Fisheries and Wildlife Learning Outcomes

What are learning outcomes? 

They are learner-focused statements reflecting what a student will be able to do as a result of an instructional activity. Each outcome statement should start with a measurable action verb that indicates the level of learning, followed by a precise description of the learned behavior, knowledge, or attitude.

BS in Fisheries and Wildlife (* applies to FW minor)
  • Students will understand the physical and ecological elements and processes sustaining ecosystems, and recognize the implications of altering those components. Students will be able to apply conservation principles in developing conservation approaches for ecosystems or organisms within ecosystems.
  • Students will learn the need to incorporate social information in fisheries and wildlife management.
  • Students will understand the biology, ecology, and evolution of at least one major vertebrate taxon, and can explain how the structure, behavior, and physiology of animals in that taxon adapts them to their environment and influences their ecology.*
  • Students will learn how to interpret, represent, and present data in figures and tables in accordance with professional standards.

 

  • Students will learn to recognize biases and assumptions in published and unpublished scientific writing.
  • Students will learn the use of logic, reasoning, analysis, and synthesis to arrive at defensible conclusions.
  • Students will demonstrate the capacity to clearly and effectively express themselves in written communication.
  • Students will demonstrate the capacity to clearly and effectively express themselves in oral presentations.
  • Students will develop and learn about the importance of professional collegiality and team building. 
  • Students will demonstrate good interpersonal communication skills in interactions with their peers and FW faculty and staff.
Minor in Marine Conservation and Management
  • Students can incorporate social information in fisheries and wildlife management.  In the case of this minor, with an emphasis on marine ecosystems.
  • Students can synthesize knowledge of stock assessments, management regimes, and policy choices to explain what it takes to develop a “sustainable” fishery.
Professional Science Masters in Fisheries and Wildlife Administration
  • Students will demonstrate mastery of subject material that relates to the natural sciences portion of their project.
  • Students will learn to conduct scholarly or professional activities in an ethical manner.
  • Students will produce and defend an original, significant contribution to knowledge.
  • Students can effectively communicate science in an outreach product.
  • Students can produce a well written report that places their work in proper context and uses correct style and grammar to effectively communicate major findings.
  • Students can deliver a well-organized and easy to follow defense seminar.
  • Students demonstrate good oral communications skills during the closed defense with their committee.
  • Students display evidence of critical thinking skills during the oral defense.
  • Students articulate subject area knowledge related to Human Dimensions and Policy through their defense and project write up.
MS or PhD in Fisheries Science or Wildlife Science
  • Students will demonstrate that they conducted research or produced some other form of creative work.
  • Students demonstrate mastery of subject material relevant to their thesis topic.
  • Students will learn to conduct scholarly or professional activities in an ethical manner.
  • Upon completion, a student will have produced a well written thesis that placed their work in proper context and used correct style and grammar to effectively communicate major findings.
  • Each student will learn and demonstrate the capacity to deliver a well-organized and easy to follow defense seminar.
  • Students will learn and demonstrate good oral communications skills during the closed defense with their committee.
  • Students will display evidence of critical thinking skills during the oral defense.
Fisheries or Wildlife Management Graduate Certificate
  • Demonstrate mastery of subject material that relates to the natural sciences portion of the capstone paper.
  • Locate sources, evaluate the credibility of those sources, and determine the relevance of that information to a specific conservation and management issue.
  • Synthesize the peer-reviewed literature to produce a paper that is consistent with the norms of written communication of the fisheries and wildlife profession.
  • Apply human dimensions concepts to persistent or emerging conservation concerns.