6870 ) a minimum of two times during their program of study.
- Three credit hours must be taken from each of two of the blocks, for a total requirement of 6 credit hours. The five available blocks are shown below. Specific course options can be found on the Ecology website (www.ecology.usu.edu).
Doctor of Philosophy
- PhD candidates are required to pass the 1-credit Ecology Seminar (BIOL 6870 or ENVS 6870 or PSC 6870 or WATS 6870 or WILD 6870 ) a minimum of three times during their program of study.
- Three credit hours must be taken from each of three of the blocks, for a total requirement of 9 credit hours. The five available blocks are shown below. Specific course options can be found on the Ecology website (www.ecology.usu.edu).
Blocks
- Biophysical Ecology
- Organismic, Population, and Evolutionary Ecology
- Community, Ecosystem, and Landscape Ecology
- Quantitative Ecology
- Human Ecology
- Policy
- Recreation
- Planning
- Economics, Sustainability, and Translational Science
- Anthropology, History, Psychology, and Sociology
Forest Ecology Specialization
Within the Ecology MS and PhD degrees in the Wildland Resources Department a student also can choose to pursue a Specialization in Forest Ecology, which will appear on their transcript if completed. To opt for the Specialization in Forest Ecology, select it when you fill out your committee form or enter it under your plan description in your program of study. Required elements for this specialization for the MS or PhD degree include the following, with the remaining credit hours for the degree determined by the student and his or her committee:
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